Metal Gear Online is launching today. We previously checked out the game at this year’s Tokyo Game Show. It’s a lot of fun as is Metal Gear Solid: The Phantom Pain. You know what isn’t fun? Charging people for what’s essentially a cheat mode.
10/6/15 - 8:35am Update: The title and text were changed to clarify the differences between Metal Gear Online and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain’s online component.
Along with MGO, an update is bringing forward operating base (FOB) events and FOB insurance to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain’s online component. The online portion has transactions, yes, but they are optional (more here). That being said, Konami’s decision to sell paid in-game insurance for your forward operating base is like an Onion article brought to life.
Via the game’s official site:
Your FOBs are always at risk of coming under attack. Now, you can rest easy with FOB insurance (paid service). If you sign up for insurance, then during the insurance period you will be compensated for any materials and staff lost due to rival infiltrations.
* Staff/materials stolen by the rival will in fact remain on your base, and an identical amount of staff/materials will be handed over to the rival instead.
* MB Coins are purchased with real money, but free MB Coins are also distributed periodically as login bonuses, etc.
* The following are not covered by FOB insurance:
・Staff/items that are not fully your property, such as abducted staff being held in your Brig (FOB)
・Wounded staff (staff lost due to death or extraction will be compensated)
・Staff used by you to deploy in defense of the FOB (neither death nor extraction will be compensated)
・Nuclear weapons
It’s like Konami is running a protection racket.
To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter@Brian_Ashcraft.
Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.