Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is already set to be a massive event, but when other companies want to muscle in on the action, what better way than to immortalise their products in the game itself?

Yes, this is advertising, Snake style. In fact, you’ve already had a glimpse at the possibilities of outside influences making their way into the world of Metal Gear with Kojima Production’s April Fools video. You’ll be pleased to know that you will be able to sport the costume in the game yourself after completing a certain special task… Even dressed as Altair, Snake’s character will shine through, mainly via his glowing cigarette.

As for real world objects, Apple’s Ipod makes an appearance. Using the Ipod, Snake can select tracks that were found scattered through the game, in addition to downloading new music from the web. Nice touch, aye?

The popular Japanese energy drink Regain will also be featured in MGS4, as evidenced by the title image. Selectable from the itinerary, the drink will increase Snake’s stamina. Moreover, if you’re lucky enough to live in Japan, you’ll get either an MGS4-themed mobile phone cleaner or dog tags when you purchase the real life beverage. Here’s an amusing skit with Snake taking full advantage of the energy drink:

Other collaborations come from the likes of Sony Ericsson’s W62S phone being used by Vamp and Naomi, as well as Triumph continuing their Metal Gear appearances with two of their Motorcycle models taking their place in the cutscenes. What’s more, the in-game Ga-Ko Alarm Clock will make the transition from video game to reality on June 31st at a price of 2,800 yen.

Yes, MGS4 is turning into quite the movie-like spectacle, even screening big-budget ads based in the Metal Gear Universe (such as Praying Mantis unmanned security systems) before showing off live gameplay footage in Tokyo. You can view these fake commercials over at the new official MGS website, where you’ll also find a host of new footage and interactive features. Whoops, who’s advertising now?!

So what’s missing from all of this? An advertisement of MGS4 itself that’s what! Without further a-do, here’s the US Theatrical trailer complete with corny American voice-over. From now on I suggest you go on an MGS4 black out until the sneak out on June 12th:

Sources: Gamespot, IGN

Fear not European’s, Sony is bringing the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Playstation 3 bundle to Europe on June 12th.

The bundle will include a copy of the game, the Playstation 3 itself, a Sixaxis controller and cost €439.99.

The main point of contention is that a Sixaxis is included rather than the new DualShock 3. Sony claims this is “one of the most exciting bundles to date”, though I personally think it’s rather lacklustre.

Hopefully alternative MGS4 bundles will be announced down the line, which will include the DualShock3.

Even though I’m dying to get a limited edition gunmetal PS3, no rumble, no sale.

Source:  Kotaku

In a mega-post today, Konami has revealed further details about the numerous Metal Gear Solid 4 software and hardware packages—including box art for both the standard and limited editions of MGS4 and the standard edition PS3 hardware bundle. Why call it a standard edition hardware bundle? Well, because there’s going to be a not-so-standard one too. Kojima, you torture us. The “gunmetal grey” PS3, seen as part of the MGS4 hardware bundle in Japan, is going to be making it to North America in what is called a “very, very limited edition” offering.

For sure the “gunmetal” PS3 will only be available in this package, and a similarly colored Dualshock 3 along with it, but whether or not the MGS4 Limited Edition will also be included is unknown. It seems a logical expectation.

How much more might this package cost? That is being kept under wraps, but with the LE costing $25 more than the standard edition of MGS4 I’d expect that, plus something for the special system—say, $550 total—if the LE is included. Any more than that seems unwarranted, but final judgment will have to wait.

Standard Edition Box Art

Limited Edition Box Art

No box art for this package was shown and the contents beyond the hardware were withheld as well, though everything else about the other packages has been laid bare.

The standard edition will have an extreme close-up of Solid Snake as its cover, while the limited edition will sport a much snazzier piece of Yoji Shinkawa artwork featuring Liquid Ocelot and Solid Snake, as well as the bonus content. Those who care will definitely be drawn to the LE on appearance alone. The LE will also only be available through GameStop.

If you’re feeling crazed and feverish over the limited edition hardware, we’ll have more details as soon as humanly possible.

Konami has a “special surprise” scheduled for Monday, April 14, 2008, but aren’t saying more than that.

Source: blog.us.playstation.com

The wave of MGS4 info comes to a crest today as the official PlayStation Blog posts some clarifying details, Kojima Productions launches teaser sites for MGS4 and MGO and the Kojima Productions Report 81 goes live. I’m here to pull everything together and tie up some loose ends.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Foremost, Ryan Payton solidified June 12, 2008 as the simultaneous, worldwide release date for MGS4 on the most recent session of the KP Report (#81). This marks a first for the series, even though regional release differences have usually been modest with the Metal Gear Solid series in the past (North America and Japan anyway).

Payton also gave some details about the Solid Eye item and the voice track for the game. An equip-able, battery-reliant item, the Solid Eye can provide info on enemies including name and faction allegiance, as well as boss health. Also available is at least one image enhancement, Night Vision. Apparently due to space constraints on the 50 GB Blu ray disc (!), North America will not be getting the Japanese voice track—and likewise the Japanese release will not see the English voice track either.

Updated today, the MGS4 Teaser site shows off the new “Dissolve” image featuring Snake.

On the PlayStation Blog, further details have emerged concerning the pre-order program for MGS4. All major retailers will be taking part and the program will begin in April. If you’ve already pre-ordered, it would be wise to check details with your retailer. Those who pre-order will receive the Metal Gear Saga 2.0 DVD which, aside from many extras, will include instructions and a download code for the MGO beta. This package will only be available while supplies last.

Metal Gear Online

The April 21 planned start date of the MGO beta now includes North America. The beta will run approximately two weeks and will be available in Europe as well. The new MGO Teaser site provides what details there are to be had about the game.

Beginning with the starter pack and continuing with future expansion releases that will provide new characters, gear, maps and features, MGO supports a maximum of 16 players and will include Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture rules along with new modes.

Communication looks like a focus, which is exciting considering how well MGO: Subsistence emphasized teamwork. Aside from the in-game SOP nanomachine-based, team info-synch system, voice and keyboard chat are included. The preset voice commands return as well. Interesting is also the mention of friend registration, mail and SNS for communication outside the game.

To begin you’ll need to configure your in-game soldier, and it sounds like the appearance of MGS characters in MGO is not outside the realm of possibility. Old Snake and the Mk.II look to be in for sure. I, for one, am curious to see if the concept of team leaders returns. Hmm… .

The five maps included with the Starter Pack are:

- Ambush Alley
- Groznyj Grad
- Midtown Maelstrom
- Urban Ultimatum
- Blood Bath

Groznyj Grad will be familiar to MGS3 players, though it wasn’t a multiplayer battlefield. Midtown Maelstrom is reminiscent of the old Brown Town, while Urban Ultimatum looks similar to City Under Siege. Blood Bath seems like the Killhouse variant, most similar perhaps to Killhouse B thanks to the elevated walkways. Ambush Alley is the level where most of the MGO media we’ve seen so far has been set. It invokes a mix of the new with the decrepit structures of Ghost Factory. Here’s hoping we see some of the jungle locales return too.

The starter pack will also include the game types and communication tools that MGO is built on.

No doubt this week has been MGS4’s big emergence, or at least the start. Surely there will be more information to follow, but even though the release is only a few months away it’s going to be a tough wait. For those of you looking for something to do until the beta, scour the “Dissolve” Snake image to see how many MGS elements you can pick out.

I will be lamenting my lack of HDTV and probably any chance of being in on the party when the MGO beta hits and Guns of the Patriots is finally on store shelves. My Metal Gear Saga Vol. 1 DVD is going to be lonely… .

MGS4 Sneak Out

3 Photos

 

Sources: blog.us.playstation.com, Kojima Productions Websites

Scans have surfaced via a Portuguese site that reveals the Japanese magazine Dengeki PlayStation running a story on Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots in Vol. 413. Among some other information, the magazine appears to confirm that MGS4’s specific release date for Japan is 6.12.2008. While official confirmation is still forthcoming on the release and could differ at least slightly for North America, it’s a pretty safe bet that MGS4 will be on store shelves around the world sometime in June. Want more? Let’s take a look at what else the article has to offer.

The article goes beyond what has already been reported concerning the Metal Gear Online beta in late April, the pre-order incentive, and the inclusion of the MGO Starter Pack in MGS4.

The magazine appears to briefly discuss some already revealed game elements, including the Octocam, sensor circle around Snake, weapon customization, the return of CQC, changes to shooting, camera and movement control, barrel rolling, the Metal Gear Mk.II, first-person view and enemy shake-down for items. Other elements discussed may or may not be new, including a section entitled “Briefing” that looks to involve the Mk.II, perhaps for information gathering or communication.

Most of the pictures featured concerning MGS4 are from the previously available demo video, or at least from the same area. Not so familiar are some shots of Metal Gear Online showing off the S.O.P. (Sons of the Patriots) system, teamplay, soldier attributes and some play levels that are reminiscent of Brown Town and City Under Siege from the online portion of MGS3: Subsistence.

Also lending some weight to other rumors floating around the Internet is a section titled “Information”, where three versions of MGS4 are pictured and detailed. One appears to be the stand-alone game; the second looks like an expanded version featuring the game and another disc with a box to hold both cases; the third looks like the PlayStation 3 bundle, but featuring the expanded version as opposed to just the stand-alone game and an unknown version of the PS3 hardware.

Let’s hope Sony and Kojima Productions clarify in the future which versions are coming to which regions, and what version is going to be included in the PS3 bundle to avoid confusion. No special edition of MGS4 has been announced for North America at this time.

In a final blurb on Metal Gear Online, the article lists some dates. April 21 appears to be the primary one, perhaps the late April start of the beta. Further listed are the ranges 2/29~5/5 and 4/21~5/6. There is no specific indication what these refer to, though the latter beginning on 4/21 could refer to the duration of the beta itself. It’s likely dates will be similar for North America, but may be undecided at this point.

No doubt more information will emerge on MGS4 and MGO in the near future as Kojima Productions emerges from the self-imposed blackout. Stay tuned!

UPDATE: Metal Gear Solid: The Unofficial Site has posted some translated details from this Dengeki PlayStation article.

The “Briefings” sound like the return of the Briefing Mode that appeared in Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. They do indeed involve the Mk.II and allow you to view the scene from different angles and interact with it.

The expanded edition of the game is also confirmed as a two-disc set that includes all the trailers for MGS4 and behind-the-scenes content. The PS3 to be bundled with the game looks to feature a special design or appearance, as yet unannounced.

MGO will include five maps to start with. It sounds like not all will be new, so those images that look a lot like City Under Siege and Brown Town may be just that. More content will be available through the MGO Store moving forward.

As surmised, the dates listed in the article refer to the MGO beta. It will take place 4/21-5/6. Beta applications accepted 2/29-5/5.

Dates are Japan only at this point.

Source: ene3.com

Sony’s subdued presence at GDC this year may have convinced many gamers that they’d have to wait a bit longer for information on some of the company’s upcoming plans and software. It turns out the wait was not long.

Today at Destination PlayStation—a PlayStation-retailer-3rd party event currently underway in Arizona—Sony announced some big news: A Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots PS3 bundle, Metal Gear Online beta test, God of War: Chains of Olympus red PSP pack and the North American release date for the DUALSHOCK 3 controller. A post on the official PlayStation Blog details the announcements.

So far advertised only to “coincide with the much-anticipated North American launch of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots in late Q2 2008,” Sony will be releasing a PlayStation 3 bundle comprised of an 80GB PlayStation 3, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and a DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller for $499.99.

While Kotaku is reporting that MGS4 will see release on June 12, 2008, there doesn’t appear to be any mention of a specific date just yet in the information from Sony, only that the game is coming late second quarter 2008.

Also of particular interest, the previously mentioned Metal Gear Online “Starter Pack” will be included with MGS4. Further, there will be a pre-order incentive for MGS4 that “guarantees access” to a multiplayer beta test set for late April.

Referred to only as “nationwide,” there were no specifics given as to the details of the pre-order incentive or the beta, or whether people purchasing the hardware bundle would be included (which seems unlikely, especially if the beta happens prior to the game’s/bundle’s release).

Aside from its inclusion in the MGS4 bundle, Sony also announced that the North American release for its new DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller will be in April 2008. Bringing the rumble back to the PlayStation platform alongside the SIXAXIS motion-sensing technology, Sony is already saying the DS3 is compatible with 100+ PS3 games. It will retail for $54.99.

Sony has previously proven that Nintendo isn’t the only company that likes to spice up their hardware with new colors—and the God of War PSP Entertainment Pack continues in that respect. Releasing for $199.99, this Pack will include a somewhat odd amalgamation of goods including a limited-edition “Deep Red” PSP with Kratos image on the back, God of War: Chain of Olympus, the movie Superbad on UMD and the capability to download Syphon Filter: Combat Ops from the PlayStation Store at no cost. Those interested will have to wait until June to get their hands on the Entertainment Pack however, while God of War: Chains of Olympus will arrive on March 4, 2008.

Sony seems to be starting the year off with a bang, and the Spring/Summer period is looking like it’ll be more eventful than usual across all platforms. If you’re at all interested in the PSP or PS3 especially, Sony seems to be supplying some incentives to get you off the fence and into the store.

Source: PlayStation Blog