The source code for Metal Gear Solid 2 HD has leaked online, over 15 years after Konami released the HD Collection on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The leak includes engine files, assets, and development materials from the remaster.
This matters because it opens the door for fan projects and preservation efforts. The modding community now possesses the tools to fix lingering issues with the HD port, which players have criticized for its janky controls and visual compromises compared to the original PlayStation 2 version. Fans have already begun exploring ways to improve the game using the leaked materials.
Konami has shown zero interest in revisiting the Metal Gear Solid franchise since Hideo Kojima's departure in 2015. The company shelved the series in favor of pachinko machines and mobile games, leaving fans without official ways to experience these classics on modern hardware. The leak essentially forces Konami's hand. The company can either issue takedown notices and watch fans work around them, or accept that community preservation will happen regardless.
This highlights a broader problem with game preservation. Publishers sit on decades-old code while refusing to re-release or modernize their libraries. When they abandon franchises, the community steps in to keep them alive. Konami created this situation through sheer neglect.