Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Will Not Have Preload Option for PC; Preload Still Coming to Consoles

With just a few weeks left at this point, anticipation for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is at an all-time high, with new details arising for the game’s preload options before launch.

Metal Gear Solid online community manager Robert Allen Peeler confirmed in an exchange with Twitter users that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will not offer preloading options for PC users, while console owners will be able to preload the game prior to its release.

Specifically, Peeler addressed that the game will go live as scheduled on September 1st, 2015 – the console versions will go live at 12am ET while on PC, the game will go live at 10AM PT: up until that time, PC players can still take advantage of the pre-purchase options and nab a free copy of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and additional content, until the Steam page switches over at that time and the pre-purchase offer ends:

@Respawned_Ghost for PC the official release time is 10AM PT 9/1, up until then, players can still take advantage of pre-purchase

— Robert Allen Peeler (@popcicle) August 19, 2015

However, Peeler reiterated that the PC version will not offer preloading while console owners will be able to preload the game in advance of its release, though no window has been given just yet of how soon players can begin downloading the game before release:

@suPirman unfortunately PC Steam will not have a preload option, however players will be able to preload on console

— Robert Allen Peeler (@popcicle) August 19, 2015

I think there's a misunderstanding with the PC release. So the pre-purchase option, which gives you Ground Zeroes for free and some DLC p1/3

— Robert Allen Peeler (@popcicle) August 19, 2015

Is available to 10 AM PT 9/1, but if you already pre-purchased, you can dl and play before that time, earliest 9/1 New Zealand time p2/3

— Robert Allen Peeler (@popcicle) August 19, 2015

Pretty common practice for PC/Steam users, but I apologize if it wasn't clear p3/3

— Robert Allen Peeler (@popcicle) August 19, 2015

But (in reply to those concerned) if your DL speed requires a week for the game file size, no, we won't have a preload option that early

— Robert Allen Peeler (@popcicle) August 19, 2015