'Metal Gear' spinoff 'Survive' announced, fans react negatively

COLOGNE, Germany, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A new game set in the Metal Gear universe entitled Metal Gear Survive, was announced Wednesday with fans voicing their disapproval on social media.

A cinematic debut trailer released Wednesday during the ongoing Gamescom convention in Cologne, Germany, features a group of Militaires Sans Frontieres soldiers being sucked up into a wormhole following the destruction of their headquarters, Mother Base during the closing moments of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes.

Series protagonist Snake aka Big Boss is only shown for a moment as the MSF band together inside a new dark dimension where they are seen working together to fight off a group of zombies. The clip also hints at the appearance of the franchises signature Metal Gear mechs.

According to IGN, Survive, the first Metal Gear game developed without series creator and famed developer Hideo Kojima, will be a four-player co-op experience that will offer a fresh take on Metal Gear's signature stealth gameplay.

Following the announcement, reaction has been negative with fans upset at the unusual direction the Metal Gear series is taking without Kojima at the helm. Publisher Konami has been under fire since last year with the release of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, amid reports that the company forced out Kojima, mistreated the development staff and rushed the game out before being fully completed.

Fans noted their displeasure on social media and YouTube, giving the trailer thousands of dislikes. "Metal Gear Survive: Tactical Missing the Point Action," wrote comedian Mike Drucker on Twitter, referencing the series former tagline of "Tactical Espionage Action."

"Metal Gear Survive is the video game equivalent of an ex desperately trying to prove they're just fine without you," added independent game developer and music producer Richie B.

Metal Gear Survive is set for release in 2017 for the Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC.