Saudi-Funded Metal Slug Reboot Looks To Be Taking The Series Back To Its Pixel Art Roots

SNK's Osaka studio has posted a job listing for "2D dot animators (pixel artists)" on the company website, a move that has renewed speculation the Saudi-backed publisher may be returning its Metal Slug franchise to classic pixel-art form. The listing was spotted alongside SNK's recent 30th-anniversary activity for Metal Slug, which included a celebratory video and a new anniversary website that promised a "wide range of exciting projects—including new ventures in gaming."

"２Dデザイナー（ドットアニメーター）を募集中" — the tweet that flagged the posting — was shared by ガト/ Gatoray (@gatoray_kof) on April 19, 2026, drawing attention from fans and industry watchers who link the recruitment drive to the teaser for future Metal Slug entries.

Teasers, recruitments and related projects

Over the weekend SNK released a 30th-anniversary video that recapped footage from existing Metal Slug titles and then offered a brief tease of what might come next. The clip showed an arcade cabinet displaying the words "Mission Reboot" and a desert scene topped with the tagline "A New Adventure Awaits." At the same time SNK launched an anniversary website confirming the company was working on numerous projects but stopping short of revealing concrete details on whether future entries would adopt a "classic pixel-art aesthetic" or a modern 2.5D approach similar to the mobile game Metal Slug Awakening.

If the Osaka studio's call for pixel animators is in fact linked to the teased projects, it would suggest the company is leaning toward the "detailed pixel art" that defined the series' early success. For many fans the franchise is synonymous with intricate sprite work and animated backgrounds, and a return to that style would represent a deliberate creative choice against current retro-modern hybrids.

• Job posting: SNK Osaka studio is recruiting 2D dot animators (pixel artists).
• Anniversary teaser: Arcade cabinet reading "Mission Reboot" and tagline "A New Adventure Awaits."
• Company note: Anniversary site promises a "wide range of exciting projects—including new ventures in gaming."
• Related hardware move: SNK partnered with Embracer-owned Plaion Replai to sell the Neo Geo+ AES and reissue several SNK titles, including the original Metal Slug.

That Neo Geo+ AES partnership—announced as a recreation of SNK's classic home console launching alongside reissues of older titles—has itself drawn mixed reactions. Frank Cifaldi of the Video Game History Foundation was among those to criticise the venture, pointing to SNK and Embracer's ties to Saudi interests. SNK's current owner, the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (MiSK), founded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was repeatedly referenced in coverage of the anniversary and associated projects.

Outlook: For Metal Slug fans, the combination of a pixel-artist recruitment and an anniversary tease is a promising sign that SNK may be preparing a reboot that honours the series' sprite-driven heritage. At the same time, the company's ownership and recent hardware partnerships mean the reception to any new entry will be shaped as much by cultural and corporate context as by the game's visual direction.