Metal Gear Solid 5 Screenshot Used in Interview on Child Soldiers [Update]

Update: A representative from RT has told GameSpot the use of the screenshot was "deliberate." Its website has been updated with a note clarifying the origin of the image which reads, "The photo on 5:50 is actually a screenshot from the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain video game."

Original Story: The image above is one of the many that Konami has released to promote Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. And while it--like the rest of the game--looks very nice, you wouldn't expect anyone who looks at it for more than a moment to think it's an actual photograph. Yet that appears to be exactly what someone working for television network RT (formerly Russia Today) mistakenly thought.

As part of a news report this week on child soldiers, RT show SophieCo spoke with Emmanuel Jal, a former child soldier who is now a hip-hop artist. At one point, the camera pans by a screen displaying the screenshot seen above--too quickly for most to realize what they were looking at wasn't a photograph, except for one Tumblr user who did notice (via Kotaku).

You can check out the GIF below or watch the full video (which I couldn't help but notice uses music from one of the Ocean's Eleven movies) at RT; the moment in question happens at the 5:50 mark.

It's not the first time something like this has happened; last year, a Danish TV station used an image from Assassin's Creed when talking about Syria. A year prior, the BBC used the logo of Halo's UNSC (the United Nations Space Command) when talking about the real-world UNSC (the United Nations Security Council).

The Phantom Pain is currently without a release date but is coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. It made a strong impression with its E3 showing, and even people from Hollywood chimed in to share their thoughts on its E3 trailer.

Hideo Kojima, Phantom Pain's director and the Metal Gear series' creator, said after E3 that he was blown away by the visuals in the PlayStation 4 version of Grand Theft Auto V. He was so impressed, in fact, that he said they caused him to be "depressed again," referencing the fact that he was concerned last year about the standards GTA V would set for open-world games.

At least for one day, though, Kojima can be proud that his game's visuals were mistaken for the real thing.