Heightened Rumor: Metal Gear Solid 4 not a PS3 exclusive

181 Comments by Alexander Sliwinski Dec 17th 2006 4:30PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure, Business

The rumors that Metal Gear Solid 4 is not a PS3 exclusive continue to snowball. A little over a month ago came the first wave of speculation and the idea even graced the cover of EGM. Fanboys screamed and raged, "Kojima-san owes way too much to Sony to stab them in the back like this, his honour would be tarnished forever and the Japanese care deeply about their honour." Konami's PR simply said, "Metal Gear 4 [sic] is a PS3 title."

Now website Noooz states they have "exclusive" information that MGS4 is coming to Xbox 360. We spoke directly with the editor of Noooz, Daniel Boutros, who has been around the industry for a good bit. He says his source for the information is quite high up, "I rarely run with anything unless I'm 100% confident. I rarely break news stories as you can see." He jokes that from now on he's sticking to opinion pieces after the storm of comments his site received.

Boutros' source says that MGS4 will be coming to the Xbox 360 shortly after the PS3 release. The source says Konami is concerned that there will still not be enough PS3 units out there to make the game profitable. This is the same rationale being used by many publishers, including Ubisoft, to jump off the exclusive bandwagon. Somebody has to pay the bills and the wider the net, the more money publishers will make. We, along with probably everyone else, will be following up with Konami and Microsoft for comment tomorrow. This story isn't going away until somebody sneaks up on it from behind, chokes it senseless and drags it into a storage locker.

[Thank you to all the people who sent this in]

Tags: kojima, metal gear solid 4, MGS3, microsoft, sony

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

Zeerak: Dec 17th 2006; 4:37PM

Final nail in PS3 coffin ?

Demaar: Dec 17th 2006; 4:42PM

Sounds suspect. Do you guys know of Daniel? Has he really been around the industry "for a good bit"? No offence to the guy, maybe I'm just a noob or something, but I've never heard of Noooz.

Shabran: Dec 17th 2006; 4:43PM

The MGS series is something really special to the playstation platform. But this atually makes sense because the production costs seem like OVER THE ROOF with this game and they have to make their money back or this 3 year cycle of making the game is POINTLESS

Hannibal: Dec 17th 2006; 4:45PM

@2:

A lot of guys in the industry don't exactly have a ton of coverage. For example, Tomm Hulett, the lead guy of Atlas USA, is totally accessible and has a pretty entertaining blog.

Optimus Prime: Dec 17th 2006; 4:56PM

They ported MGS to GC and MGS2 to xbox. MGS3 hasnt been ported because xbox and GC have been dead for a long time now.

So, it has always been the norm and not the exception to have MGS ported to other platforms. The timing may be accelerated because its the first year of PS3.

Justice: Dec 17th 2006; 4:57PM

Well Sony is shipping more PS3's in 07, or even now. So how can tis be true if people don't know the future yet. And isn't MGS4 supposed to be shipped around November or towards the end of the year? If so, then there is gonna be alot more PS3's being sold by that time.

Carl: Dec 17th 2006; 4:58PM

PLEASE LET IT BE TRUE!!!!! I CAN FINALLY BE RID OF MY PS3 ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!!

Probot: Dec 17th 2006; 4:59PM

This game is planned for the end 2007. If console shortages is the issue, then Konami won't really now the real numbers until next year.

I suspect any talk, or even preliminary development, could be a precautionary measure. This way if after the holiday dust settles and Sony is still having problems, Konami could have a headstart on an Xbox 360 version, which they could announce at E3 (or whatever it's called now.)

If Sony does straighten out the production problems, then Konami could keep it exclusive and save the Xbox stuff for a later re-issue of the game, like they did with MGS2. It would save some money and let them focus their resources on the PS3 version.

Grey: Dec 17th 2006; 5:03PM

remember the main character is going to be put in Nintendo super smash brothers brawl.

Fernando Rocker: Dec 17th 2006; 5:04PM

And whats wrong with that? I mean... at first, MGS was a Nintendo NES Game... the companies wants to make money, so they are going to release the game for the console that give more money... maybe even Nintendo Wii. With the new programming and render and all that stuff, the Wii can display some very impressive graphics. Just wait to see Metroid Prime 3 (Offset Engine), so, MGS on Wii will be good too, specially with the control.

MrDiscipleFIN: Dec 17th 2006; 5:05PM

360 version would make sense and I would buy it. I will not buy a ps3 version because I will not buy a ps3 so Nothing strange here.

Carlos: Dec 17th 2006; 5:06PM

wow. if this turns out to be true its going to be saving me a lot of money. I was actually thinking of getting a ps3 just for this game. I dont have a 360 yet but I'll gladly buy one if this turns out to be true. I was going to get one eventally but this is just more incentive to buy one.

Blackmoon: Dec 17th 2006; 5:06PM

Konami's word vs. some weird guy that runs a website called "Noooz"

I'll go with Konami.

Dave Mendez: Dec 17th 2006; 5:18PM

Xbox 1 had a version of metal gear on it so who knows.

As far as the Sony PS3 not being Profitable; C'mon now. It just came out a month ago; LMAO. They would have said the same thing with the Xbox 360 when it launched last year. Just when exactly did it become profitable for any company to make games for the 360? It surely wasn't last year. Have they even reached the 10 million mark yet?

In all honesty; if Konami is worried about making a profit; all they have to do is make sure a version is developed for the 100,000,000 PS2's that are out there; LMAO.

I suspect this rumor came straight from Microsoft! They need all the help they can get!

Let us not forget that the Xbox 1 has only sold 24 million units worldwide since November 2001!!!!!!

John: Dec 17th 2006; 5:22PM

if its true im never buying a ps3!

lmao!

and hopefully square enix and the like will follow suit lol!

:)

Please make it be true!

Tristan: Dec 17th 2006; 5:23PM

If you notice this guy used to be in the industry he worked for Sony he was at one time pretty high up. No he is just a consultant for the industry. We knew this was going to happen for a long time since Kojima said that it could run on the 360. They would of had to be testing it on 360s or at least fooling with them for him to know this.

John: Dec 17th 2006; 5:24PM

Dave Mendez lmao your just pissing every1 off tonight lol!

i kinda think your taking the piss, or your very stoned or something

if so wot r u on and il join you *gets bong out*! lmao!

:)

James: Dec 17th 2006; 5:27PM

I think I'll wait to see who the actual source is first before I take this at its word. Albeit that is a legitimate business strategy, to sacrifice such long-term alliances and support may cause trouble.

Although, that is starting to be an issue as of late and may have a lot of validity.

L337 Lemming: Dec 17th 2006; 5:29PM

it makes sense to be honest. im not a MGS fan but i do own a 360, and have no intention of buying a ps3.. but like it was said, they gotta pay the bills......

Jason Lamb: Dec 17th 2006; 5:36PM

If this is true, there went one of the only reasons I wanted a PS3. If it is coming to the 360, then I'll just pick one of those up.

aldo: Dec 17th 2006; 5:36PM

#2 google "Daniel Boutros" :)

lordroba: Dec 17th 2006; 5:39PM

I'll believe it when I read it on Famitsu.

micheal82: Dec 17th 2006; 5:42PM

This is good news for all gamers. We all get to play MGS4. The xbox 360 get a great game and Konami get to reach a broader audience so everybody wins.

John: Dec 17th 2006; 5:45PM

#23 well sony doesnt win!

for me personally if mgs4 comes out on the 360 i have no need for a ps3!

also if kojima does this then other game developers might follow suit!

and people in Japan, many of whome respect and admire kojima may realise the 360 isnt the evil beast Sony keeps telling them it is!

this could hypothetically start a chain reaction in the 360's favour and it would be within sonys best interests for it not to happen!

:)

The Man: Dec 17th 2006; 5:46PM

Dave Mendez lost all his credibility on the boards along time ago... Hes a troll.

adrien: Dec 17th 2006; 5:49PM

i've been a sony fanboy since day one but after the b.s. launch, the b.s. problems with the console and the general "we don't need you" attitude from these corporate schmucks, i hope this rumor is true and i hope they fall flat on their faces.

Chaz: Dec 17th 2006; 5:50PM

Switch to 360, and I won't buy a PS3. I would've bought a PS3 somewhere down the line just to play MGS4.

rc: Dec 17th 2006; 5:55PM

Why is anyone surprised by this? Third party exclusives are becoming a thing of the past, and as it was pointed out already mgs2 was ported to the xbox about 6 months to a year after the ps2 release. Anyone who didnt see this coming is stupid or blind.

Grog: Dec 17th 2006; 5:58PM

"Albeit that is a legitimate business strategy, to sacrifice such long-term alliances and support may cause trouble."

I disagree. In the current environment of sky-rocketing dev costs, companies need to reach as many consumers as possible in hopes of paying off the resources required to make a high quality game, especially with the graphics race. On the other hand, console companies that are locked in a struggle for market share (particularly Microsoft vs. Sony with their overlapping markets) cannot afford to offend game companies that help sell their systems.

I look for this generation to be the end of most third-party exclusives (except maybe for the Wii, since some games will be made purely for the controller). We've been headed that way for a while with port launches coming closer and closer to the original launch, but the prohibitive development costs should push it over the edge.

pattyblades: Dec 17th 2006; 5:58PM

I believe an "official" announcement will come out after the holidays, Kojima may have wanted to wait as to not hurt there sales and retain some honor

Ndric: Dec 17th 2006; 6:08PM

And PS3 just keeps on sinking

: Dec 17th 2006; 6:10PM

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

Nick James: Dec 17th 2006; 6:11PM

Hideo has never stated MGS4 can run on 360, and has given several comments to the contrary. I call BS (and I own both systems, so either way I don't care - just sayin')

rom: Dec 17th 2006; 6:11PM

@10

Actually, Metal Gear was first released on the MSX. So technically Metal Gear started off as a Microsoft game. Neat huh?

nick: Dec 17th 2006; 6:15PM

This is just economics and business. Assuming you're not a first or second party developer, there's no reason to offer an exclusive, unless there's some other financial incentive involved, such as Sony paying for an exclusive. Business is business.

With the cost of certain games, you simply want to make as much money as possible, recover your investment, and make a profit. And you want to sell to the largest installed bases. To ignore a large installed base means that you've lost possible revenue. And if you don't do it, and you have a succssful game, you better believe your competitor will make a game just like it and sell to the customers you're not.

Derick: Dec 17th 2006; 6:22PM

It doesn't matter that nobody know how many PS3s will sell, becuase as it is, Konami would be able to widen the *possible* market at least (according to NexGenWars) 8 million units.

They aren't going to stay exclusive on the possibility that the PS3 might sell big. If they choose to let 360 in on the deal, they expand their potential sales exponentially as it is, and even if PS3 makes up all those sales over the next year, they will have doubled their market.

This is goin down.....sorry elitist Sony fans....but why would you care at all? Just so that you can say your comapany of choice wins this game? More people will be able to play the game and have the MGS experiance if it's on both systems, so shouldn't this be good news to anyone? No? That's lame.

Ihys: Dec 17th 2006; 6:24PM

I have an insider source, from a high ranking exec in Microsoft who did not wish to be named, that Halo 3 is indeed coming out on the Nintendo wii. This, in the light of recent rumour that Twilight Princess is scheduled for a Q 2 PS3 release means we can all pull shit out of our asses to generate traffic to our never-heard-of-before website and have our 5 minutes of fame on the internet.

Louis S.: Dec 17th 2006; 6:35PM

Ihys, those games you listed are 1st party. MGS isn't. Konami makes it, not Sony.

Johnny Bloom: Dec 17th 2006; 6:47PM

Looks like Optimus has been hitting the bottle... again. (See comments 39 and 40).

Triforceowner: Dec 17th 2006; 6:48PM

Optimus Prime has the most logical guess. All that may happen is the port time may be shortened.

Johnny Bloom: Dec 17th 2006; 6:49PM

Oh, never mind. It seems that they have been removed.

Desiri: Dec 17th 2006; 6:54PM

"Hideo has never stated MGS4 can run on 360"

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=3&cId=3146425
"1UP:Do you think you could create MGS4, technically, on 360 if you wanted to?

Hideo Kojima: Yes, that's technically possible. Maybe some nuance or a small details here and there might be different, but I feel that hardware is no longer a matter. I'm just talking about PS3, 360 and PC. Revolution is totally different, but there are really no differences among the other three."

Neccy: Dec 17th 2006; 6:55PM

@33 He hasnt stated it can run on the xbox360 but i belive he did say the old technical demo could very easily run on the xbox360 and that hardware was no longer an issue or something to that effect, in my mind im pretty sure its possible just depends if this rumour is true.

I hope to god it is, the MGS series was part of the inscentive i got my PS2 originally, and now i have an xbox360 i'd like to conclude the series now i've switched from sony to microsoft (without looking back i might add).

In my mind the possibility of the xbox release is higher than 0% and thats good enough for me.

Werbal: Dec 17th 2006; 6:55PM

This would be SO hilarious.

SquirrelPhister: Dec 17th 2006; 7:01PM

34. rom:

"@10

Actually, Metal Gear was first released on the MSX. So technically Metal Gear started off as a Microsoft game. Neat huh?"

wow, I hadn't even thought of that. talk about things coming full circle

Josh: Dec 17th 2006; 7:03PM

And yet by the time MGS4 is out, there will be more PS3s out there then there were number of copies of MGS2 or MGS3 sold. Not enough console owners out there to buy copies of the game is a poor excuse.

Sulayman: Dec 17th 2006; 7:03PM

What a LOAD of CRAP!

The Xbox 3-Shitty is NOT getting Metal Gear Solid 4!

Who says that? ME! (I say that)!

"WHY?" I hear you say

Kojima Productions are known to UTILIZE technology right?

So, if MGS4 is being devloped on the PS3 it has NO DOUBT made use of the following:

The Cell Processor's Power

The Blu-ray Disc Storage space! (If 'Resistance: Fall of Man' can take up 20GB, I'm pretty sure Kojima will use more than than - at LEAST 30GB I'd say)
OK, so if we want that on the 360 (sorry, 3-Shitty) we are going to need what? About 3 and a hald DVD9's?!?

Ok, NOW the Sixaxis Controller.
The Sixaxis Controller has MOTION SENSING capabilities and Kojima had NO DOUBT incorporated that into the gameplay, RIGHT?!? Does the 360 have this? NO!!!!!

The PSP Connectivity
This will allow the PSP to act as a remote screen. Are you telling me Kojima HASN'T used THIS feature?!?
Is THAT what you are telling me!? i thought not!

Besides the fact that Bill Gates would LITERALLY suck Kojima's NOB for this to be true there just seems to be TOO much saying that its NOT being ported over!

I am just waiting for Miyamoto to announce Super Mario Galaxy and the NEW Zelda as Windows VISTA ONLY Games!

Neccy: Dec 17th 2006; 7:11PM

A bit of poking around reveals this interview..

Che Chou, ex-1UP staffer and developer at Microsoft’s Forza 2 team, has this to say about the whole deal:

It’s simply a rumor that Konami higher-ups are pressuring Kojima Productions to consider making MGS4 a multiplatform game because production costs on the game are unsurprisingly high and only getting higher. With PS3 install base numbers not looking all that rosy due to console cost and manufacturing problems, Konami is scared they can’t recoup their investment on only 1 platform alone.

It’s also a nice way to maybe blackmail Sony into giving Konami an incentive to keeping the game a PS3 exclusive, imo.

Whatever the case, I highly doubt it’s going to happen so quit building yourself a disappointing kiloton bomb.

SquirrelPhister: Dec 17th 2006; 7:18PM

to be honest, mgs4 is the only thing that even makes me consider buying a PS3. and to be honest, I'd rather play it on the 360 anyway. why? because the metal gear series has always made some of the most innovative use of rumble out of any game series to date. without rumble, you'll be losing a lot.

remember, kojima was as surprised as the rest of us to find out earlier this year the PS3 controller would lack rumble. Surely he was developing the game with it in mind (why wouldn't he?) and he was disappointed to realize he'd have to strip those features out for the PS3 version