Metal Gear Solid is one of the most influential video game franchises ever, and now it seems like the impact of the series is being seen outside of gaming. Konami has partnered with prosthetics company Open Bionics to release a themed arm seen in the Metal Gear Solid universe, and it looks just as good as the one used within the games.
This is not the first time a Metal Gear prosthetic has been created. Back in 2015, Konami helped develop an arm for another amputee gamer, James Young, the first wearer of an MGS prosthetic lost an arm and leg via an accident on the tracks of the London DLR metro system. As it turns out, Konami has repeated this good deed once again, with another UK citizen donning a Metal Gear prosthetic. With the themed arms now available to the public, more and more are likely to be seen as time goes on.
The arm based on the controversial Metal Gear Solid 5 character Venom Snake shines red and features multi-grip functionality, with a 29-year-old man named Daniel Melville adopting the latest version of the eye-catching MGS prosthetic. Melville was born without a right hand and has been wearing one of Open Arms’ prosthetics for three years, making the switch to Snake’s Bionic Arm recently.
While Venom Snake’s Bionic Arm featured numerous abilities, like a rocket-propelled, controllable fist, the one worn by Melville and available for purchase is a bit tamer and more realistic. That is perfectly fine for the recipient, however, as Melville says the design is “unbelievable” and “everything I ever wanted from a bionic arm.” The 29-year-old amputee is “an avid gamer” who loves MGS, and he says it is insane to “actually have Snake’s arm in real life.”
As mentioned previously, James Young and Daniel Melville will not be the only amputee gamers to don a stylish Venom Snake arm, as there are plans in place for more Bionic Arms to be provided to those in need. With Deus Ex-themed prosthetics also being made for gamers, it is incredible to see how video games are influencing the lives of amputees. Not only can those with a lost limb get that functionality back, but they can do so in style.
While the future of the Metal Gear Solid series is unclear, it seems like Konami is still doing one thing right with the IP. The arms are incredibly cool, and they help ensure that the phrase “everyone can be a gamer” holds true.