“Metal Gear Solid”, Original Japanese Video Game Promotional Poster 1998, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) — Ultra Rare P190
This is an ultra-rare original Japanese B2 promotional poster issued in 1998 by Konami / KCE Japan for the original PlayStation release of Metal Gear Solid. Produced for Japanese shop display ahead of the game’s 3 September 1998 launch, it captures the exact moment Kojima’s stealth classic entered the PlayStation era. For many collectors, this is the Metal Gear Solid poster: the stark white ground, the monumental vertical red logo, the single-word Japanese copy line 潜入。 (“Infiltration.”), and Yoji Shinkawa’s unforgettable artwork.
This is the first-release Japanese launch design for one of the most important games of the 32-bit generation. Hideo Kojima later said that PlayStation’s 3D polygons finally let him realize “real hide-and-seek,” reviving Metal Gear in solid 3D; official PlayStation materials likewise describe the game as the series’ first 3D title and a work that pioneered 3D stealth action. More than a standout release, Metal Gear Solid became a landmark of cinematic game design and remains widely cited as one of the most influential video games ever made.
About the release
Released in Japan on 1998.09.03 for the original PlayStation, Metal Gear Solid pushed the earlier Metal Gear formula into polygonal 3D with cinematic direction, voice acting, live-action footage, and tension built around avoiding detection rather than charging into combat. Konami’s own materials still describe the key idea as the innovative concept of “infiltrating without being found,” while Japanese retrospectives note that the move from MSX2 to PlayStation enabled new kinds of 3D presentation and expression. That leap is a major reason the game retains both historic significance and lasting cult status among players and collectors.
Poster design
The artwork is by Yoji Shinkawa, the artist most closely associated with Metal Gear’s visual identity. PlayStation Blog has described Shinkawa’s output as some of the most striking and iconic artwork in games, while 4Gamer notes that he is known for character and mechanical design across the Metal Gear Solid series. Shinkawa has said that his process begins with pencil or brush pen on paper, then scanning and refining digitally, which helps explain the raw, calligraphic energy of this image. Here the figures are rendered in smoky blacks, reds, and fleshy rose tones against a vast white field, with the towering vertical METAL GEAR SOLID logo, TACTICAL ESPIONAGE ACTION text, and top-left Konami / KCE Japan / PlayStation branding completing one of the defining poster designs of the PlayStation era. The lower-right credit reads “Illustration by Yoji Shinkawa”, and the lower text block announces “小島秀夫監督最新作 / 1998年9月3日(木)発売予定” — Kojima’s latest work, scheduled for release on Thursday, September 3, 1998 — exactly as seen in the photos.
Why collectors prize this poster
Original Japanese B2 launch-period shop promotional poster.
Features the definitive Yoji Shinkawa image most people associate with Metal Gear Solid.
Issued for the 1998 PlayStation release that launched Metal Gear into its groundbreaking 3D era.
Stark, instantly recognizable Japanese design with the unforgettable copy line 潜入。
A cornerstone collectible from a title still recognized as one of gaming’s most influential works.
Details
Country: Japan
Year: 1998
Size: B2 — 51.5 × 72.8 cm
Type: Original Japanese retail promotional poster (launch period)
Publisher: Konami / KCE Japan
Platform: PlayStation
Condition
Excellent / close to Near Mint — an exceptionally well-preserved example, beautifully stored by its previous owner for nearly three decades. The display side presents extremely cleanly with strong color, a bright white background, and crisp print; the reverse is blank and shows only light age/storage evidence visible in the photos. Please review the images carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.
It is over 27 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
