'Metal Gear Online' Now Available For PS4 & Xbox One, Features Controversial Microtransaction

By Aarati Shah, Christian Post Contributor Friday, October 09, 2015

"Metal Gear Online," the free multiplayer add-on for "Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain," is out and available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles around the world. Game developer Konami has updated "Metal Gear Solid 5" by adding a debatable microtransaction.

Firstly, the multiplayer add-on offers two multiplayer modes, according to IBTimes. The upgrades have been incorporated for better gameplay and stealth while customised upgrades have been applied to all the teams.

The second new mode enhances the gameplay by 'Forward Operating Bases' or FOB that can be used for income or resource generation. A word of caution as newly created FOBs will have to be protected against enemy invasion.

The controversy is regarding the optional "FOB insurance service".

The FOB insurance service means staff and materials will remain with you even though it has been stolen by your enemy. The compensation to the enemy is that it will be given the identical amount of staff & materials.

Some items are not covered by the FOB insurance services and these include staff and items whose proprietorship is debatable – like abducted staff being held by you, wounded staff & those used for defence of the FOB itself.

However, staff lost due to death or extraction will be compensated for.

Players are already debating the pros & cons of this new system as not all are happy with the inclusion of microtransactions that has to be paid for.

"Metal Gear Solid 5" has also introduced 'MB Coins' that are in-game currency you can buy with cash.

To dispel all these controversies, Konami UK said in a press release:
"Metal Gear Online is built around a dedicated squad-based competitive multiplayer structure. Following its inclusion with Metal Gear Solid IV: Guns of the Patriots for PlayStation 3, the mode has been fully redesigned with the familiar gameplay and aesthetic styling of the acclaimed series. The online element introduces Tactical Team Operations and features a 'class system' that more uniquely defines the strengths and abilities of player characters on the battlefield."

According to a GamesRadar report, the MGO 3 add-on can be manually downloaded from the Xbox Live/PlayStation stores. However the download file-size is a bulky 950MB. So be sure to clear up things and make space first for the download.

For more information on the update go over to the Konami website.