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

The Dallas Business Journal ran a story on February 7th about Garland Texas based 3D Realms, confirming a late 2008 release date for the much anticipated pop culture phenomenon that is Duke Nukem Forever.

The piece stemmed from an interview with 3D Realms head, Scott Miller, conducted by the Dallas Business Journal’s Web Editor Stephen Webster, who later wrote the article which broke the release date in question.

This later prompted the following response from Miller:

“Quite simply, they are lying bastards and they know it.”

Al-righ-ty then, and what would you call a company that teases a games release for nearly ten years? I’m not saying, I’m just saying. While, “lying bastards” may be a bit harsh, it ultimately seemed that the reporter, an admitted fan of the series, got his facts mixed up.

The paper, which adamantly stood behind their report initially, but has since removed the confirmed release date, and a recently released audio file of the conducted interview confirmed that there was in fact a mis quoting of words by Webster. When asked about the Duke Nukem Forever game, Miller stated the following:

“It might make this year. We can’t make any sort of official announcement. We’re pushing for this year. Frankly, I think we’re going to miss it by just a by a few months… “

In closing, there is no official release date for the game as of yet, and another ten year wait may not be out of the question. Sit tight.

Source: bizjournals.com

You may recall Jeronimo Barrera, Vice President of Product Development at Rockstar, saying:

“It’s really no surprise to anybody that the PS3 was definitely a contributing factor to [the delay].”

Although, with the extra development time granted between the October 2007 release date and the recently announced April 29th, 2008 ship date, it appears that they have really pulled it together, and now go as far as to say that both versions are identical (sans the 360 exclusive DLC).

“Now, we’re neck and neck. That’s not an issue anymore. But back then that was something we were taking into account.” said by Barrera.

He further clarified that PS3 owners out there, all 9.43 million, can rest easy knowing that you’re not going to be receiving a crippled version of their favorite game from last-gen.

Source: GameIndustry.biz

Odd, and entirely true; Square Enix put a trailer for the new installment of their much-loved series online – and then tried to prevent fans from getting to it.

It seems you’re only worthy enough to see the video if you are both a registered SE member and have a serial number from the Star Ocean 1 remake on PSP– which was only released today, in Japan. Plus, there’s no scheduled European or North American release date.

All that effort, just for a trailer? If there’s method to this madness, then we don’t see it. Good thing some bright spark went and youtube’d it. There’s nothing on show in terms of plot or game mechanics, but it’s gorgeous enough to set your tongues wagging at any rate.

Whoever said Squenix was a cocktease when it comes to trailers?

The Official Playstation Magazine placed Play TV at a guesstimate price of £70 and a loose release date of between January and April 2008. Play.com have solidified the price to 154.99 Euro’s and provided its shoppers with a release date of 28th March next year.

Whether this is a typical retailers approximation designed to generate pre-orders, or an unofficial confirmation from Sony to Play.com is anyone’s guess. But it sounds about right.