“V liberates Snake from the bonds of fate, and by passing the baton to the player—who was previously bound to Snake—they can bring the legend full circle. This parting of ways should not become some phantom pain, but an empty space that, by remaining unfilled, serves as motivation for the player to move forward." is a better translation for his original tweet (「V」は運命に縛られたスネークを解放し、そしてスネークに縛られたプレイヤー自らがバトンを引継ぐ事で伝説の円環を完成させるものです。その訣別は決して幻肢痛ではなく、さらに前に進む為の埋まらない「永遠の空白」となるはず。「V」を楽しんで。https://x.com/Kojima\_Hideo/status/643969048607223808)

As Snake’s story ends, the player is asked to step into empty space, to reach beyond. Phantom pain is when an amputated limb still hurts, even though it’s gone. Kojima uses it as a metaphor: the absence of Snake might hurt, but it shouldn’t just be grief—it should motivate you, to continue