Diamond Dogs

Lore & Background

The faction emerged following the events of Ground Zeroes, after MSF was destroyed and Big Boss fell into a coma. Nine years later, he awakens and helps lead a new mercenary group, Diamond Dogs. Adopting the codename "Venom Snake", he ventures into Afghanistan during the Soviet–Afghan War and the Angola—Zaire border region during the Angolan Civil War to track down the people responsible for MSF's destruction. Along the way, he becomes reacquainted with his former rival Ocelot and encounters Quiet, an assassin and sniper with supernatural abilities. While he and Kazuhira Miller are initially driven to exact revenge, Snake unearths a plot by the Cipher organization to develop a new model of the Metal Gear system known as the ST-84 "Sahelanthropus". The game features a base-building system that allows players to develop weapons and items from their headquarters, Mother Base. Recruitment of enemy soldiers and prisoners has returned for this purpose, allowing the base to grow through organization. The Fulton surface-to-air recovery system, an item introduced into gameplay in Peace Walker, returns as well, with players able to transport captured soldiers and other objects such as animals and vehicles back to Mother Base. An in-game currency called GMP is used for upgrading Mother Base's defenses and technology, and can be collected from objects found all over the map, such as rough diamonds, shipping containers, and special blueprint boxes, as well as sending recruited soldiers on combat missions around the world.

In Their Own Story

The desert wind howled across the metal deck of Mother Base as night fell over the African continent. Big Boss stood at the railing, his silhouette sharp against the twin moons reflected on the ocean below. Somewhere inside the hangar, Quiet adjusted her sniper rifle, listening to the silence that only a predator could appreciate. They were alone in the world now, bound not by flags or laws, but by the blood they had spilled together.

Reader's Guide

Diamond Dogs is a private military company led by Punished "Venom" Snake in 1984, nine years after the events of Ground Zeroes. The group operates from Mother Base, a headquarters that can be expanded through the recruitment of enemy soldiers and prisoners using the Fulton surface-to-air recovery system. Players can develop weapons and items from Mother Base, using GMP currency collected from objects like rough diamonds, shipping containers, and special blueprint boxes, as well as by sending recruited soldiers on combat missions around the world. Snake can call on one of a few AI "buddy" companions: D-Horse, a horse capable of wearing armor and hiding Snake during travel; D-Dog, a wolf pup raised to assist Snake in the field; Quiet, a mute female sniper with supernatural abilities; and D-Walker, a piloted, highly agile mobile weapons platform that can provide heavy weapons support. The companions' abilities and their effectiveness depends on the player's relationship with them. The game includes two separate multiplayer modes: Metal Gear Online 3 and Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). The latter mode allows players to develop FOBs, which can then be invaded by other players. These facilities can be used to generate resources and income for the single-player campaign, and can be attacked by other players in a player-versus-player mode.

Did You Know?

• Diamond Dogs was formed after the destruction of Militaires Sans Frontières (MSF) in the events of Ground Zeroes.
• The group operates in 1984, nine years after Big Boss fell into a coma following the climax of Ground Zeroes.
• Snake can recruit enemy soldiers and prisoners using the Fulton surface-to-air recovery system, transporting them back to Mother Base.
• The game features AI companions including D-Horse, D-Dog, Quiet, and D-Walker, whose effectiveness depends on the player's relationship with them.
• Diamond Dogs' Forward Operating Bases can be invaded by other players in a multiplayer mode, allowing them to steal resources and soldiers.