Summary
- The return of Metal Gear Solid’s Ape Escape minigame was confirmed during Wednesday’s State Of Play.
- However, due to PlayStation owning the Ape Escape IP, the monkeys will not be part of the Xbox version.
- Konami has revealed a different classic mascot will take their place, and that mascot appears to be Bomberman.
Even though it was no surprise due to PlayStation accidentally leaking the trailer a week early, the release date for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater was confirmed during Wednesday’s State Of Play. That also meant a first official look at the Snake vs. Monkey mode that will return in the remake. However, a trailer for the game’s Xbox version has confirmed that the Ape Escape apes will be a platform exclusive.
Ape Escape is a PlayStation-owned property and its inclusion in the original version of Metal Gear Solid 3 was exclusive to the PS2 version of the game. Despite PlayStation and Xbox seemingly having a better relationship than ever in 2025 with some of the latter’s exclusives gradually coming to the former’s platform, PlayStation will not be letting its Ape Escape characters appear on Xbox Series X|S.
Konami noted the Snake vs. Monkey mode will be available on the PS5 and Steam versions of Snake Eater. However, an Xbox version of the trailer shown after the State Of Play confirms those playing an Xbox won’t simply be left without the minigame. The Xbox version promises a different iconic gaming mascot from the past in place of the Pipo monkeys, and even though they’ve not been officially revealed, it’s pretty easy to figure out who it is Snake will face off against in the Xbox version of the minigame.
It Will Have Someone In Their Place, Though
The trailer ends with a silhouette of what is clearly Bomberman, although Konami stops short of actually revealing the mascot’s name. Konami owns the Bomberman IP, so no need to worry about which platform he can and can’t appear on. Since the original version of Metal Gear Solid 3 was a PS2 exclusive, figuring out whether the Ape Escape monkeys could or couldn’t appear on other versions, and who should replace them if they couldn’t, wasn’t a problem that needed to be solved.
The trailer posted on Konami’s YouTube channel specifically notes that it’s the Xbox version. That presumably means even if you would prefer Bomberman in the minigame on PS5 and PC, you won’t have the option to trade out the apes for him. It’s a shame as I’d prefer battling against Bomberman, but I guess that means I’ll have to play on Xbox. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on August 28, 2025.
Shooter
Adventure
Stealth
- Released
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August 28, 2025
- ESRB
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