Metal Slug Tactics Release Date Pushed Back to 2023

Publisher Dotemu and developer Leikir Studio have pushed back the Metal Slug Tactics release date from sometime in 2022 to 2023. This development comes via a new tweet from the publisher, accompanied by new art for the game showing off the main characters as they try and rebuild a tank, a great metaphor for how much more time Metal Slug Tactics needs to be in the oven. Check out the full tweet announcing the delay of Metal Slug Tactics below.

Metal Slug Tactics was previously slated for release later this year, with launch confirmed on Nintendo Switch and on PC via Steam. According to the announcement, the reason for the delay is more development time, and given the vastness of the new release window, it’s reasonable to assume that the game is still far from completion.

Metal Slug Tactics is the first game in the iconic Metal Slug series to stray away from its tried and tested run and gun roots. Instead, as the name implies, Metal Slug Tactics is a tactics strategy turn-based game with RPG and roguelike elements. However, what’s exceptionally cool is that Metal Slug Tactics retains the nostalgic art design and animation that carried the Metal Slug games, making this an incredible tribute to one of the most iconic run-and-gun series of all time.

Featuring a cast of characters straight from the original Metal Slug games, Metal Slug Tactics follows Marco, Eri, Fio, and Tarma as they embark on new missions. Donald Morden is back to antagonize the world with his shenanigans, and with a massive army assembled during his times in hiding, he’s now ready to oppose the World Government once again. This brings the notorious Peregrine Falcons back into action as they try to stop Morden with their own arsenal of weapons featuring many mainstays within Metal Slug games.

Thanks to its roguelike elements, it appears there's replayability built into Metal Slug Tactics, complimented by the hand-crafted terrain that changes with each playthrough. Metal Slug Tactics also brings back a whole host of iconic bosses from the Metal Slug series, and this time, you’ll be able to face them on a strategic battleground as opposed to pumping them full of lead while dodging their attacks.