Through December 31, 2011, the Metal Gear series has sold 31 million copies worldwide since the original launched in 1987, Konami said today.



The announcement comes in conjunction with the opening of the Art of Video Games Exhibition today at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C. Both Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty will be on display. Series creator Hideo Kojima himself will be in attendance to give a talk with the museum’s curator.



Kojima's studio recently began hiring for the next Metal Gear game that utilizes its new Fox Engine.