Metal Gear Solid 4 has over 200 developers

by Ross Miller { Oct 15th 2007 at 6:29PM }

How much manpower is Hideo Kojima throwing at Metal Gear Solid 4 to ensure quality? Over 200, according to Kojima Productions' Ryan Payton. In an interview with Gamasutra, Payton noted how important the game is to Sony, remarking that "the way things are turning out, this could be the first 'must have' PlayStation 3 title on store shelves. Or, if not the first, then the second or the third."

For clarification, Payton said that the massive team are all working in the same location on the same title, making the size all the more impressive. He did note, however, that following the release of MGS4 the team size will likely get "a little bit leaner and meaner."

Although not confirmed, we suspect Kojima Productions currently has the following quote written above its front doors: "No retreat, no surrender. That is Kojima law. And by Kojima law, we will stand and fight...and die. A new age has begun: an age of freedom. And all will know, that 200 developers, gave their last breath to defend it!"

Tags: 300, hideo-kojima, kojima, konami, metal-gear-solid, metal-gear-solid-4, mgs4

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

mr nimblewick (SegaDF - Jogurt Ring) @ Oct 15th 2007 6:32PM

Let's hope that's not too many chefs in one kitchen.

Srayer @ Oct 16th 2007 3:49PM

Developers aren't chefs. They're sous chefs. They don't decide how the broth should taste; they just create the components of the broth as specified by the chef.

Srayer @ Oct 16th 2007 3:56PM

Actually, I take that back. The article says that the size of the team is 200 people, not that there are 200 developers (programmers) on the title.

That's what I get for basing a comment on the blog entry rather than on the article.

Genius @ Oct 15th 2007 6:40PM

They'll get my money that much is certain.

phattie @ Oct 15th 2007 6:41PM

Imagine how many mini-games they could have put on Wii with that many people.

mr nimblewick (SegaDF - Jogurt Ring) @ Oct 15th 2007 6:42PM

The best minigames come from a million monkeys at a million computers for a million days.

Seriously, how else do you explain warioware?

Matt B @ Oct 15th 2007 6:43PM

9,000!!!!!!!

DemonGSides @ Oct 15th 2007 7:09PM

It would take over 100 years to occur.

Now keep the god damned /b/ memes in /b/

Word of the street(IDF-Digital Ruler). @ Oct 15th 2007 7:21PM

O rly?

I herd u liek mudkips

Mr Khan @ Oct 15th 2007 7:22PM

I wonder how much you could have actually contributed to conversations if your ~400 comments hadn't been mindless trolling

jovin6 @ Oct 15th 2007 7:46PM

Sage.

deaftly @ Oct 16th 2007 9:16AM

excite truck fucking rules.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Oct 16th 2007 9:20AM

I just watched the "Over 9000" episode last night, while drinking.

"What! 9000?"

Leobebes @ Oct 15th 2007 6:43PM

In this generation of gaming it seems that the only console maker that has been able to market bloated over the top budgeted titles is Microsoft. Look at Gears of War and Halo3 these games are easily surpassing its projected returns and they are also living up to the hype. Sony has been pushing games like Heavenly Sword, Lair showing us their vaunted production values, behind the scenes motion capture studio sessions, orchestral extravaganzas showing us the Hollywood style behind the scenes coverage of the game's music. Is it me or does Sony seem like they are trying a little too hard in showing us the work they put into these games and not building up the right type of hype? When I think of Gears of War and Halo3 I think fun, when I think Lair, Heavenly Sword, Killzone 2, MSG I think bloated game budgets that better pay off or Sony is cooked. It kind of sucks for Sony, and I think they built up so much hype that they will never live up to it in its games.

LaughingTarget @ Oct 15th 2007 6:44PM

How does that old cliche go? Too many chefs in the kitchen ruins the cake?

deadpool @ Oct 15th 2007 8:58PM

broth

Bloo @ Oct 15th 2007 6:49PM

As a multiconsole owner, and a PS3 owner since January, I'm just counting the days until MGS4 finally justifies my purchase!

Matt B @ Oct 15th 2007 7:03PM

Really?!?

R:FOM, Motorstorm, LAIR, Heavenly Sword, Warhawk, Hi-def player, wi-fi, PSN demos, and media hub have made my purchase already justifiable.

Are you that hard to please?

Bloo @ Oct 15th 2007 7:14PM

Again, I am a multiconsole owner so I only have time to play top quality games (not to mention I have a family). I thought RFOM was mediocre (finished it), LAIR is not even a consideration, Heavenly Sword looks decent but not worth a purchase, Warhawk is not a consideration, I love my Blu Ray movies but they don't justify buying a game console, Wifi lol, PSN demos - already played most of them on the 360 weeks or months ahead of time except Ratchet (pretty good) and HS (too short but sweet).

blooh (CDF - Nipple Ring) @ Oct 15th 2007 7:15PM

if i had a ps3, warhawk would be the only good thing in that list

Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Oct 15th 2007 7:52PM

I love how Matt B says WiFi as something you'd enjoy out of the console.

R:FOM & Motorstorm? Those games are old news now. No one cares!

marcandrer @ Oct 15th 2007 8:15PM

wifi maybe something you laugh at but atleast ps3 owners didn't have to pay 60$ for an overpriced 1st party accessorie to get it just like we didnt have to 200$ for an hd-movie accessorie or another 100$ish for a HDD. but yeah sure.. the xbox is cheaper !

blooh (CDF - Nipple Ring) @ Oct 15th 2007 8:46PM

i don't need the wifi or the movie addon...so i saved money

ps3 fanboys, lol

Matt B @ Oct 15th 2007 9:05PM

Eventually, you will want high def. Then all you will think about is how you lived without it for so long and why you did that to yourself.

It's all about choice, right?

blooh (CDF - Nipple Ring) @ Oct 15th 2007 9:13PM

hidef what, games? got that already

I don't really care though, i thought ratchet 1 on the ps2 looked f'ing awesome on a normal tube tv, and still do think that. I just recently got a 19" lcd tv, so it's not big enough to tell a big difference between it and normal tube sets

I'm certainly not a graphics whore, I still play ps1 games just because they're fun

Emophia @ Oct 16th 2007 5:29AM

Matt b...
LAIR are you kidding, and Motorstorm is pretty mediocre at best, just as bad a sExcite Truck... Good thing I got MT for $20...

I have a PS3, and I love it... But lately, All I've been playing on it is Warhawk...

And bloogus, Heavenly Sword, Resistance, and Ninja Gaiden Sigma are all also good games...

Vol @ Oct 15th 2007 6:49PM

So in essence, out of 200 people developing it, you have 150 trying to figure out how to code the damn PS3 (cause we have to save it). That's efficiency.

archie91s @ Oct 15th 2007 6:51PM

I don't think that I've heard of a game with a bigger development staff. I wonder how many copies they are going to need to sell to make money? They're definitely getting my money, and that's for sure.

GoldenS1104 @ Oct 15th 2007 6:56PM

More developers doesn't necesarily mean better quality. It's harder for a team to collaborate when it has that many members. I'm not trying to dis the game or anything, I just don't get the theory behind this.

Srayer @ Oct 16th 2007 3:45PM

It doesn't necessarily mean better quality, but with proper management it means that more can get done in a shorter time.

As the number of devs on a project increases, you get diminishing returns for each. This is for reasons such as the communication issue you stated. But again, with proper management (of both people and code), you still can benefit from the increased number of warm bodies.

Long Bow @ Oct 15th 2007 7:01PM

Looks like they still think that quantity equals quality. Don't tell me how many devs you have working on a project, show me the finished product. You want me to pony up for a PS3 and MGS4, show me that it's a fun title to play.

Matt B @ Oct 15th 2007 7:05PM

Maybe you under estimate Kojima. This isn't going to be an 8 hour game. Unlike some other highly rated games.

Mark @ Oct 15th 2007 7:10PM

I'm not sure what you're saying here... What are you trying to say about MGS4?

It seems like you guys are demeriting MGS4 due to the number of developers working on the game. Hasn't Kojima Productions proven themselves that they can make a good MGS game? They've done it 3 times and every game has set the bar higher every time.

Long Bow @ Oct 15th 2007 7:21PM

I'm not in the habit of buying games based on faith. I rather see the finished product before I jump on. The game industry is all based on money. If you want my money, show me the game, not hype.

Word of the street(IDF-Digital Ruler). @ Oct 15th 2007 7:26PM

@ Mark

3 times?,you aren't counting the PSP games right?,I say there are like 5 great kojima productions games with Metal Gear it their title,6 if you count MGS+.

Mark @ Oct 16th 2007 12:38AM

Okay 5 good games. Can we safely assume that the game is good. We've already received favorable previews at E3, Leipzig and TGS. The gameplay is tight, and ambitious. 200 people willing to work on the final game sounds amazing.

Did the price of the game go up to recoup expenses for development costs?