Ugh: Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition exclusively at GameStop
by Christopher Grant 
{ Apr 10th 2008 at 11:23AM }
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Limited Edition – click to enlarge
Though Amazon already spoiled the Metal Gear Solid 4 Standard Edition box-art surprise three days ago, Konami just sent us the North American Limited Edition packaging featuring the grizzled visage of our favorite mulleted (and now mustachioed!) sneaker, Solid Snake and his arch-nemesis Liquid Ocelot. We've also got final pricing here: Standard Edition will go for an unsurprising $60 while the Limited Edition – packing two "making of" documentaries and the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots soundtrack – for $85.
But, what's this? That Limited Edition will be even more limited in North America, available exclusively at everyone's favorite (read: no one's favorite) game retailer: GameStop. Maybe, if you're really lucky, you'll get to purchase one of their "Limited Edition" pre-opened shelf copies, with free hand grease and hard-to-remove sticker.
Gallery: Metal Gear Solid 4
[Warning: PDF "Read" link]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Yami @ Apr 10th 2008 11:26AM
Attack of the mustaches, more like.
Bleu @ Apr 10th 2008 11:36AM
I hate gamestop!
David Hinkle @ Apr 10th 2008 11:40AM
Seriously, how are you going to try and sell me an opened copy of a game at full price? For the cost of a game today, I expect to be the first damn person to open it. Also, I don't want to smell Cheetohs and desperation all over my game manual and case.
Gewurztraminer says: R.O.B. is the last Cylon! @ Apr 10th 2008 9:29PM
Snake taking a cue from Mario with the 'stache? hm..
EMOruffino @ Apr 10th 2008 10:04PM
Cheetohs!!!!!!!! wait... MGS4!!!!! wait... DESPERATION!!!!! wait.... hold on....
gamestop sucks... awww much better.
skidawg @ Apr 10th 2008 11:29AM
Always was going to get the standard edition, but after seeing the hi-res stache versus the cool limited edition box I may have to reconsider
Fosssil @ Apr 10th 2008 11:35AM
You're going to spend an extra $25 just because you like the cover art better?
skidawg @ Apr 10th 2008 11:50AM
No, no, better box art isn't enough for an extra $25. It is more like the potential final straw. I'm into MGS enough to enjoy the 2 making of features and would love that art book (for the gamestop preorders). The music cd means little. But hi res snake on the standard box scares me and seems to by eyeing me....I haven't decided for sure yet, but I don't think $25 is ridiculous for those features plus cover art that doesn't make you uncomfortable
FOXHOUND @ Apr 10th 2008 12:12PM
...they're not making it easy on their ol'buddy FOXHOUND, are they? :\ If it wasn't for my friend working there, I wouldn't bother(since the exclusives could be eBay'd). June's not arriving quick enough. :\
Oh, and yes. I would pay the extra. Because I'm MG-crazy, if you hadn't heard.
Fosssil @ Apr 10th 2008 12:29PM
Skidawg:
Forgive me, I misinterpreted your post -- I had taken from it that you were buying the limited edition for the new cover alone.
skidawg @ Apr 10th 2008 1:05PM
fossil:
no worries, i guess it did kind of sound like i would pay $25 just for the box art based only on that first comment. I'm just glad you aren't one of those fanboys who is like "f sony, mgs3 on 360 in 2009, confirmed, blah blah blah". Yeah, for some, $25 to spend on a few bonuses is a lot, and I'm not exactly swimming in the cash either. But metal gear and ff7 are 2 franchises (and yes, i do consider ff7 a franchise onto itself) that I'm just fanboyish enough about to make a few bonuses potentially worth an extra $25.
shase @ Apr 10th 2008 11:28AM
i am thinking of selling my 40gig for the limited bundle... my ps2 got broken so it might be good for me to get the ps3 with ps2 capabilities..
Kodros @ Apr 10th 2008 12:39PM
Thanks for sharing =)
Kayel @ Apr 10th 2008 11:28AM
I like this box art much better!
Still 25 dollars is a lot to pay just to get better art and a few extra features that I wouldn't watch if they were free. Throw in an infinity bandana and I'm sold.
Also, screw Gamestop.
StrangeBum @ Apr 10th 2008 11:38AM
I could be wrong, but it was my understanding that the PS3 didn't have region encoding on the blu-ray discs. So doesn't that mean you could order up the EU version online somewhere for relatively cheap?
Again, just was my understanding.
Also I hate Gamestop too.
FOXHOUND @ Apr 10th 2008 12:04PM
Blu Ray does have region coding.
The nice thing is... NA and JPN are region 1. Import away.
Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Apr 10th 2008 12:25PM
Umm, it's more than just the art...
It's an art book and an imported soundtrack which, under normal circumstances, is $35 by itself.
Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Apr 10th 2008 12:27PM
Also should be noted all PS3 games are region free.
Kayel @ Apr 10th 2008 12:35PM
Just because a soundtrack costs 35 dollars doesn't mean it's worth 35 dollars. Unless you're just really into having hard copies, I don't see the point in paying extra for an art book when the images are going to be all over the internet.
FOXHOUND @ Apr 10th 2008 1:20PM
And here I thought it just applied to movies. My mistake. :]
xFenixKnightx @ Apr 10th 2008 11:30AM
I just want to get a mustache trimmer and edge it so it doesnt hang over their lips! Ahhhhhh!!
Alan @ Apr 10th 2008 11:37AM
Because some people don't understand that in order to display a game it's best to take the actual disk out of the box (so punk kids don't steal it).
Alan @ Apr 10th 2008 11:39AM
Well that comment didn't go where I told it to.
Christopher Grant @ Apr 10th 2008 11:43AM
As long as you're here, Alan, I'll address you here.
So, a company with 7 billion in sales last year can't afford empty cases and a color printer? Name one other industry that will sell you a normally shrink-wrapped product that's been opened (affecting things like its ability to be returned for full value) at full price? Can you imagine Best Buy doing that? Don't they have to worry about piracy too? It's lame, it's hostile to consumers, and they know it. They just don't care.
gore on the floor @ Apr 10th 2008 11:48AM
I don't get it. I don't necessarily like Gamestop, but they've never once tried to pass off an open game as new to me. And if they had, they just wouldn't get my money.
Who are these people that are like, "Oh, I paid for a new copy, but you're gonna give me an open one? Yeah, I guess that's okay, no really.. don't worry about it.
.. BUT I'M GONNA BLOG ABOUT IT LATER GODDAMNIT!"
xFenixKnightx @ Apr 10th 2008 12:03PM
It happened to me, I was buying Marvel Ultimate Aliance on PS3 for my kiddos and I stopped by Gamestop. The kid sais yeah we have one left *NEW. They he starts searching for a disc and goes and gets the display box off the shelf. I was like uhhh, what are you doing? The box was murdered no lie lol! I bounced, picked it up at Gamecrazy. Really *NEW this time and for a couple bucks on the cheaper =)
Alan @ Apr 10th 2008 1:00PM
Best Buy has their own safety measures, namely those clear locked boxes they put their games in. It's a matter of effort, do you want to have to make mock-ups for every single title that comes in each week? I'm a former GS employee and I have to say, I didn't get paid nearly enough to warrant that kind of work.
The bottom line is that the games that are gutted for the shelf are still new. Yes, buying a gutted copy does deprive you of opening the shrink wrap yourself but the condition of the disc doesn't change. There is a policy of letting employees 'rent' games for 3 days but you have to go through so much paper work and crap from your supervisor that it was basically non-existent at the store I worked at. If you don't want to buy the shelf copy just ask when they will be getting more in. If it's not an obscure title it will most likely be next day or the day after.
Personally, if I'm getting a gutted copy I always ask to see the disc first. If it looks played, I refuse to buy it.
Co @ Apr 10th 2008 1:21PM
Alan, how does a disk "looked played"?
Yea they try that shit with me and I tell 'em "No thanks. Wal-Mart across the parking lot has it, I just thought I'd check you guys out first" and walk out.
phrequency @ Apr 10th 2008 1:32PM
how about just putting up one display case and having them walk up to you and asking for a copy. it's not like there's a dire need to have a 1 to 1 ratio of games in stock to games on display. that way, you save more space for putting up more used games and save time for customers browsing? wholesale stores have something like this (mostly for electronics/software).
also new can mean many things to people... and to me, and i'm sure others share the same view, new means not removing the game from the case and putting a sticky sticker on it.
i have some games that i've taken care of and played a lot and i guarantee you the average person couldn't tell if they've been played. you could've pitched it to them as the whole removing the game from case deal and they'd prolly be convinced it hasn't been played and buy it at full price when in fact 100 game hours have already been invested into it already.
AcidMonkey @ Apr 10th 2008 1:36PM
Right Alan, and those are all great reasons for me NOT to buy new games from gamestop. I mean, if it's new, do I want to have to check the disc before I bring it home to make sure it's ok? Nope. The point of buying new is that it leaves the store in the condition it was pressed, with minimal chance of damage and 200 people playing with the box. I shouldn't have to QA your work before leaving to ensure you can't tell me I scratched it myself.
And printing a fake display box is more work to you than gutting each disc, putting it in a ziplock baggie, filing it, then having to find it only to put it back in the box? Seems odd to me.
And waiting a day or so for a game just to get it unopened in the box? I'll just go elsewhere, thanks.
crackp1pe @ Apr 10th 2008 2:39PM
Here's something you can't argue with Alan, if you are going to keep trying to defend Gamestop. Ready? Here goes:
Sealed games are worth more. Period.
Check ebay if you're GS/EB Kool Aid has you thinking differently. An opened game is worth less than a sealed game, for all of AcidMonkey's reasons and then some. So when a GS/EB employee tries to sell someone a gutted copy as new, they are ripping you off. You're paying the same price as a new sealed game, and getting less. Plain and simple.
deaftly @ Apr 11th 2008 5:27PM
WHOA CRACKP1PE
keep me out of this dammit!
deaftly @ Apr 10th 2008 11:31AM
Why is Gamestop the devil again?
Mog @ Apr 10th 2008 11:35AM
Because sometimes their games don't come with that precious, precious shrinkwrap. Duh.
Vidikron (FU) @ Apr 10th 2008 11:36AM
I think people dislike their overpriced used games and the fact that they'll try to sell you an opened "shelf" copy for the full new retail price... along with other similar shenanigans.
Shmil (Brawl Code 2621-2310-1994) @ Apr 10th 2008 11:40AM
also they won't sell you a game on release day unless you've preordered it.
baby sea tuna @ Apr 10th 2008 11:41AM
I enjoy holding tight to the shrinkwrap illusion. You know, like how people felt safer after 9/11 by duct taping plastic tarp over their windows...
Norm @ Apr 10th 2008 12:06PM
I don't like the prices, but also I don't like the fact that they bought out Rhino games in my part of the word, and basically threw out all of the exchange policies, awesome prices, and overall custer service level upon doing so.
DarkNessBear @ Apr 10th 2008 3:24PM
Baby Sea Tuna: So if you go to the pharmacy and ask for your prescription and the guy goes on the floor and takes an open bottle and pours some pills into it and hands you it. You wouldn't be like... uhm, fuck no.
"No its new! WE just take the pills out to have the cases as a display!"
Hah...
baby sea tuna @ Apr 10th 2008 3:53PM
Um...wait, what?
Mr Khan @ Apr 10th 2008 4:03PM
I'd have soured on them after they gave me $0.50 for Pokemon Stadium, a game i had paid $70 for, but they are quite literally the only game store in town. Wal-mart doesn't know what they're doing, and K-Mart is worse by far
Living in a 1-horse town is not fun
T H @ Apr 10th 2008 11:34AM
Err I believe that should be spelled "Ocelot"..?
Christopher Grant @ Apr 10th 2008 11:45AM
... it is spelled "Ocelot." What am I missing here?
T H @ Apr 10th 2008 11:49AM
HA! You changed it.. very slick, Chris.. you had it originally spelled "Ocelet".
Christopher Grant @ Apr 10th 2008 11:51AM
Heh, really? Someone else must have caught it before me. OR YOU MADE IT ALL UP?! *rubs chin*
T H @ Apr 10th 2008 11:56AM
Riiiiiiiiiight..
I have more than 2 hearts for one reason :)
You trickster, you should be ashamed of yourself for hoodwinking your readers.. this is a very, very low moment for internet journalism.
*observes moment of silence*
harma41 @ Apr 10th 2008 11:37AM
Why can't they just leave the brand new boxed copy sealed?
deaftly @ Apr 10th 2008 2:15PM
They use 1 game as a display box and keep the disc in a paper sleve. Pretty shitty they still charge you full price though.
Dr. Stabbingworth @ Apr 10th 2008 6:54PM
It really shouldn't be that hard for gamestop to send out a box of mock-ups for the new games that week.
harma41 @ Apr 10th 2008 7:20PM
There is nothing better than somebody telling you that if you break the seal on the plastic wrap you cannot return it, but they break the seal for you all of the time. It is not in original condition to begin with.
Here is an excerpt from the gamestop website:
We do not accept returns of:
Any product(s) returned more than 30 days from the date on the packing slip.
Any product(s) that has been opened (taken out of its plastic wrap).
Any product(s) not in its original condition.