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MGS: Ground Zeroes platform-exclusive content free for all May 1
"Snake? Snake?! SNAAAAAAAAAAKE!" "What, Kaz?!" "Danger zone! Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is sneaking previous format-exclusive Jamais-Vu and MGS1 Déjà-Vu missions onto all platforms. The free update will occur on PS3, PS4, Xbox One and Xbox 360. It will all activate on May 1."
MGS: Ground Zeroes platform-exclusive content free for all in May
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes' console-exclusive content will soon launch as free DLC across all available platforms, Metal Gear Solid series producer Hideo Kojima revealed this week on the Kojima Productions podcast. Ground Zeroes premiered last month with the Classic Snake skin and the "Deja Vu" mission on PlayStation platforms, while the Xbox 360 and Xbox One versions featured the "Jamais Vu" mission starring Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance's cybernetic Raiden. The date "5/1" accompanies the announcement, though it's currently unknown whether this is a worldwide DLC release date or a launch date for the DLC in Japan. [Image: Konami]
Joystiq Weekly: GDC 2014, Infamous, Metal Gear Solid and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. We saw many great games and met with many great people during this year's Game Developers Conference in sunny San Francisco. Or did we? One of the biggest announcements of the show was undoubtedly Project Morpheus, the upcoming virtual reality headset from Sony, and during our hands-on demo, we felt pretty darn virtual. So now the question is: What if we didn't really attend GDC 2014? What if it was all virtual reality? Whoa, dude. Sony also gained news traction this week thanks to the release of PS4-exclusive, Infamous: Second Son. Meanwhile, Snake/Jack Bauer has come out of retirement (again) to save the world in Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes, and a new cyborg ninja came to town with the release of Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z. You can read all about these games and more of the week's biggest and best after the break. [Image: Joystiq]
Sony discounts Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes on UK PSN
Brits who have yet to pick up Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes may suddenly find the admittedly short game more attractive thanks to an unexpected PlayStation Network price cut. Originally, the digital incarnation of Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes featured a £29.99 price tag, identical to the price attached to the physical, retail version of the game. Currently however, the game is marked at £24.99, making the digital game the more attractive offer for those who don't mind a lack of packaging materials. Unfortunately for Xbox One owners, this discount is Sony's doing, so the digital version of Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes found on the Xbox One remains at £29.99. Now, the question becomes whether Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is worth that discounted price point. In our review Ludwig praised almost every aspect of the game, but decried its brevity. "Too good to be a cash-in, too calculated to be satisfying and too intriguing to spurn, Ground Zeroes is a fiscal test of patience," he wrote. [Image: Konami]
Joystiq Streams: Blindly marching into Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes [It's over!]
Snake! Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is a sneaking mission, so while wandering around some crazy 1975 military base, try not to get caught. Maybe don't start casual conversations with guards or ask to bum a smoke either. Joystiq knows not to make these Metal Gear blunders, having dug into Ground Zeroes' guts for its 3.5-star review, but some of the crew has yet to enjoy Kojima Productions' PlayStation 4 and Xbox One debut. Hence why today's stream will involve blithely marching into Metal Gear, pretending Kiefer Sutherland just wants to make some new friends rather than save Paz. Head on over to the Joystiq Twitch channel at 4PM EST on Thursday to revel in our stealth skill as we play the PlayStation 4 version of Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes. Anthony John Agnello will be holding the controller, displaying how good he is at hiding behind stuff just as he did in Thief and Outlast. (Note: He's not very good at hiding behind stuff.) Susan Arendt, Joystiq's Managing Editor, will be hanging out in the chat, relaying your questions as we play. Come hang out! Joystiq Streams broadcasts live every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST. [Images: Konami]
Metareview: Metal Gear Solid 5 - Ground Zeroes
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is the amuse bouche of the bigger (and hopefully better) The Phantom Pain, which should sneak into stores sometime between October and the birth of standardized nanotechnology. Our review of this carved out experience called it "too good to be a cash-in, too calculated to be satisfying and too intriguing to spurn." If you want to see what all the la-li-lu-le-lo is about, check out our Joystiq Streams this Thursday at 4PM ET and watch our own Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) play it for the first time. Head past the break to see what others think of the Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain prologue.
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes review: Naked snack
It's a pleasure being lost in the universe of Metal Gear. With every game, and with every return of director Hideo Kojima, the fascinating stealth series redraws the boundaries of its dense military fiction, pushing them back to include more and more characters and conspiracies. We feel like time-travelers in Metal Gear's byzantine blend of fact and fiction, leaping back and forth between the future and past of a legendary soldier named Snake. Now we enter 1975 in Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes, and bless its prequel heart – there's a spot in the statistics screen reserved for time paradoxes. Kojima's fiction may be impenetrable to the newcomer, but one man's convoluted is another man's complex, and it's your job to infiltrate the latter. Ground Zeroes effectively acts as the cold open for the upcoming and separately released Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, sending Snake through a massive rain-drenched encampment in Cuba. It's not quite the glorified demo your cynical self might suggest, but this tantalizing prelude does show how Metal Gear Solid will change its crouching silhouette yet again. The mission to rescue Chico and the duplicitous Paz, two important figures from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, is just the first step in a new, freely explorable environment. It feels daunting at first, but clear goals keep you pointed in the right direction. Ground Zeroes is a confident game for the confident player – the one who sees the playground hiding beneath Metal Gear's tankers and army bases. This one's just a whole lot bigger.
MGS5: Ground Zeroes delayed a week in Australia, New Zealand
Idle animation Snake. Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is keeping players waiting a bit longer in Australia and New Zealand, where the open-world stealth game won't hit retail shelves for another week. Konami confirmed the new release date of March 27 to NZGamer, and the publisher didn't offer a reason for the delay. It's the second Konami game to receive a downunder delay in a month, after Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 was pushed back by a week in Australia and New Zealand. As NZGamer notes, the downloadable versions of Lords of Shadow 2 weren't affected by what was then a "shipping delay," and while it's not confirmed there's the possibility the same may apply to Ground Zeroes. In other Ground Zeroes news, series creator Hideo Kojima explained this morning the game doesn't feature a Platinum trophy on PS4 because of Sony regulations. Speaking on Twitter, Kojima said, "They won't allow us to have them for [a] non-full price game." [Image: Konami]
Metal Gear creator Kojima talks Snatcher, potential mobile adventures
Though it's not likely that we'll see a Hideo Kojima game on mobile devices in the near future, it is a possibility that the Metal Gear Solid creator has put some thought into. In a interview broadcast via Twitch, Kojima sat down with Geoff Keighley to field questions from the public. When asked if he'd ever develop a game for the mobile platform, Kojima stated that he has no desire to create the short, replayable diversions that constitute most mobile games. Instead, he cites indie hit Papers, Please as a personal favorite and claims that he would eventually like to develop "a practical, easy to play adventure game that is quite deep." "[I have] no idea when I'll be able to do this, but I'll ask," Kojima added via translator. "[H]opefully someday in the future I will be able to develop one of those, but unfortunately, right now, my full time is devoted to The Phantom Pain." A later question centered on the future of Snatcher, Kojima's cult classic adventure game that, while highly regarded, has been overshadowed by Metal Gear Solid. While Kojima would like to see Snatcher return, he has no time to develop a sequel himself, but wouldn't be opposed to someone else reviving the sci fi epic. "If someone wants to adapt those games ... I would definitely support that person, I would help out that person, but I don't think there are too many people like that."
Kojima toyed with design similar to GTA 3 back when it was released
Speaking to Joystiq, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima said that around the time Grand Theft Auto 3 was released, he and his team tried to create "something similar" to its open-world design. Kojima didn't note to what extent that something similar was worked on, nor which project it was for, but he did say it wasn't up to the standard of Rockstar's crime sim. The Japanese veteran designer presented GTA creators the Houser brothers with lifetime achievement awards at last night's BAFTA ceremony in London. Kojima has previously spoken about being influenced by the vastness of GTA 3, telling EGM back in 2012 the game "definitely opened his eyes." After the awards show, we asked him if the GTA games had inspired the open-world design of Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes. "When GTA 3 came out, we were on Metal Gear Solid 2," Kojima said, speaking through a translator. "At that point we tried to create something similar and we were completely unable to come up with this design to [a level of] similar success. Actually, around then I had with dinner with Dan Houser who I just saw [tonight] for the first time after ten years. To be honest, looking at their [Rockstar's] success at doing what we tried to do and failed, we went back and made the game engine [and] we first tried to ensure the freedom the player would have. So more than being inspired by them, to be honest they just went ahead of us, they were more successful than what we were trying to create back then. "Now, game-wise what we are trying to create [in Ground Zeroes] is something probably different than they are trying to create. We're trying to ensure the freedom so the player can do some more realistic stealth infiltration by having all this freedom. So I believe we're creating different games." Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is the first game in the stealth series to feature an open world, and Big Bosses worldwide get to explore it in a few days' time. The game hits North America on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PS3 on March 18, and then Europe on March 20. [Image: BAFTA]
Metal Gear Ground Zeroes: price cuts, iDroid, Phantom Pain DLC
"Kept you waiting, huh?" whispered Konami, before dropping a collection of news bombs this morning. For starters, the company announced a price cut to the physical PS4 and Xbox One versions of Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes. Rather than costing $40, the two consoles' retail versions are now priced at $30. The company says it wants to "provide as many people as possible an opportunity" to play the game - awwwwwwww. Other versions of Ground Zeroes remain at the same price; you can check out the game's still highly-convoluted pricing structure here. Incidentally, the price cut is matched in the UK, where PS4 and Xbox One retail versions will set Brits back £30. In addition, Konami confirmed the previously speculated inclusion of Phantom Pain DLC with early purchases of Ground Zeroes. The codes, which include additional staff to utilize in Big Boss' Mother Base headquarters, which apparently plays a "central role" in The Phantom Pain, are available in the first batch of retail copies and for an undisclosed "limited" amount of time with download versions. In case you've been living under a rock or with bandages wrapped around your ears, MGS5: Ground Zeroes is being billed as the prologue chapter to MGS5: The Phantom Pain. If you'd rather wait before you Snake, the good news is all copies of Ground Zeroes have some integration with the Mother Base in The Phantom Pain. The POWs and VIPs you rescue in the prologue will carry over to the follow-up, as will character skins you unlock. Finally, it wouldn't be Metal Gear without some peripheral capers, and if you so choose you can download a free second-screen "iDroid" app on iOS and Android to use with the game. The app, which is integrated into SmartGlass for Xbox, lets you view maps, play cassettes you discover, and summon air support in the game ... Oh, the game! Yes, the small matter of Ground Zeroes itself arrives on March 18 for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PS3. [Image: Konami]
MGS5: Ground Zeroes transcends generations in platform comparison video
You've seen the frame-rates and resolutions for Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes, now see the frame-rates and resolutions in Konami's new comparison video. Rather than dwell on the differences in p between Xbox One and PS4, it focuses on cross-gen enhancements between PS3 and PS4, and Xbox 360 and Xbox One. One thing it doesn't touch on is the price difference. When the prologue to MGS5: The Phantom Pain hits on March 18, a download version will set you back $20 on Xbox 360 and PS3, and $30 on PS4 and Xbox One, with physical copies priced at $30 and $40 respectively.
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is 1080p on PS4, 720p on Xbox One
Konami's Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes will run at 1080p on PS4 and 720p on Xbox One, according to a current-gen vs. next-gen comparison page put up by the publisher. The comparison page has side-by-side screenshots, so you can judge the difference in resolution for yourself. Both next-gen versions will run at 60 frames per second, while the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions will run at 30 frames per second. The PlayStation 4 is also getting a little extra love from Big Boss and friends thanks to a special edition console themed to fit the game. The first special edition PS4 will be the FOX Edition - a black PS4 with the FOX Engine logo branded in a pale gold on its glossy top. An image of the console is just after the break. The system is up now on the Japanese version of the Sony Store, for a price of 46,980 yen (approx. $460). No word on whether the system will be available in other regions. Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes comes to North American shores March 18. [Image: Konami]
Report: MGS5: The Phantom Pain could launch as late as 2015
Translating a conference call from Japan this week, analyst David Gibson reports that Konami's Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain could launch as late as December 2015 or as early as October 2014, depending on how development progresses over the coming months. Konami is currently focused on launching The Phantom Pain's prologue episode, Ground Zeroes, in March. Konami released its consolidated financial results for the first nine months of its 2013 fiscal year, revealing a 2.6 percent drop in net revenue compared with its earnings during the same period in 2012. Year-on-year losses in Konami's Digital Entertainment and Health and Fitness divisions are buoyed by gains in its casino and pachinko businesses. The company additionally notes a shift in consumer preference, resulting in lowered social game earnings and an increase in demand for native game apps, which take comparatively longer to develop. The majority of Konami's remaining console software lineup this quarter is slated to debut exclusively in Japan, with only Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 and Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes scheduled for worldwide releases. [Image: Konami]
Hideo Kojima defends MGS: Ground Zeroes' reported two-hour length
Metal Gear Solid series director Hideo Kojima has issued a statement addressing concerns over the length of the coming Metal Gear Solid 5 prologue chapter, Ground Zeroes, assuring that the final product will encourage replay due to its "freedom of approach and play style." A report from the latest issue of Game Informer pegged Ground Zeroes' campaign at around two hours in length. Kojima explains that the game's breadth of content, which includes a collection of side missions and an online-ranked trial mode, will keep players occupied long enough to justify its $40 retail price point. "This is not a linear game like the past," the statement reads. "[Ground Zeroes] offers freedom of approach and play style, which we hope players will enjoy over and over without [becoming bored]. I believe people will be satisfied with the 'Play Time' of Ground Zeroes and not stress the 'Clear Time,' which is a standard for linear games." Kojima Productions' Jordan Amaro backed up Kojima's statement, comparing Ground Zeroes to brief but satisfying indie experiences such as Journey and Dear Esther. "I want people to celebrate the new MGS like we used to," Amaro told GameSpot. "I'm not dismissing their concerns. But this [issue] has been trumped-up." Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes will launch on March 18 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PS4 and Xbox One. [Image: Konami]
Report: Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes campaign completed in two hours
If you're expecting Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes to eat up time ahead of The Phantom Pain, you may be out of luck. In this month's issue, a Game Informer preview noted the standalone prologue's main campaign was completed in "just less than two hours." "How quickly it takes to complete the main mission and explore the camp is up to the player," the preview said, "but the extra missions give the game a little more replayability." You can find the full preview in this month's Game Informer, which goes into the side stuff available in the game's open world. That said, Ground Zeroes commands at best a $20 price tag for the downloadable Xbox 360 and PS3 version. If you want to get a physical copy on PS4 or Xbox One, you'll have to stump up $40 - we've got the full pricing details here. Longevity lovers may look to The Phantom Pain, which series creator Hideo Kojima said has a map "hundreds of times larger" than the one in Ground Zeroes. We'd rather play Ground Zeroes ourselves before commenting - who knows how good those two hours are? Every Snake and his dog will be able to do just that when the game launches on March 18. [Image: Konami]
PSA: Metal Gear Solid 5 still on for Xbox 360, PS3
Put your exclamation marks down! Despite previous-gen platform listings being absent from a recent Game Informer cover story, Konami has confirmed that Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is still coming to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Hideo Kojima's next big title is also slated to hit Xbox One and PS4. "MGSV TPP [The Phantom Pain] will be available on both current and next gen!" a Konami representative told Joystiq. We hope that clears it up for the many readers that sent us questions and tips in the wake of Game Informer's story. The next installment of the Metal Gear story will ship in two pieces: a teaser adventure dubbed Ground Zeroes, due this March, followed by a complete sequel titled The Phantom Pain at an undetermined date. [Image: Kojima Productions]
Metal Gear Solid 5 map 'hundreds of times larger' than Ground Zeroes'
According to a Siliconera translation of a tweet by Hideo Kojima, the map for Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is "hundreds of times larger" than the map being used for its prologue, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. The Ground Zeroes map also lacks real-time changes to the day and night cycle, though Kojima reportedly stated that each mission will offer different experiences. The Siliconera translation also reads that "GZ is both a prologue to the MGS5 story and, at the same time, a tutorial for a new MGS, which transitions to sneaking simulator." Are these statements hyperbole? Flat-out falsitudes? Or are they honest truth? With Kojima, you can never be sure.
Konami outlines Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes pricing scheme
Konami has revealed exactly how much you'll pay for Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes, regardless of platform and whether you prefer digital or a physical copy. Earlier today a tweet revealed that the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game will set you back $20 for a digital copy or $30 for a physical one. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 iterations of Ground Zeroes are a bit more costly, at $30 for the digital version and $40 for the physical. Those wondering which version to purchase should know that both Sony and Microsoft consoles have their own exclusive missions not found in the other company's version of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes.
MGS5: Ground Zeroes out March 18, Xbox versions include exclusive mission
Konami announced today that its Metal Gear Solid 5 introductory chapter Ground Zeroes will launch for the PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on March 18, 2014. The publisher serves up a 15-minute preview video of the Xbox One version above, showing off the first section of gameplay and detailing the differences between its included Normal and Hard difficulty modes. Konami additionally revealed that the Xbox 360 and Xbox One versions of Ground Zeroes will include the exclusive "Jamais Vu" mission, in which Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance star Raiden must take out a cabal of identity-stealing "body snatchers" who have occupied a U.S. Naval facility in Cuba. A trailer is after the break below. Konami previously announced that the PlayStation versions of the game will feature the exclusive "Deja Vu" mission, along with a classic Solid Snake skin.
