Walkman

Walkman
Various Sony Walkman models.
Origin	Japan
Type	Portable audio player
Production and service
Designer	Sony
Used by	Militaires Sans Frontières Diamond Dogs

The Sony Walkman is a portable audio player.

Usage

Cécile Cosima Caminades

A prototype of the then in-development Sony Walkman TPS-L2, originally belonged to ornithologist Cécile Cosima Caminades to record bird sounds in Costa Rica, 1974. However, it was confiscated by the CIA mercenary group Peace Sentinel after she stumbled upon one of the secret AI tests for the Mammal Pod. Cipher agent Pacifica Ocean later managed to steal it from a supply depot at Puerto del Alba, and passed it on to KGB ally Vladimir Zadornov.

A few days later, Zadornov, in the guise of Ramón Gálvez Mena, used it to play back a tape cassette for the commander of the private military group Militaires Sans Frontières, Naked Snake. The cassette contained Cécile's recording of the AI test, which featured the voice of Snake's deceased former mentor, The Boss, speaking with an unidentified woman. MSF's subcommander Kazuhira Miller initially believed that the Walkman was a Russian copy of the prototype, but later discovered and informed Snake otherwise.

Militaires Sans Frontières

Snake kept the Walkman for MSF's subsequent mission into Costa Rica, and Mother Base's R&D Team, under Miller's suggestion, studied the Walkman and were later able to reverse-engineer and improve it. In addition, the Walkman was used to play back recordings that contained briefings, discussions between personnel, or even old data files. These included a multi-part cassette tape from EVA, regarding The Boss's mission between 1959 and 1962, and memoirs recorded by Strangelove regarding her past with The Boss, having felt that she may not come back alive from her top-secret mission for the CIA. The cassette tapes used for the recordings were also high pass-pressed. Likewise, the tapes utilized were C-60 tapes (tapes that had a recording limit of 60 minutes), with thirty minutes being devoted to each side; two checkboxes to indicate which side was full; an "[...]81811 Do Not Remove" warning label; stereo-sound playability; and had the MSF logo extending from the left side to barely reaching the right side. Pacifica Ocean, under cover as Paz Ortega Andrade, also utilized the Walkman to record her log on the events of her stay on Mother Base, and her mission for Cipher. The Diaries as well as the associated mission log were later uncovered by Big Boss and Miller.

Walkman circa 1975.

Presumably, the Walkman was used for intelligence operations by the Intel Unit afterwards, and the MSF managed to mass produce their own versions of the Walkman.

On December 7, 1974, the MSF Intel Team agent Hideo managed to retrieve a cassette tape containing information that presumably related to the base, as well as request an extraction from his assigned post. He barely managed to escape after circumstances forced Big Boss to directly intervene to save Hideo.

On December 21, 1974, an undercover agent that was planted at the facility by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and instructed to meet with the Militaires Sans Frontières, located and presumably recorded a cassette tape that contained information vital enough for the MSF to deploy Big Boss to retrieve it. However, due to their actions being monitored by the staff, the agent had to stow it away at a guard tower and tell Big Boss (who likewise put him into an interrogation hold to ensure their cover was intact) where it was located instead of supplying it to him in person. However, the tape was a dummy tape (albeit containing incriminating evidence of a torture by one of the personnel), the agent being forced to almost set them up due to one of the Marines confiscating the real tape and threatening his family. Big Boss eventually managed to retrieve both tapes and escape from the base, where they discovered the existence of a mysterious man known only by the name of Skull Face, who relayed his past to a prisoner he had heavily tortured. The tapes acted as proof that the base had been used as a black site, with the actual tape uncovering that they had even ordered a fleet of transports.

The MSF utilized at least one of their Walkmans for the events leading up to the IAEA inspection of Mother Base, including the revelation that Paz survived her duel with Big Boss, the discovery that Chico had disappeared, and details on the base that Chico was being held at. In addition, Paz's diaries were placed into archives by this time.

On March 7-8, 1975, Chico, after overhearing that Paz had survived, took a Walkman with him to record his progress in trying to locate her, after sneaking off of a supply ship enroute to Havana while it was stopped at Santiago de Cuba to refuel. However, he ended up being caught and captured, though he temporarily retained his use of the Walkman, which he used to expose what was happening during his imprisonment. It was eventually confiscated from Chico by the leader, Skull Face, after a torture session. Skull Face later recorded his interrogation of Paz as well as his surgical implanting of bombs into her body. After this, he returned the Walkman to Chico at his cage in Camp Omega, which he listened to the tape containing the torture of Paz by jacking it to a port in his chest. Big Boss later took the Walkman from Chico after rescuing him, and used it and the included tape to deduce where Paz was being held.

A prisoner recovered one of Chico's cassette tapes after escaping from his cell, which he supplied to Big Boss after being rescued. Another one of Chico's tapes was found by Big Boss in the admin building's central control tower. In addition, despite Skull Face and XOF intending to deliberately let Big Boss find the diary tapes Chico made during his imprisonment, at least one of Chico's tapes nearly ended up thrown out by the base's US Marines personnel, as they wanted to quickly get rid of any evidence of what was occurring at the base. However, Big Boss, having overheard this while infiltrating the Admin Building, intercepted the tape before it could be taken by the garbage truck.

Diamond Dogs

During the 1980s, Venom Snake came equipped with the Walkman, and also procured various cassette tapes that featured various songs made during this time. Like it's predecessor, the Diamond Dogs also utilized the Walkman to record various briefings and conversations at Mother Base, relating to the overall missions, current events, the past, and other topics.

The Diamond Dogs also recorded their interrogations via the Walkman.

In addition, the real Big Boss sent Venom Snake, his phantom, a Walkman tape called "Truth: From the Man who Sold the World" which explained that they are "both Big Boss," and also gave some more information that happened in the past, including reports from Ocelot, and various conversations with Zero.

Behind the scenes

Cassette from MG2

A cassette tape player is featured in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. It is located in Gustava Heffner's locker and contains a recording of the Zanzibar Land national anthem. The player can procure it by forming a key from Gustava's brooch, due to its memory shaped alloy nature. However, the recording grows distorted with overuse.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

The Walkman is an item featured in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker despite the game being set in late 1974. In reality, the prototype was developed by Sony in 1978, and first sold in Japan in 1979.

Promotional image of Big Boss wearing the Peace Walker Walkman.

Promotional picture of Paz holding the Peace Walker Walkman.

The Walkman was alluded to as early as the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo/Gamescom/Kojima Productions joint site's (formerly Next) Japanese page (in particular the Gamescom/Kojima Productions version, due to the setting matching up with Playa del Alba in the game), where they depicted an orange and blue cassette tape, respectively, on the signs that directed towards the Hideochannel site. A green C90 low-noise version was later shown on the 2009 Tokyo Game Show/Kojima Productions website, where the intro to the site had a tape playing containing an excerpt of the Japanese version of "A Conversation between Two Women," titled "Peace F-0267~", which strongly hinted at the cassette tapes' importance in Peace Walker. According to the tape picture, the recording lasted as long as 00'36".

Cassette tape on the TGS 2009 hub site.

During Peace Walker's development, Sony released a promotional NWD-W202 Walkman that had green camouflage colors. Included with this walkman were pre-recorded music as well as a passcode that allowed a Walkman T-shirt to be released.

The Sony Walkman was the only real-life, non-DLC passcode-obtainable item that neither had its name/design/model viewer description changed, nor had its briefing file topic removed during localization, most likely due to its major role in the plot. On a related note, it was also one of only three products, thanks to the promotional item's release, whose DLC passcode item was kept in releases outside Japan (the others being the Hori accessory line and the UNIQLO T-shirts). The T-shirt was dark green in color, and had the words "Every Moment Has Its Music", with "Has" being colored red and the other words being in beige.

If a soldier plays the Walkman, they'll gain the Earplug ability, which renders them incapable of being stunned by the various monsters' roars. This was a gameplay element carried over from the Monster Hunter series.

"WALKMAN
Original t-shirt design. Identical in basic characteristics to Jungle Fatigues. WALKMAN fans, show your support!"

―WALKMAN description in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

WALKMAN T-shirt.

During battles with the AI weapons, when the player breaches the AI pod to steal its memory boards, the player could also retrieve a cassette tape after pressing a specific action button prompt. Depending on whether the AI weapon battle in question was the story mode version or the Type II/Custom versions in Extra Ops, the tapes retrieved are tapes relating to the Briefing file series "Strangelove's Memories" and "Paz's Diary," respectively, the latter of which also has Miller calling in questioning what a cassette tape is doing inside the AI pod.

The character portraits for the Briefing files in Peace Walker depict them in various environments. The majority of the characters, save for Huey, Strangelove, Paz and Miller generally have a jungle, meadow, or forest nature in the background, while Huey is inside what appears to be a wooden or vertical brick house, Strangelove is near a concrete wall, Paz has the sky behind her, and Miller is near a tan wall.

One of the briefing files in the game, "How Miller met Snake," was later adapted and expanded into a five-part radio drama, titled "Snake & Kaz (Encounter)" in the drama/music CD, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker - Heiwa to Kazuhira no Blues. Similarly, the events Paz described in her eighth diary tape were later elaborated upon in the radio drama "Snake & Kaz (Sauna)", included on the same drama/music CD.

Walkman types

Through MSF's R&D Team, the player can develop newer models of the Sony Walkman.

"TPS-L2
The first edition of the "WALKMAN" stereo cassette player. Despite its lack of a record function, the WALKMAN defied naysayers in the company and in the public to touch off a revolution in personal sound systems and to create a whole new lifestyle. It features the metallic blue body color, akin to the color of blue jeans."

―Sony Walkman (TPS-L2) model viewer description in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

"WM-2
Unlike most consumer products, the WALKMAN II was created under a "design first, engineering afterwards" philosophy. Not only is it even smaller and lighter than the original model - barely the size of a cassette case - it is designed to maximize sound quality, with support for the clear, crisp stereo sound of metal tapes and a built-in anti-rolling mechanism. It's easy to see why the WALKMAN II was such a runaway hit."

―Sony Walkman (WM-2) model viewer description in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

"WM-EX88
The EX88 takes the style and functionality of the WALKMAN in an entirely new direction. Its design still emphasizes ease of use above all else, but it also includes a number of handy new features, including track skipping, a hold shutter to keep it locked when not in use, and an "LCD song search remote" that displays play info on an LCD screen."

―Sony Walkman (WM-EX88) model viewer description in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

"NWD-W202
A WALKMAN with integrated headphones. The display and other functions have been stripped down to the bare essentials to create a lighter, more compact system with simpler controls. It utilizes a spiral neckband to reduce slipping, making it ideal for working out. It also features the "ZAPPIN^TM" function that scans songs and lets users enjoy the best parts in short continuous clips like a highlight reel."

―Sony Walkman (NWD-W202) model viewer description in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Tracks

The Walkman can be accessed under the Control Menu (provided it was selected during mission preparations), and will play tracks on it instead of the standard BGM. Upon finishing a track, it will automatically begin the next track before starting all over. Once it is upgraded to Rank 3, track skipping allows the player to jump to the desired track. As R&D upgrades the Walkman, new tracks will be available to play. In keeping with the use of Vocaloid in the game, some vocal songs have been reworked to be sung by Vocaloids.

1. MGS20YearsHistory 1
2. MGS20YearsHistory 2
3. MGS20YearsHistory 3
4. MGS20YearsHistory 4
5. Confession
6. Enclosure
7. Everything Begins
8. Love Theme
9. View of Deep Snow
10. Show Time
11. Destiny's Call
12. Beyond the Bounds
13. Snake Eater
14. Calling to the Night
15. Raxa
16. Inori-no-Uta

Through the PlayStation Network, additional tracks can be obtained:

1. Heavens Divide (second DLC download)
2. Koi no Yokushiryoku (first DLC download)
3. Outer Heaven (fifth DLC download)
4. Zero Allies! (fourth DLC download)
5. MGSPW Main Theme (third DLC download)
6. Koi no Yokushiryoku (Acoustic Guitar Duo) (sixth DLC download)
7. Sneak 1 (seventh DLC download)
8. Sneak 2 (eighth DLC download)

The Walkman DLC cost 2428 KB (Koi no Yokushiryoku), 1472 KB (Sneak 1), 1362 KB (Sneak 2), 2582 KB (Heavens Divide), 1464 KB ("MGS-PW" Main Theme), 2266 KB (Zero Allies!), 2458 KB (Outer Heaven), and 1800 KB (Koi no Yokishiryoku (Acoustic Guitar Duo)).

Briefing files

In addition to playing music tracks, the Walkman was also frequently used to record various interviews and briefing files, as well as play various old recordings.

About the Mission

Walkman about to play a briefing file tape.

Note: this is for tapes specifically under the About the Mission section only.

Miller's briefing file icon.

Miller

1. Make Contact with the FSLN Commandante
2. Tracking Amanda
3. C4
4. Basilisco
5. AI Weapon Parts
6. To the Command Tower!
7. Target Practice / Puerto del Alba
8. Target Practice / Rio del Jade
9. Target Practice / Aldea de los Despiertos
10. Target Practice / US Missile Base
11. Target Practice / Mining Barracks
12. Fulton Recovert Mission
13. Destroy the Transport Truck
14. Sweep-and-destroy
15. Hold-up
16. Base Defense
17. Total Stealth
18. Destroy the Obstacle
19. One-shot Mission
20. Pooyan mission
21. Missile Interception

Amanda

Amanda's briefing file icon.

1. Rescuing Chico
   1. Prison Camp
2. Chasing the Jungle Train
3. Destroy the Tank!
4. Destroying the Barricade
5. Sneaking into the Crater Base
   1. The Fort
6. Stop the "Pupa" AI Weapon!
7. Into the Cloud Forest
8. Neutralize the Attack Chopper!
9. To the Research Lab
10. Find the ID Card!
11. Stop the "Chrysalis" AI Weapon!
12. Infiltrate the Mine Base
13. Neutralize the Guards
14. Stop the "Cocoon" AI Weapon!
15. Sneaking into the Underground Base
16. Escape the Prison!
17. Fighting Peace Walker
18. Fighting Peace Walker (Round 2)
19. Sabotage Missions
20. Claymore Mines
21. Defending the base
22. Evading Enemy Searches

Chico

Chico briefing file icon.

1. Photography Tips
2. Ghost Photography
3. Restless Spirits

File Library

Miller

Miller's briefing file icon.

1. Mother-Base
   1. Offshore plant
      1. New plant
      2. Queen bee
   2. Fulton Recovery
2. MSF
   1. Militaires Sans Frontières
   2. MSF's Goals
      1. Special Forces
   3. The Need for Metal Gear
3. Clients
   1. Gálvez
   2. Paz
      1. Snuff Tobacco
      2. CIPHER
4. Cold War
   1. The Cold War
   2. Nuclear Deterrence and Mutual Assured Destruction
   3. The Cold War and Peace
5. Situation in Central America
   1. The Cuban Missile Crisis
      1. Treaty of Tlateloco
   2. Costa Rica's Abolition of its Army
   3. The CIA's activities in Central America
   4. How to pronounce "CIA"
   5. The CIA-KGB relationship
   6. Grenada
6. A Great Leader
   1. Che Guevara
      1. Che's Footsteps
   2. The history of Guerilla Warfare
   3. Mate
   4. Che's visit to Hiroshima
   5. Scarf
7. Peace Constitutions
   1. Peace Constitution of Japan
      1. Article 9 and the JSDF
   2. The U.S-Japan Security Treaty
      1. The Nuclear Umbrella
   3. The Three Non-Nuclear Principles
   4. The JSDF
      1. Why Miller quit the JSDF
8. About himself
   1. Roles within the Mother Base
   2. Upbringing
   3. How Miller met Snake
9. The Fundamentals of Stealth
   1. Sneaking Mission
   2. Effective Use of Fulton Recovery
   3. Body Checks
   4. Weight Carried
   5. Aim Tremors
   6. Dressing for the Mission
      1. Jungle Fatigues
      2. Sneaking Suit
      3. Battle Dress
      4. Naked
10. CO-OPS
    1. CO-OPS
    2. CO-OP Ring
    3. Snake Formation
    4. CPR
    5. Camaraderie
       1. Snake Sync
    6. Heroism
    7. CO-OPS Weapons
    8. CO-OPS Comms
       1. Battle Cries & the Kotodama Effect
11. Special Items
    1. Cardboard Box
       1. Two Men in a Box
       2. Cardboard Tank
    2. WALKMAN
    3. Retort Pouched Curry
       1. Bon Curry
    4. Doritos
    5. Mountain Dew
    6. Pepsi NEX
12. Enemy Soldier Types
    1. CIA Mercenaries
    2. Patrolmen & Guards
    3. Commandos
       1. Shock Troops
    4. Scouts
       1. Ghillie Suit Soldiers
    5. Sentries
    6. Escorts
    7. Shield Soldiers
    8. Soldier Level
13. Battle Range
    1. Differences in Range Between Different Weapons
       1. Close Range
       2. Medium Range
       3. Long Range

Paz

Paz's briefing file icon.

1. Costa Rica
   1. "Costa Rica"
   2. The Civil War
   3. Policy Shift
   4. University for Peace
      1. Professor Gálvez
   5. Costa Rican Coffee
   6. Costa Rican Ruins
2. Costa Rica's Unarmed Neutrality
   1. Article 12 of the Constitution
      1. How it keeps the peace
   2. The reason the army was abolished
   3. Japan's peace constitution
   4. Perpetual Peace
3. Costa Rica's natural environment
   1. Costa Rica's tropical forests
      1. Tropical rain forests
      2. Tropical dry forests
      3. Tropical cloud forests
   2. Morpho butterflies
   3. Biological diversity
   4. Costa Rican Development Corporation
4. About herself
   1. "Paz"
   2. The Peace Sign
   3. Childhood
   4. Role in Mother Base
5. Costa Rican Coast
   1. Playa del Alba
   2. Bosque del Alba
   3. Puerto del Alba
6. Eastern Limon
   1. El Cenegal - Jungle
   2. El Cenegal - Ravine
   3. El Cenegal - Swamp
   4. Rio del Jade
   5. Bananal Fruta de Oro - Sorting Shed
   6. Bananal Fruta de Oro - Farm
7. Mt. Irazu Area
   1. Camino de Lava - Hillside
   2. Camino de Lava - Junction
   3. Aldea de los Despiertos
   4. Cafetal Aroma Encantado
   5. El Cadalso
   6. Los Cantos - Canyon
   7. Los Cantos - Ridge
   8. Fuerte la Ladera
   9. Crater Base
8. Central Heredia
   1. Selva de la Leche - Jungle
   2. Selva de la Leche - Hillside
   3. Catarata de la Muerte
   4. Selva de la Muerte
   5. Ruinas de Xochiquetzal
   6. AI Lab
9. Mine Base
   1. Miner's Residence
   2. Mining Pit

Amanda

Amanda's briefing file icon.

1. Nicaragua
   1. History
      1. The Nicaraguan Canal
      2. Sandino's rebellion
   2. Somoza
      1. Sandino's assassination
      2. The Managua Earthquake
   3. Rio San Juan
   4. Ometepe Island
2. FSLN
   1. FSLN
   2. General Sandino
   3. The "watermelon sellers"
   4. A revolution for peace
   5. El Che
3. Enemy strength
   1. Hombre Nuevo
      1. Abduction
   2. The CIA's strength
4. Relations with the U.S.
   1. Plantations
   2. Drugs
   3. William Walker
5. About herself
   1. Joining the FSLN
   2. Malaria
   3. Mi viejo
   4. Chico
   5. Mother Base
   6. Decision time

Chico

Chico briefing file icon.

1. Geographical Info
   1. Supply Staging Point
   2. River Valley
      1. The Real Basilisco
   3. Crater Area
      1. The Loch Ness Monster
      2. Nahuelito
      3. Ogopogo
      4. Mokele-mbembe
   4. Tropical Cloud Forest
      1. Bigfoot
      2. Mono Grande
   5. Ruins
      1. Kongamato
   6. Mine Base
      1. UFOs
      2. Abductions
      3. Elbakki
   7. UFO Photo
2. The Legend of Isla Del Monstruo
   1. Isla Del Monstruo
      1. Tranya
      2. Felynes
      3. Rathalos
      4. Tigrex
      5. Velocipreys
      6. Gear REX
3. About himself
   1. Amanda
   2. Father
      1. Quotes from Che
   3. Frente Compas
   4. Role in Mother Base
4. Love
   1. Puppy Love
   2. Paz's True Self
      1. The Mystery of Paz's Actions

Huey

Huey briefing file icon.

1. Cold War and the Nuclear Arms Race
   1. The Manhattan Project
      1. Hiroshima and Nagasaki
   2. Cuban Missile Crisis
   3. The Space Race and the Cold War Arms Race
   4. The Cold War and Peace
2. Nuclear Deterrence
   1. Nuclear Deterrence Theory
      1. Nuclear Terrorism
   2. Damage from a Nuclear Missile
   3. Metal Gear and Nuclear Weapons
3. Peace Walker
   1. Peace Walker Project
   2. Mobile Nuclear Launch Platform
      1. Self-destruct Function
      2. Tsar Bomba
   3. Peace Walker's AI
   4. Fighting Peace Walker
   5. Peace Walker with Mammal Pod
   6. The Fake "Peace Walker" Project
      1. The Reason for Launching a Real Nuke
   7. Soviet Research on Bipedal Locomotion
      1. Granin
   8. "Metal Gear"
   9. Shagohod
   10. Basilisk
   11. The Two AI Pods
       1. Reptile Pod
       2. Mammal Pod
   12. Transmitting Data to NORAD
       1. An Oversight in the System
4. About himself
   1. Electronic Cigarettes
   2. Impact on Genes
   3. Role in Mother Base
5. Dr. Strangelove
   1. How Huey met Strangelove
      1. Letter to Strangelove
   2. "2001: A Space Odyssey"
6. Taking Down the AI Weapons
   1. Pupa
   2. Chrysalis
   3. Cocoon

Cécile

Cécile briefing file icon.

1. AI lab
   1. Facility and security
   2. Dr. Strangelove
   3. ID card
2. Costa Rican birds
   1. Birds in general
      1. Cassette densuke
   2. Quetzals
      1. Mimicking animal calls
   3. Hummingbirds
   4. Manakins
   5. Tree-wattled Bellbird
   6. Clay-colored Robin
   7. Macaws
3. About herself
   1. Cécile Cosima Caminandes
   2. Role in Mother Base
4. France
   1. Paris
   2. Foreign Legion
   3. National Anthem
   4. The Umbrellas of Chernbourg
   5. The Day of the Jackal
   6. Nuclear Tests
   7. Sartre
   8. Piccasso
   9. Macaroons
   10. Wine
   11. May 1968

Strangelove

Strangelove briefing file icon.

1. AI
   1. What is AI?
      1. "The Ghost in the Machine"
   2. How to ID an AI
      1. The Turing Test
   3. Models for AI
      1. AI and the female brain
   4. The Need for AI
   5. Expert systems
   6. The future of AI
      1. The "Opposite Direction" in AI Evolution
   7. From pupa to butterfly
      1. AI code names
   8. "2001: A Space Odyssey"
2. The Boss
   1. How Strangelove met The Boss
   2. Why she used torture
   3. The Boss's white horse
   4. The Boss and peace
3. About herself
   1. The origin of "Strangelove"
   2. Personal history
   3. Role in Mother Base
4. People
   1. Huey
   2. Cécile
5. Metal Gear ZEKE
   1. Metal Gear ZEKE's AI
      1. A Different AI
   2. VOCALOID

Data Files

Cassette tape found inside one of the AI pods by an MSF saboteur.

1. Paz's Tape
   1. Between Two Women
2. Strangelove's Memories
   1. A Chance Meeting
   2. Joy
   3. Separation
3. Strangelove's Simulation
   1. Operation Snake Eater Simulation
4. Paz's Diary
   1. 1st Entry
   2. 2nd Entry
   3. 3rd Entry
   4. 4th Entry
   5. 5th Entry
   6. 6th Entry
   7. 7th Entry
   8. 8th Entry
   9. 9th Entry
   10. 10th Entry
5. The Boss's Final Mission
   1. EVA's Debriefing
6. Message from EVA
   1. Session 1
   2. Session 2
   3. Session 3
   4. Session 4
   5. Session 5
   6. Session 6
   7. Session 7
7. Secret File
   1. The Phone Call

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Walkman in Ground Zeroes/The Phantom Pain

The Walkman made a return in the game Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. The Walkman player used for the opening scene was 3D scanned, and was on loan from Sony for filming the scene. The younger team members were unfamiliar with the device, causing Kojima to lecture them on how it was used back in the day for listening to music, surprising them. In the TGS Daytime demo, Big Boss had to retrieve a data file that a character was to provide to him that contained vital information. When it was collected, it has an exclamation point on the iDroid menu that indicated that it was able to be listened to. The cassette tapes can also be listened to from the main menu of the game, and can also be used to import music. The cassette tapes, like in Peace Walker, will compensate the heavy doses of story and elaborate on behind the scenes material that was initially told in cutscenes, resulting in them being lengthy. There were thirteen cassette tapes in all. Collecting all the cassette tapes will award the player with the "Information" achievement/trophy. Only the Chico tapes, the Skull Face tape, the Classified Intel Data tape, the MGSV:GZ tape, the Deja Vu/Jamais Vu tapes (which until a patch release on May 1, 2014 had initially depended on the console version of Ground Zeroes) and Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner song tape are acquirable, with the rest being pre-included in the game by the start of the mission. In addition, Chico Tape 3 requires that Big Boss save Chico before Paz.

Aside from the briefing file involving Skull Face explaining his motives, the briefing files included nine recordings relating to the main mission, an archived version of Paz's diary tapes from Peace Walker, seven tapes detailing Chico's status during his incarceration in Camp Omega, four pre-installed tape sets (containing two tapes each) of BGMs, including Love Deterrence, PW Main Theme, Heavens Divide, and an excerpt from Ride of the Valkyries, plus three BGM tapes that are collectible under certain circumstances ("Here's to you" by checking the cage behind Chico, Deja Vu/Jamais Vu by checking a rock near the shoreline of the area behind Camp Omega, and the Second Runner song by completing all six missions on Hard mode) and twelve cassette tapes that summarized the events of Peace Walker with Paz as the narrator in the context of giving brief reports on her mission, save for the first one and the eleventh and twelfth ones, with the first having Miller and Big Boss commenting on Paz leaving behind diary entries of her stay at Mother Base up to her departing to hijack ZEKE, and the latter two having Paz instead making communication with Cipher. These are pre-included on the menu. The BGM tapes can also be applied to the extraction chopper to play music. In the Japanese versions of Ground Zeroes, an additional set of tapes, called "Peace and Kazuhira Blues," are included on the Archived Files section of the tapes menu, and include the "Snake & Kaz (Encounter)" five-parter.

The contents of the Extra Ops tape depended on the version of Ground Zeroes being played, but overall it includes two tracks: One from a game relating to the direct subject matter of the Extra Op ("Resurgence" from Metal Gear Solid for Deja Vu, and "Ambush" from Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for Jamais Vu), and one from one of the MSX2 games' soundtracks ("Theme of Tara" from Metal Gear for Deja Vu, and "Pleasure of Tension" from Snatcher for Jamais Vu). In addition, it will always be found in the same spot regardless of version.

Prior to a patch installed on May 1, 2014, the Walkman collection rate after collecting all tapes will be listed as 17/18. The last tape was the other extra op tape (either Jamais Vu or Deja Vu, depending on whether the version used was the PS3/PS4 or the Xbox 360/Xbox One, respectively).

Briefing files

Acquired Tapes

1. Chico Tapes
   1. Chico's Tape 1
      1. March 7-8, 1975: Arrival in Cuba
   2. Chico's Tape 2
      1. March 9-11, 1975: Recordings from his Cell
   3. Chico's Tape 3
      1. March 12, 1975: Escorted to Paz's Location
   4. Chico's Tape 4
      1. March 12, 1975: Interrogation
   5. Chico's Tape 5
      1. March 13-14, 1975: Negotiation
   6. Chico's Tape 6
      1. March 14-15, 1975: Chico's Distress Call
   7. Chico's Tape 7
      1. March 15: 1975: Bargaining with Paz (Final Recording)
   8. Chico's Tapes (All)
2. Agent's Recording
   1. Secretly Recorded POW Interrogation
3. Classified Intel Data
   1. Data Casette (Do not use in music players)

Info

1. Pre-mission Brief: Mission Background & Intel
   1. Mission Tips
   2. Mission Objectives: Target Intel
   3. Brief 1: Nuclear Inspection demand by the IAEA
   4. Brief 2: Allowing the Nuclear Inspection
   5. Brief 3: Preparing Staff for the Inspection
   6. Brief 4: Word of Paz's Survival
   7. Brief 5: Chico Vanishes
   8. Brief 6: Chico's Diestress call
   9. Mission Intel: U.S. Military Base, Cuba
2. Paz's Spy Log: Big Boss & Mother Base
   1. Paz's Tape is Discovered
   2. Paz's Report 1: Contact with BIG BOSS (Colombia, November 4, 1974)
   3. Paz's Report 2: Big Boss
   4. Paz's Report 3: Big Boss's right-hand man, Kazuhira Miller
   5. Paz's Report 4: The Peace Walker Project (Costa Rica)
   6. Paz's Report 5: Mother Base Expands
   7. Paz's Report 6: Mammal Pod (Peace Walker's AI)
   8. Paz's Report 7: Battle in Nicaragua
   9. Paz's Report 8: Infiltration of Mother Base
   10. Paz's Report 9: Metal Gear ZEKE Completed
   11. Communications Record 1 (correspondent unknown)
   12. Communications Record 2 (correspondent unknown)

Music

1. Mother Base Music Selection
   1. MGS PEACE WALKER MEDLEY -Heavens Divide-
   2. MGS PEACE WALKER MEDLEY -Love Deterrence-
   3. MGS PEACE WALKER MEDLEY -PW Theme-
   4. Richard Wagner: "Ride of the Valkyries" from The Valkyrie -ACT III- (excerpt)
2. METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES
   1. Here's to You
3. Deja Vu
   1. Resurgence (METAL GEAR SOLID)
   2. Theme of Tara (METAL GEAR)
4. Jamais Vu
   1. Ambush (METAL GEAR RISING REVENGEANCE)
   2. Pleasure of Tension (SNATCHER)
5. ZONE OF THE ENDERS: THE 2ND RUNNER SONG

Tape Archives

1. Mother Base Archives
   1. Paz's Diary
      1. Paz's 1st Diary Entry
      2. Paz's 2nd Diary Entry
      3. Paz's 3rd Diary Entry
      4. Paz's 4th Diary Entry
      5. Paz's 5th Diary Entry
      6. Paz's 6th Diary Entry
      7. Paz's 7th Diary Entry
      8. Paz's 8th Diary Entry
      9. Paz's 9th Diary Entry
      10. Paz's 10th Diary Entry
   2. Peace and Kazuhira Blues
      1. "First Encounter"  Chapter 1
      2. "First Encounter"  Chapter 2
      3. "First Encounter"  Chapter 3
      4. "First Encounter"  Chapter 4
      5. "First Encounter"  Chapter 5

Helicopter

1. Mother Base Music Selection
   1. MGS PEACE WALKER MEDLEY -Heavens Divide-
   2. MGS PEACE WALKER MEDLEY -Love Deterrence-
   3. MGS PEACE WALKER MEDLEY -PW Theme-
   4. Richard Wagner: "Ride of the Valkyries" from The Valkyrie -ACT III- (excerpt)
2. METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES
   1. Here's to You
3. Deja Vu
   1. Resurgence (METAL GEAR SOLID)
   2. Theme of Tara (METAL GEAR)
4. Jamais Vu
   1. Ambush (METAL GEAR RISING REVENGEANCE)
   2. Pleasure of Tension (SNATCHER)
5. ZONE OF THE ENDERS: THE 2ND RUNNER SONG

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Cassette Tape icon in The Phantom Pain.

The Walkman cassettes make a return in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, with Kojima citing it as being more "impactful" as the player is the one piecing together the story. In addition, tapes can be collected via Boom Boxes scattered throughout various locales that contain various songs by various artists, including David Bowie, Richard Wagner, and Billy Idol, some of which were made during the 1980s. The briefings themselves, however, can only be unlocked via progression through the game. The Acquired Tapes are also available in only a select few areas, and are required to be retrieved again and again to regain after use.

The key item "The Codename: Big Boss", represented as a cassette tape.

The Key Item "The Codename: Big Boss" was represented as a Sony Walkman cassette tape, more specifically the cassette tape used in the ending of Mission 46: Truth: From the Man Who Sold the World.

Briefing files

Info

1. Ocelot's Briefing [1]
   1. British Sovereign Base Area - Dhekelia
   2. Cyprus, a Nation Divided
   3. The Route to Afghanistan
   4. World Affairs over the 9 Years
   5. What Happened in the Caribbean 9 Years Ago
   6. The Strike Force: After the Attack
   7. After-Effects of Snake's Coma
2. Ocelot's Briefing [2]
   1. The Moniker Shalashaska
3. Ocelot's Briefing [3]
   1. SALT II
   2. Meeting Ocelot, and the Formation of a Certain Organization
   3. Where is Zero?
4. Afghanistan Today [1]
   1. The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
   2. The Soviet Army's Scorched Earth Operation
5. Afghanistan Today [2]
   1. The Threat of Soviet Gunships
   2. The Hamid Fighters
6. Afghanistan Today [3]
   1. Honey Bee Analysis Results
7. At Mother Base [1]
   1. The Mist Unit
   2. Cipher's Will
   3. Mother Base Reborn
   4. Connection with Seychelles
   5. Whaling Ship "Heiwa Maru"
   6. Origins of "Diamond"
8. At Mother Base [2]
   1. Private Forces
   2. Big Boss, Back to Life
9. At Mother Base [3]
   1. Bionic Arm
10. At Mother Base [4]
    1. Intel Team
11. At Mother Base [5]
    1. Training D-Dog
12. At Mother Base Supplemental [1]
    1. Background to the Epidemic
13. At Mother Base Supplemental [2]
    1. Identifying the Infected
14. What Happened to Old Mother Base Members
    1. Chico and Amanda
    2. Strangelove
    3. Huey
15. Quiet [1]
    1. The Sniper Quiet Appears
16. Quiet [2]
    1. Quiet's Missile Interdiction Sniping
    2. Events after Quiet's Extraction 1
17. Quiet [3]
    1. Events after Quiet's Extraction 2
18. Quiet [4]
    1. Quiet on Mother Base
19. Quiet [5]
    1. Quiet's Mission Performance
20. Quiet [6]
    1. Why Did Quiet Disappear?
21. Quiet [7]
    1. Quiet's Message
22. Questioning Huey [1]
    1. Emmerich's 9 Years
    2. Emmerich's Research for the Soviets
    3. Emmerich's Research History
    4. Diamond Dogs' Treatment of Huey
    5. AI Pod in the Lab
23. Questioning Huey [2]
    1. What is Sahelanthropus?
    2. Clone Research 1
    3. Clone Research 2
24. Questioning Huey [3]
    1. The Body Found in the AI Pod
25. Questioning Huey [4]
    1. Cooperating with Eli
26. Questioning Huey [5]
    1. Reasons for Facilitating the Wolbachia Mutation 1
27. Questioning Huey [6]
    1. Reasons for Facilitating the Wolbachia Mutation 2
28. Questioning Huey [7]
    1. Picking Up Emmerich's Work
    2. AI Pod's Final Recording
29. Cipher's Cargo [1]
    1. Copper Ore
30. Cipher's Cargo [2]
    1. Yellowcake
    2. Shinkolobwe Mine
31. Africa Today [1]
    1. The Legendary Mercenary
    2. Private Forces
    3. Private Forces: CFA
    4. Private Forces: CFA's Locally Hired Mercenaries
    5. Current Affairs in Africa
32. Africa Today [2]
    1. The Spread of Walker Gears
33. Africa Today [3]
    1. Private Force: Zero Risk Security
34. Africa Today [4]
    1. Private Force: Rogue Coyote
    2. Kungenga Mine and the Ethnic Clash
35. The Factory of the Dead
    1. The Bedridden in the Factory
    2. Analysis of the Voices in the Factory
36. The Man on Fire [1]
    1. Man on Fire's Weakness
37. The Man on Fire [2]
    1. What Happened Next with the Man on Fire
38. The Man on Fire [3]
    1. The Man on Fire
    2. Who is the Floating Boy?
39. The White Mamba [1]
    1. White Mamba (Nyoka ya Mpembe)
    2. DDR (The Problems with Social Reintegration)
40. The White Mamba [2]
    1. The White Mamba Detained
41. The White Mamba [3]
    1. Eli's DNA Test
42. Vocal Cord Parasites [1]
    1. Preventing Symptoms
    2. The Vocal Cord Parasites' Infection Route
    3. Resisting the Vocal Cord Parasites
43. Vocal Cord Parasites [2]
    1. The First Infection
    2. Experiment in Africa
    3. Experiment in Afghanistan
    4. Effects of the Wolbachia
44. Vocal Cord Parasites [3]
    1. The Devil's House
    2. The Vocal Cord Parasites' Language Learning Ability
45. Sahelanthropus [1]
    1. OKB Zero
    2. Sahelanthropus's Armor Material 1
46. Sahelanthropus [2]
    1. Sahelanthropus's Armor Material 2
47. Sahelanthropus [3]
    1. The Captured Sahelanthropus
48. Metallic Archaea [1]
    1. What Are Metallic Archaea?
    2. Nuclear Testing in South Africa
49. Metallic Archaea [2]
    1. Emmerich's Power-Assisted Exo-Legs
50. Metallic Archaea [3]
    1. The "Safety Mechanism" of Nuclear Saturation
51. Metallic Archaea [4]
    1. Uranium Enrichment Archaea
    2. Motive for Researching Metallic Archaea
52. Code Talker and His Research [1]
    1. Parasites Living Within Us
53. Code Talker and His Research [2]
    1. What Covers the Skulls
54. Code Talker and His Research [3]
    1. Origins of "Code Talker"
    2. Motives for Researching Vocal Cord Parasites
55. Code Talker and His Research [4]
    1. The Ethnic Cleansing Parasite Project
    2. The Parasites Gave Us Language
    3. Genesis of the Vocal Cord Parasites
    4. Revival of the Vocal Cord Parasites
    5. The Final Form of the Ethnic Cleansing Parasites
56. Code Talker and His Research [5]
    1. Superorganisms
57. Skull Face's Objective [1]
    1. Skull Face's Demise
    2. Whereabouts of the Third English Mating Pair
    3. Skull Face's Ethnic Liberation Parasites
    4. Conjecture About English Strain Production
    5. World Reactions to Sahelanthropus
58. Skull Face's Objective [2]
    1. Skull Face 9 Years Ago
    2. Multiethnicity in the United States
59. Skull Face's Objective [3]
    1. Rules and Language
60. Skull Face's Objective [4]
    1. Secret Recording of Skull Face and Code Talker 1
    2. Secret Recording of Skull Face and Code Talker 2
61. Skull Face's Objective [5]
    1. Skull Face's Origins and the XOF
    2. The Target of Skull Face's Revenge
62. The Children Escape [1]
    1. What Prompted the Escape
63. The Children Escape [2]
    1. The Mastermind
64. The Children Escape [3]
    1. Eli's Explanation
65. The Children Escape [4]
    1. Eli's Threat
66. The Children Escape [5]
    1. Will of the Child Soldiers
    2. Eli's Objective
67. The Children Escape [6]
    1. Ocelot's Fears
68. Informant's Report
    1. Part 1
    2. Part 2
    3. Part 3
69. What Happened in the Laboratory [1]
    1. Urges Caused by the Vocal Cord Parasites
70. What Happened in the Laboratory [2]
    1. Mutation in the Laboratory
    2. Parasites Controlling People
71. What Happened in the Laboratory [3]
    1. Thirst for Vengeance Parasitizing the Mind
72. Paz's Diary (Continued) [1]
    1. Entry 1
73. Paz's Diary (Continued) [2]
    1. Entry 2
74. Paz's Diary (Continued) [3]
    1. Entry 3
75. Paz's Diary (Continued) [4]
    1. Entry 4
76. Paz's Diary (Continued) [5]
    1. Entry 5
77. The Hamburgers of Kazuhira Miller [1]
    1. Code Talker's Eating Habits
78. The Hamburgers of Kazuhira Miller [2]
    1. Kazuhira Miller's Research
79. The Hamburgers of Kazuhira Miller [3]
    1. Kazuhira Miller's Epiphany
80. The Hamburgers of Kazuhira Miller [4]
    1. The Ultimate Hamburger
81. Truth Records
    1. Doublethink
    2. "Les Enfants Terribles"
    3. Report to Big Boss: The War Economy
    4. Report to Big Boss: Cipher's Information Control
    5. Report to Big Boss: Zero Has Been Attacked [1]
    6. Report to Big Boss: Zero Has Been Attacked [2]
    7. Secret Recording of Paz and Zero
    8. Paz's Account: Zero's Location
    9. Secret Recording of Ocelot and Zero
    10. Secret Recording of Miller and Zero
    11. Secret Recording of Skull Face and Zero
    12. Secret Recording of Zero Visiting Snake

Music

1. Music Tape 1
   1. Scouting Barren Lands
   2. Journey to Point C-5
   3. Sands
   4. Dreamt of an Eclipse
   5. Afghanistan's a Big Place
   6. MGO Trailer Music
   7. Richard Wagner: "Ride of the Valkyries" From The Valkyrie -ACT III- (excerpt)
   8. Heavens Divide
   9. Koi No Yokushiryoku (Love Deterrence)
   10. Nitrogen
   11. Ride A White Horse
   12. A Phantom Pain
   13. Behind the Drapery
   14. All the Sun Touches
   15. Take the D.W.
   16. Midnight Mirage
   17. The Tangerine
   18. Planet Scape
   19. How 'bout some zombies ey?
   20. Snake Eater
   21. 204863
   22. Dormant Stream
   23. METAL GEAR SOLID PEACE WALKER Main Theme
   24. Sins of the Father
   25. Quiet's Theme
2. Music Tape 2
   1. Gloria
   2. Kids in America
   3. Rebel Yell - 1999 Digital Remaster
   4. The Final Countdown
   5. Take On Me
   6. Maneater
   7. Only Time Will Tell
   8. Love Will Tear Us Apart
   9. True
   10. Friday I'm In Love
   11. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
   12. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)
   13. Quiet Life
   14. She Blinded Me With Science
   15. Too Shy
   16. The Man Who Sold the World

Acquired

1. Afghanistan Music
2. Central Africa Music
3. Paz's Humming
4. Quiet's Humming
5. Afghanistan Soviet Soldier
6. Central Africa PF Soldier
7. Soldier with Stomachache
8. Bird
9. Goat
10. Horse
11. Wolf
12. Bear

See also

• Radio
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker briefing files
• Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes cassette transcripts
• Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain cassette transcripts