Ask X3F: Solid rumors edition

The video game industry certainly sees its share of rumors and, in this week's edition of Ask X3F, we tackle one of the biggest. That is, of course, whether or not Metal Gear Solid 4 will ever hit our beloved white console. We also discuss Street Fighter II HD, Halo toys and Spore. Find a bounty of delicious text after the break.

Got a question for Ask X3F? Maybe you have a story or some information you'd like to share? Send it all to ask [at] xbox360fanboy [dawt] com.

Hey guys,
I have a few questions and I'm sure you know the answers.
Will Super Street Fighter 2 HD be an XBLA game or a retail game?
Will co-op in Bionic Commando Rearmed be local or online?
Thanks,
Ben
Gamertag: ObiBen8

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix will be an Xbox Live Arcade game. Street Fighter 4, on the other hand, is a retail title. You can actually score access to the SSFIITHDR online beta if you pick up a copy of Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 for XBLA. As for Bionic Commando Rearmed, the co-op is ofline only. Yes, it sucks. According to Capcom's Ben Judd, who we interviewed a while ago, the co-op was added late in the game's development. The dev team at GRIN thought co-op would be fun, and it was, so they added it. Unfortunately, the engine was already complete and adding net code was out of the picture.

On a side note, we were also asked about just when Rearmed will actually release (you may recall it was recently delayed). Alas, our crystal ball is no good at forseeing how long the certification process will be. Certification delays can take weeks or even months (see: Worms). We're hoping it's sooner rather than later.

Hey X3F,

I've been having a lot of trouble finding the Halo 3 McFarlane toys. I saw a ton of them when they launched, and they sold really fast, but no stores in my area got any more shipments. Also, none of the area Walmarts got any to begin with, and they were supposed to have exclusive figures. I live in the Cleveland area btw. Thanks!
Sgt Barone

We actually ran into the same problem. Our guess is that the figures are manufactured in limited quantities. Given that many of the series one figures are going for well above their retail price on Amazon, we'd say it's a pretty good guess. With series 2 coming fast -- July 6 according to Amazon -- we have some advice if you'd like to score your very own. One, if you're looking for one of the store exclusive figures, check the store early and often. You could also ask if / when your store expects them (we're not sure why your Wal-Marts didn't get them at all, though). Two, shop online. You should be able to get all of the figures other than the exclusive ones with no trouble. Hell, you can order them right now.

A) How in the world do I change my "little picture" next to my name and/or my password for/in the comments section?

B) Can i has recon? plz?!

C) If Pie (3.14) is infinite, why can't i eat it?

D) Any word on Spore coming to the land of Xbox 360?
thanks for fillin' me in!
-TyR1N

A) Click the "little picture" next to your name in a comment thread. This will take you to your profile page. From here, login using the password in your comment confirmation emails. Once logged in, you can change your password and upload a new avatar.

B) No. Even if we had the power to give it to you, no.

C) 42

D) There hasn't been talk of a 360 port of Spore for quite some time. We know that way back in 2006 Spore maestro Will Wright said that he saw the game as a franchise and hoped it would arrive "across all platforms" eventually. Wii and DS versions have specifically been more or less confirmed by Wright, though nothing has been said of other potential versions of the game. While there's nothing more official to go on just yet, we'd say there's a high probability that some form of Spore will hit the 360 eventually. Spore is an EA game after all, and if it has the same impact as Wright's last game -- called The Sims, perhaps you've heard of it -- you can bet EA will leverage it on every piece of electronics with buttons and a screen.

Whats Up X3F

Great website always check it after work,
I want to ask you a question that is rumored alot about will Metal Gear Solid 4 ever go on the Xbox 360 i heard a rumor it would after like 12 months but i also heard Konami saying that it was hard to fit in a blue ray disc. Can't They just make it on 2 discs instead of one i hope you answer my question.

James
Gamer Tag: XxOCxSPYDAxX

Punctuation, James, punctuation! Yes, Metal Gear Solid 4 on the 360 is a rumor that just won't quit.

Long answer

There are a few reasons why it won't.

• The game is currently the reason to own a PS3, a fact of which Sony (and Konami) is very aware. Sony won't be too keen on losing its golden child, and we imagine Konami wants to stay in Sony's good graces too.
  
• The game was designed for the PS3 from the ground up and takes up a ton of space, more than will fit on a standard DVD. Any kind of port would call for some compromises.
  
• Konami has denied every rumor that the game is headed to 360 and has constantly reaffirmed that the title is PS3 only.

There is really only one reason that the Xbox 360 might one day play host to Snake's latest adventure: money. There is no doubt that MGS4 ate up lots of Konami's money during development. While it's certainly selling well on the PS3, it's hard to believe it wouldn't sell even better on the Xbox 360 (as multiplatform games tend to do). Assuming Konami likes making money, they have every reason to find some way to shoehorn Metal Gear onto the Xbox 360. We wouldn't expect it anytime soon (even within the next year), but stretch the timeline a little futher and the possibility gets more and more likely. At any rate, don't expect it to drop while it's still relevant to the PS3's success.

Short answer

Maybe someday. Definitely not soon.


That's it for this week, folks. Keep sending your questions to: ask [at] xbox360fanboy [dawt] com.