Metal Gear Solid 5 actress speaks out on her character's controversial outfit: "There were so many other options you could have gone with"

02.11.2023 - 21:59 / gamesradar.com / Many / Out On

It's been nearly 10 years since the release of Hideo Kojima's final Metal Gear Solid game, MGSV: The Phantom Pain, and it's still a hot topic among fans. Along with discussions about what could have been with the game (which didn't launch with all intended features) and the circumstances surrounding the creator's exit from Konami, one topic that continues to be a lively discussion relates to the infamous character Quiet, played by Stefanie Joosten. 

In an interview with IGN, Joosten took some time to share her thoughts on the character in the years since the initial controversy surrounding Quiet, and how her views have changed in the years after.

"It's been interesting to see the discussions about the character. Of course, I've seen them and read a lot of different perspectives on the character at the time," said Joosten. "And still, I respect the choices Kojima made and his team in designing the character. And also, of course, there's also just a choice of creating a visually appealing character. I think video games are, in a way, still a sort of fantasy world you enter, so I respect the choices regarding the Quiet appearance, for instance, being quite revealing."

"But I also understand the perspective of the people that are not as happy with how she was portrayed," she continued. "This game came out in 2015, and I think the video game landscape has changed quite a lot since then. People are looking for more representation, and I really get it."

Before MGSV's release in 2015, the character Quiet became a topic for discussion due to her revealing costume and how she fit into the game. Many fans felt that her character added unnecessary sex appeal to the game which came off as degrading to her character. Hideo Kojima would eventually speak to the controversy, stating that there were in fact, story reasons for why the silent assassin Quiet needed to wear a bikini and leggings, which led to the now infamous comment from him stating that critics of Quiet would be "ashamed of your words & deeds."

As it turned out, the story's reasons for why Quiet needed to wear a revealing outfit weren't quite as revelatory as expected. In the full game, it's revealed Quiet's body had mutated due to a Vocal Cord Parasite created by XOF and its leader Skull Face, which was an infection that targeted people's speaking abilities and specific languages spoken. This parasite also imbued Quiet with enhanced strength and speed and photosynthesis through her skin -- which explains the story's need for her to wear as little clothes as possible to take in nutrients. It's bizarre, but it makes more sense within the context of the game -- though not completely.

While Quiet became a fan-favorite character and was a fun ally for Venom