Kojima Is "Thinking" About Metal Gear Solid 5

Metal Gear Solid 4 isn't even out and whaddaya know, the game's creator Hideo Kojima is already thinking about Metal Gear Solid 5. While MGS4 was supposed to be Kojima's last entry the series, he seems to have had a change of heart recently. Isn't he ready to move on to other things? Dunno. What we do know is what he told Famitsu [*spoilers ahoy!*]:

I gotta start thinking about MGS5... Even though, well, Snake's story ends in MGS4.

...About MGS5, that would be something that Kojima Productions would have to make, I think.

Sounds like Kojima's at least considering doing Metal Gear Solid 5. If MGS4 is a hit, it'll be hard for him not to do it. And hey, if he actually does make MGS5, then he can think about making MGS6 after that!

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New Metal Gear Solid 4 Screens Sneak Out

At first blush, these new Metal Gear Solid 4 screens look a lot like old Metal Gear Solid 4 screens. Trust me. They're new. They may seem familiar, but they're ever so slightly different, with new lighting and tiny camera angle variances. Some are even totally brand new, not just remixed, less sickeningly green classics.

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Unreleased Limited MGS4 PS3 Bundles Go Gray Market

US $9,999.99? An extreme example! Though the Special Limited Edition Gun Metal Gray PS3 MGS4 bundle is popping up on online auction site eBay. The average starting price is over $900, which is more than Konami's $599.99 sticker tag for the pack. Not exactly sure how this works as the bundles haven't actually been shipped to customers or even eBay's policy on this (we imagine frowny faces). Always a shame to see profiteers move in like this! But we imagine this will persist as long as the machines are hard to get and folks are willing to part with their money. Gun Metal Gray? More like gun metal gray market.

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MGS4 Limited Edition "Gun Metal Gray" PS3 Pre-orders Back Up (And Down).

Konami.com has re-listed pre-orders for the web site exclusive PlayStation 3 that went on sale yesterday, giving those who missed out on Monday's bumpy attempt to buy a second chance. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like things have smoothed out quite yet, as the check out process conspired against us, leaving us Metal Gear Solid 4 bundle-less. Pre-orders have been shut down for the day, with an announcement that they'll go up once again tomorrow. Are we having fun yet?

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Hey, Britain, Maybe You *Are* Getting The Gun Metal Gray PS3

Heh. Oops. Looks like you might be getting that "gun metal gray" limited edition PlayStation 3 after all, European friends. That's according to Play.com who says that they're getting the exclusive bundle—featuring the uniquely colored PS3 with a 40GB hard drive and a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4—which conflicts with a report we read at GameSpot last night. We're not sure how this could possibly be miscommunicated, as GameSpot UK says it confirmed with Konami that there would be no such package. We're confused too.

The Play.com exclusive MGS4 bundle rings in at £329.99 and is listed as scheduled to ship on June 12. Let's just hope the Play.com doesn't buckle under the traffic like some other online outlets did.

Sorrey but it is out of stock.

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Hey, Britain, You're Not Getting The Gunmetal PS3

Oh, don't look so surprised. You just had to know this news was coming. Konami have confirmed with GameSpot that while the vanilla MGS4 bundle will be making its way to Europe, not a single gunmetal PS3 will be offered for sale in the UK. And if it's not going on sale in the UK, well, the chances of an exclusive Belgian or Danish launch seems remote, so that probably goes for the rest of Europe as well.

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There Will Be More Metal Gear

Just like we thought! And once again confirming what we had hear before!! There will be more Metal Gear Solid — though, not necessarily more SPOILER. According to Kojima Productions' Ryan Payton, who says (possible SPOILER):

think there’s been some misconceptions that this is the last Metal Gear. This is really just the last chapter of the saga of the Solid Snake story... [Solid Snake] was a burden [for Kojima] because of all those loose ends. So when you play Metal Gear Solid 4 and when you get to the end, I think you’re going to feel that ‘wow, this is a nice closure.’ All of the weird stuff that’s gone on in the past, it’s all coming to an end. All those weird questions — everything is answered... I think he is kind of nervous about it,” he said. “You can’t continue from this step. You can’t start next chapter. We really do close up the story.

So no more Solid Snake, but more Metal Gear? 

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MGS4 Limited Edition PS3 Bundle Ordering Shockingly A Huge Disaster

One might think that after the registration disaster that was the Metal Gear Online beta sign up process that Konami would be well prepared for the pre-ordering onslaught that awaited them today. Surprisingly, it wasn't, resulting in what can be be described as a clusterfuck of massive proportions as many gamers attempted to order their Metal Gear Solid 4 limited edition PlayStation 3 bundle.

In addition to tacking on a $500 insurance charge—which we're told is mandatory and refundable, though we can't confirm right now—we've yet to read of a single successful check out for the "gun metal" version of the console. As of right now, the Konami store is throwing a 503 error, most likely due to the heavy volume of MGS4 fans trying desperately to buy their PS3s.

Anyone out there lucky enough to secure one yet? Thanks to the many tipsters who sent this one in.

Update: It appears that Konami may have dropped the $500 insurance charge and that pre-orders have temporarily ceased. The Konami online store asks customers to "Please check back tomorrow (May 20, 2008), when we will make available more stock for pre-orders."

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Metal Gear Retrospective: Part 1 and Part 2

Gametrailers got up the second installment of its look at the Metal Gear franchise. This 20-minute clips picks up in 1995, eight years after the first Metal Gear, and five since the Japan-only release of Metal Gear: Solid Snake. Hideo Kojima has heard about this new "PlayStation" console and its capabilities, and sets to creating a sequel that will take full advantage of it ...

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Limited Edition MGS4 "Gun Metal Gray" PS3 Is A Konami.com Exclusive

Konami announced today that the "gun metal gray" special edition PlayStation 3—described as being "very, very limited" when confirmed for a stateside release—bundled with Metal Gear Solid 4 and a DualShock 3 controller will only be available for purchase from Konami's web site. Priced at $599.99 USD, it will sport 40GB worth of hard drive space in addition to it's unique, flat finish.

Don't confuse it with the regular MGS4 PS3 bundle, which will ring up at $499.99 and comes with an 80GB hard drive. Yes, you're paying $100 for gray pride.

Pre-orders open May 19 at Konami.com. Considering how swimmingly the Metal Gear Online beta sign up process went, we'd suggest having more than one computer at the ready for what may be frantic pre-ordering action.

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Kojima: "Metal Gear Solid 4 is Complete"

What Konami event would be complete without a healthy dose of Metal Gear Solid 4? And a healthy dose it was! After a short talk about the series in which Kojima proudly announced "Metal Gear Solid 4 is Complete" we watched as he played through the first forty-five minutes of the game which, while fascinating, was a bit lengthy given the time of night and the non air conditioned room.

During the announcements we were told about the PS3 MGS4 bundle which has been confirmed to contain a gunmetal gray PS3 with matching Dual Shock 3 controller and the MGS4 limited edition version of the game. Once the gameplay started we were treated to the most fantastic MGS news of the evening, a brand new secret weapon.

The secret weapon revealed was the Tanegashima gun, a mythological Japanese weapon that causes massive destruction. The gun was of an older variety and the crowd got quite a laugh watching Snake go through the rather detailed routine of loading the gun, tamping the shot down and getting it ready to fire. Once it was ready though, it was something quite unlike I had ever seen. Shooting into the crowd with it causes a huge whirlwind of a tornado that knocks huge groups of enemies out and spreads copious amounts of ammo out all over the place allowing you to run around and gather your stores for later.But, such things come at a price and the Tanegashima is by far the most expensive weapon in the game, so be sure to save your pennies!

Seeing the reaction in the room when these things were shown was enough to convince me that MGS 4 is set to be the PS3s first real system seller. It also leaves me feeling that June 12 just can't come fast enough.

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So... Will There Be Another Metal Gear Solid?

Last year, Konami spent an insane amount of money on the Metal Gear 20th Anniversary Party. The swish event was at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo Midtown. Throughout the event, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima kept mentioning that the fourth entry was the last game in the series. That this was it! But as Konami CEO Fumiaki Tanaka kept saying that he hoped Kojima would make more Metal Gear and others kept saying they hoped there would be more Metal Gear, Kojima was overheard at the end of the night saying that there would be more! Granted, how involved he would be in the future games is up in the air. So it wasn't exactly a surprise when a sequel was vaguely hinted at the end the press conference. But is it a Metal Gear Solid sequel? Dunno, it was way too vague. But, really, Konami (and Kojima) would be silly not to eventually do MGS5 with Metal Gear being its second biggest IP after Winning Eleven and a huge exclusive for Sony. Sure, this is pie-in-the-sky talk, but let's just hope Kojima gets the chance to branch out and do something different in the interim.

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New MGS4 Screens Want To Sell You Things

Solid















Metal Gear Solid 4 offers more than great gameplay and solid graphics. It also offers product placement! From an in-game iPod and Triumph motorcycles to cell phones and energy drinks, MGS4 has tactical advertising down pat

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The First 10 Minutes Of Metal Gear Solid 4

Earlier this morning Ashcraft attended a press event in Japan for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, where Kojima himself played through the game for about 40 minutes. Game Videos was kind (or evil) enough to commit the first 10 minutes of said gameplay to video, essentially capturing the experience of starting up MGS 4 for the first time.

Now, I know how some of you are about spoilers,. You can move along right now and forget that this post even exists. Completely up to you. Me? I am looking, but I'd be remiss in my duties if I didn't at least draw your attention to it.



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You Really Did Get Assassin's Creed In My MGS4!

That Ubisoft/Kojima April Fool's joke was pretty elaborate! Snake running around MGS4 dressed as Altair, looking for all the world like it was actually in the game...so would it surprise you to hear that it wasn't really a gag? Yeah, that's right. It was announced at the MGS4 wrap party today that MGS4 players will indeed be able to unlock an Assassin's Creed outfit for Snake (we won't tell you how), which were it not for the silver moustache and trademark cigarette would have you thinking Altair himself had time-travelled his way into the final Metal Gear title. How's this happening? Why's this happening? Who knows, the mind boggles.

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Metal Gear Solid 4 Intro Movie

That's what the title on Gamevideos says, in this, the fifth clip to spill out of the post-MGS4 wrap party in Tokyo today. This one's apparently the game's opening (not the epic, 10-12 min cinematic, obviously), which for anyone high on love of Kojima's militaristic ponderings but short on patience will be some pretty hot hotcakes about now. Nothing looks terribly spoilerrific, but hey, since some people can't whisper "MGS4" without it being tagged a spoiler, consider yourselves warned.




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New, New, New MGS4 Trailers

The MGS4 wrap party in Japan today wasn't just about motorbikes and posing for photos. It was about new commercials, too! Four new ones were shown off, one the main, badass theatrical trailer (featuring the MOVIE GUY), one featuring energy drinks, one featuring a mobile phone, and the other...a lady, her cat and a strangely dust-free PS3.










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Presser Start!

A buzzer just sounded! Literally. The lights have gone down and I'm in the dark. Good thing I have an illuminated MacBook Pro, amirite. There's an ad for Sony phones and now Uniqlo. Just like before a movie. There's a funny no smoking ad with MGS theme exclamation points. Hahaha, now there are a bunch of phoney MGS themed ads like for guns and stuff. Great stuff.

Watching the MGS4 opening on a huge movie screen in full Dolby Digital sound. Beautiful stuff. It starts with Old Snake wearing a hooded outfit in the back of a truck. The sound is truly amazing. The credits role as it goes from gameplay to unable. Great mix of game play and cut scenes.

If you are thinking of purchasing MGS4, you really ought to play it in a movie theater.
Man, we just watched a killer in-game shootout and credits are STILL GOING.
Fumiaki Tanaka, Konami honcho, has taken the stage, talking about how the game is going on sale in the age of casual games. He's saying how the game will make its release date.
"MGS4 has great graphics, gameplay and music," says Tanaka. "Everything." He's talking about the power of the PS3. How they want to make more great games. Now he's talking about the special Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 console.

The game will go on sale as scheduled and there will be big advertising campaigns and tie-ups.
Tanaka just introduced Kojima.

Kojima has taken the stage, saying that the game is finished. "It was a difficult game to make," he says. "It took a long time to finish." Since the game was the last in the series, the staff had to deal with that challenge. The PS3 hardware and HD game also presented challenges. Also the worldwide release.

"I thought about giving up," says Kojima. "But I had to finish it for the fans."

"Now, there is a casual boom," he says.

He's talking about taking risks, how it's important to take risks. How risks are important for the future of gaming.

"I'm not thinking of a Renaissance," he says, "but I'd like a return to gaming." Kojima has left the stage.

Watching the first PS3 MGS4 television ad. It shows scenes from the game. And a kid wrapped on in it, ignoring the phone.

Kaz Hirai has taken the stage, congratulating Konami and Kojima on finishing the game.

Hirai says he ended up playing the game for 2 hours and he didn't even know that much time had passed. "It's one of those games that you can get wrapped up in," says Hirai.

"Konami and Sony are taking this worldwide," says Hirai. "We are backing up MGS4's advertising."

Hirai mentions the special Metal Gear PLAYSTATION 3.

Hirai encourages folks to try out the game and the PS3, congratulates Konami again.

Now there's a photo opp. I take a pic. I shall post it later!

Later is NOW,

Oh! The English trailer, complete with MOVIE TRAILER GUY VOICE. Hey, this is pretty neat.

It's like a mega blockbuster movie trailer, complete with MOVIE VOICE GUY saying "This Summer"...

Now, Kojima is going to play through the game. For forty minutes. On a giant movie screen. Think about that.

Spoiler, spoiler, spoiler, spoiler, Regain energy drink. In-game. Kojima stops the demo, drinks a bottle of it, says it gives you energy. Spoiler, spoiler, spoiler, in-game iPod, spoiler, spoiler, listening to the original retro Metal Gear song, playing with it, changing it to JPop, playing the game with Jpop, spoiler, spoiler, , spoiler, spoiler, monkey in diaper, spoiler, spoiler, spoiler...

The game looks really nice on a movie screen.

Spoiler, "purchasable" customizable weapons (don't know if this is DLC or unlockable or what), spoiler, spoiler, spoiler, customizable Octocamo, spoiler, spoiler, spoiler,

Spoiler, spoiler, spoiler, in-game store where you can buy awesome guns, spoiler, spoiler, spoiler...

And the 40 minute demo is over. I cannot recommend playing this game in a movie theater enough.

Now, producer Kenichiro Imaizumi has taken the stage. Today's surprise is...

An ad for Regain energy drink. With Snake. Old Snake drinks the energy drink and becomes young. It goes on sale in Japan starting June 10th.

There's also a MGS4 duck alarm clock going on sale at the end of July.
Also, an official MSG4 Sony cell phone. MGS4 Salaryman cell phone game.

The MGS4 branding continues! There's also an in-game MGS4 branded MOTORCYCLE from motorcycle maker Triumph, the folks who made the bike Tom Cruise rode in Mission Impossible.

Remember that Assassin's Solid trailer? You can dress up as Altair in game. Watching a video letter from Jade Raymond. She's saying congrats, etc.
There will be MGS3 shirts from UNIQLO with designs by Logan Media, Power Grapfix and one more.

In Game, swimsuit model Akina Minami appears. Akina takes the stage, and talks with Kojima. Akina is a big Metal Gear fan, and Kojima says she's really good at Metal Gear. "I love Metal Gear so much," says Akina, "And I was thrilled to be in the game."

Now they're talking about Metal Gear fans around the world.
There's a map of the world and they're talking about launches around the world.

Last message from Kojima, "We've put the last 21 years of know how and experience and sense into this game. That's how we made it." He telling us that the game drops next month and thanks us for coming! A short film goes up with all the game's characters. There's a behind the scences clip that shows the team working on the game, arguing, talking about the project, finishing the game, having a office party and shooting a champagne cork into the ceiling,

The screen goes black and the voice actor who does Ocelot comes and saying the event is over, but something's in place for the launches in NYC, Akihabara and LA. And then asks something like, what about the sequel.
And that's it! Stick in a fork in us, we are done.

Souce kotaku.com

Metal Gear Movie Update

What about that Metal Gear Solid movie? Before the presser started, I talked to Konami's Aki Saito, who is handling the film negotiations. According to him, the contract is still being worked out. Kojima will not be directing. However, he will be acting as a producer. Says Saito:


Hollywood has great respect for Mr. Kojima. They want to meet with him. Kojima will be acting as a producer, but we don't know how involved he'll be as a producer. Often Hollywood adaptations have the original game creator involved at the beginning, but somewhere along the line they fall out of view. This is why it's very important for us to carefully pick the studio for this project.

Kojima is a great cineaste, and Konami does seem serious about bringing his vision to the screen. Regarding to potential directors, Saito says, "Paul Thomas Anderson is interested."

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