Published Aug 22, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT
James is a gaming writer from London who has spent thousands of hours exploring titles from every genre. Though he has a particular affinity for multiplayer titles like World of Warcraft, Destiny 2 and League of Legends, he has also put thousands of hours into single-player experiences, from deep RPGs to epic PC strategies. When he's not playing or writing, he can usually be found supporting his beloved Brentford FC.
Over the years there have been plenty of iconic lines from the world of video games, and your own favorite likely just depends on which games you grew up playing. Whether you're a fan of Fallout's "War, war never changes," or "Hey. You. You're finally awake" continues to haunt your Skyrim-laden dreams, there are just as many memorable speeches in gaming as there are in any other entertainment medium.
There will surely be plenty more to come, as well, but there's one line in particular that doesn't get nearly enough credit from beyond the community that loves the games it comes from. Step forward Metal Gear Solid, and the ever cool Solid Snake, to deliver one of the most pervasive and emblematic lines in gaming history.
Anyone who has played through the mainline Metal Gear Solid names will know that the line "Kept you waiting, huh?" is now an iconic part of the series. That said, for those who haven't engaged with the games, the line is far less broadly known than many from the same medium, but its high time that was no longer the case.
Starting in the first game, the line is used after the opening, where it is established that Snake had been brought out of retirement for the Shadow Moses operation. He actually says it to enemy soldiers in a slightly cocky manner, and it totally establishes who the character is going to be throughout the series.
He then repeats it in the second game when it becomes apparent that he isn't going to serve as the main protagonist for the second go round. It has been ever present in the series since then, with several Snake characters using it, before we arguably get its best use yet in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
In that case, the line serves as a subtle meta reference to the time players had to wait between games, as well as serving as a bit of a last hurrah in hindsight, following Kojima's departure from Konami.
All in all, it's just a truly iconic line that deserves a lot more credit than it gets from those beyond the immediate Metal Gear Solid community. The big question now is if we'll ever get to hear it again in an original project tied to the franchise, or if we'll only have nostalgia to fall back on as fans moving forward.
Character(s) Solid Snake, Big Boss, Liquid Snake, Raiden, Revolver Ocelot, The Boss, Gray Fox, Otacon
English (US) ·