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'Metal Gear Online' evolves its stealthy multiplayer in 'The Phantom Pain'
At the same two-day preview event where we got to spend hours at the helm of Hideo Kojima's next (and possibly last) Metal Gear Solid game, publisher Konami confirmed a handful of details about its online component. Metal Gear Online in The Phantom Pain will feature online player-vs.-player competitive modes for teams of up to 16 players on PC, Xbox One and PS4 and a max of 12 players on the previous-generation consoles.
'Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain' is a tale of revenge
In Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, a human bomb sank the dreams and private military corporation of Big Boss, the central figure in Konami's stealth franchise. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain continues where we saw the Boss last: hospitalized and disfigured by the bomb blast. The soldier has lost an arm in the chaos and his body has been invaded by over 100 foreign bodies -- a mixture of human teeth and shrapnel -- but the incident seems to have damaged something far more critical: his psyche.
JXE Streams: 'Metal Gear?!' We're playing the 1987 original
Can love bloom on the battlefield? Metal Gear elicits more questions like these -- from both players and its characters -- than it ever answers. In the wake of Konami's recent public relations meltdown and Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain's impending release at the end of summer, Hideo Kojima's bizarre war drama is looming large our world. Next week, Engadget will bring you some early impressions of The Phantom Pain. Today at 3:30PM ET/12:30PM PT, though, we're going to the very beginning to stream the original Metal Gear.
A video for Konami fans who need a laugh, courtesy of Mega64
Konami has made some major, mysterious changes this year. It canceled Silent Hills, a horror game from Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima and filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro, even after the exceptionally warm reception to its PlayStation 4 teaser, PT. Kojima himself is, in all likelihood, going to leave Konami after production wraps on Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Plus, Konami delisted itself from the New York Stock Exchange and wants to aggressively pursue mobile game development. Put all of that together and you get a PT spoof from nerdy-comedy video crew Mega64. Watch the video below.
Kojima and del Toro's 'Silent Hills' is not going to happen
Silent Hills, at least as it was originally conceived, is no more. The next chapter of the once-popular horror series had built considerable hype off the back of a fantastic playable teaser, P.T., which was released last summer. When solved the teaser offered up a trailer for a new Silent Hill game, revealing that Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima, filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus were all on board. According to both del Toro and Reedus, that is no longer the case. At the San Francisco International Film Festival, del Toro was quoted as saying that his collaboration with Kojima is "not gonna happen." Norman Reedus later tweeted an article reporting the game is canceled, adding he's "super bummed" about the news, and Konami has confirmed to Eurogamer that its contract period with the actor has "expired."
'Metal Gear Solid' creator Kojima rumored to be leaving Konami
The creator behind the Metal Gear Solid game series, Hideo Kojima, may not be sticking around Konami for much longer... depending on who you ask. GameSpot sources claim that there has been a "fallout" between Kojima's studio and Konami that will have both the famed developer and his senior staff leaving after their contracts end in December, or a few months after Metal Gear Solid V ships. Supposedly, there have been "power struggles" that led to Konami reducing Kojima Productions staff to contractors, limiting their corporate contact options and giving them fewer chances to promote MGSV.
'Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain' sneaks out in September
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, the latest in Hideo Kojima's nearly 30-year-old series of melodramatic espionage games, finally has a release date. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of will arrive on September 1st for $60, and on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for $50. PC players have to wait just a bit longer to experience the next generation of hiding from armed soldiers in cardboard boxes. Metal Gear Solid V will be available on Windows via Steam for $60 on September 15th.
Cookie Monster wants to take over your browser
The entire Engadget staff is pretty excited about Cookie Monster's first PBS Kids movie "The Cookie Thief," (which premieres this Monday, February 16th). In celebration, our entire site is now a veritable sea of Cookie Monster GIFs! Well, sorta.
Games of a Lifetime: Sam's Picks
After more than ten years devoted to video games and the people who make them, Joystiq is closing its doors. We won't be reporting on the best games of 2015, so join us for one last hurrah as the Joystiq family reveals their Games of a Lifetime. Some days, it seems like cynicism and derision earn more applause than kindness and optimism, and the things we love most can feel like they're the most neglected. So it can go with games, as we see hatred and vitriol spread online, watch quality of games dip and companies utilize decidedly unfriendly business practices on consumers. But there's a reason I got into this hobby, and there's a reason I got into this job: I love games. I want to see games continue to evolve, change and grow. I want my enthusiasm for them to never die, for my joy and sense of camaraderie in my fellow gamers to always persist. And so, at a time when it would be very easy to be jaded, we've decided to instead continue talking about why we love games. These are my picks for games of a lifetime.
New Nintendo eShop releases: Mega Man Zero, Meme Run
Mega Man X's often-dead pal Zero joins Nintendo's Virtual Console service today with the launch of Mega Man Zero, a 2002 Game Boy Advance spinoff known for its exemplary platforming and punishing difficulty. Power up Zero with new upgrades and abilities as you keep the peace between humans and Reploids in the century following the events of the Mega Man X series. If you're in the mood for more Mega Man, Capcom is currently hosting a themed eShop sale, dropping the prices of many of the Blue Bomber's games for the NES, SNES, and Game Boy. SNES brawler Natsume Championship Wrestling also joins the Virtual Console catalog this week, accompanying Wii U eShop releases like EnjoyUp's minimalist arcade-style puzzler 99Moves, multiplayer eat-'em-up Plenty of Fishies, and Internet meme-infused infinite runner (yes, really) Meme Run. 3DS owners can expect to see a digital version of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D this week, along with Asterix The Mansions of the Gods, Minecraft-like Cube Creator 3D, and Skipmore's action-RPG puzzler Fairune. If you have any French children hanging around, you'll also want to check out Mes Comptines, which might be the 3DS's first-ever French nursery rhyme compilation. Hit the break below, s'il vous plait, to see this week's full release lineup.
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes zips onto Steam today
"Steam, are you okay? Steam? Steaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam!" Calm down, Colonel. Steam is still safe and secure ahead of Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes' arrival later today. The Windows PC port of the prologue to MGS 5: Phantom Pain is cleared for landing at 10AM PT/1PM ET, and with a price tag of $20.
Veteran producer Tak Fujii departs Konami
Veteran producer Tak Fujii announced his departure from Konami today following a "great 20 years of creation." Fujii revealed the career move via Twitter, giving thanks to "all who supported, loved my titles." Fujii's time with Konami began in 1997, serving as audio director for 11 years with the publisher. Fujii worked on a number of games with Konami, including the Pro Evolution Soccer series, Q-Entertainment's Ninety-Nine Nights 2, the PS3 port of No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise and Volition's Darksiders, which Konami published in Japan. As for Fujii's future, the producer added that he "will be freelance for a while." Of course, Fujii may be best known for providing an interesting presentation at E3 2010, about which he also tweeted, "don't think that was the best of me." [Image: Konami]
Say cheese and die - Watch Metal Gear Online's premiere
Selfies, cardboard boxes, cuddly toys, balloons, robots, Kiefer Sutherland and tons of violence. No, it's not the 24 Christmas party but in fact the video premiere for the new Metal Gear Online, as showcased during last week's Game Awards. If you missed it over the weekend, you can check it out now below the break. And yes, that is who you think it is in the photo above. Konami also released a bundle of new screens this morning which you view in the gallery, along with some info about MGO. As per last generation's edition and Metal Gear Solid 4, MGO is Konami's name for the online multiplayer mode in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. While it gets its own fancy title like Grand Theft Auto Online, like Rockstar's offering it's included with The Phantom Pain at no additional cost. Konami also revealed players can expect a class system in the new multiplayer mode, along with appearances from familiar faces like, yup, Ocelot. Also, it's confirmed MGO is going live and online with the launch of The Phantom Pain, which remains due for sometime in 2015.
Old man Snake goes digital in Metal Gear Solid 4 re-release
If you missed the collection of dramatic cutscenes known as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, you have another chance to grab the stealth action hit in a newly-revealed digital release. Come December 16, Konami will launch a PlayStation 3 download of Metal Gear Solid 4 on the PlayStation Network at a price of $20. While Metal Gear Solid 4 has been repackaged before, Konami claims this digital release will mark "the first time the acclaimed tactical espionage game has been made available as a digital download." That should help alleviate the lengthy installation players face on first starting Metal Gear Solid 4, but those lacking bandwidth be warned: According to Konami, the digital game is a 30GB download. [Image: Konami]
Kojima to show new Metal Gear Online at The Game Awards
Just because legendary super spy Solid Snake tends to fly solo doesn't mean you have to: Metal Gear Online is coming back, reintroducing the deadly game of cats-and-also-cats to the Metal Gear series. To go along with this revelation, there's some good news and bad news. The bad news is we don't know anything else about this new version of MGO yet. The good news is we won't have to wait long to find out more, as series creator Hideo Kojima will premiere Metal Gear Online at The Game Awards, which will air December 5. We assume there will be plenty of ! in the audience. [Image: Konami]
Bomberman hoards powerups on iOS, Android in Japan
It's been a while since Bomberman's last console appearance, but at least our favorite grid-trodding explosives enthusiast is blowing his friends to bits once more in Japan. The simply-titled Bomerman has appeared in Japan's Google Play and App Store courtesy of Konami, the publisher that acquired now-defunct Bomberman series developer Hudson in 2012. According to Siliconera's translation, Bomberman doesn't bother with a story mode, instead offering classically-styled competitive modes. Single Battle pits your wits against CPU-controlled opponents, while Battle With Everyone lets up to four friends rediscover how much they despise each other via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections. Bomber Coliseum plays like a time attack mode, where players face off against CPUs and unlock "boss characters" by defeating them. Konami's Bomerman is free, but both store listings mention the presence of in-app purchases. Konami has yet to share any plans to release Bomberman in regions beyond Japan. [Image: Konami]
Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Generation leads Konami's card game to mobile
Not to be outdone by Magic: The Gathering, Hearthstone or its lifelong animated rival Pokemon, Konami's Yu-Gi-Oh collectible card game will soon spawn a virtual adaptation on both iOS and Android devices. Dubbed Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Generation, the game is described by Konami as "a free and perfect replica" of the analog Yu-Gi-Oh card game. While not exactly "free" - TouchArcade notes the existence of premium cards available through in-app purchases - the game will boast 6,000 cards at launch, with more on the way as regular downloadable content. Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Generation also features both on- and offline gameplay with a full singleplayer campaign and AI controlled opponents available for custom battles at any time. Konami has yet to nail down a specific launch date for Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Generation, but claims the game's iOS incarnation should arrive later this month. It's Android counterpart will follow "shortly after that." [Image: Konami]
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes gets permanent price cut
Konami announced a permanent price drop for Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes this week, cutting the game's cost down to $19.99 on all platforms. Ground Zeroes is now priced at £19.99 and €19.99 in Europe as well. The game will reach Steam on December 18. Acting as a prologue to Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and also set after the events of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Ground Zeroes took players through a rescue mission as series hero Snake. Ground Zeroes launched in March for $30, and according to our review was "also 30 bucks for one hell of a cliffhanger" as the game wound up "teasing more than it satisfies." The next proper entry in the series, Metal Gear Solid 5, will launch in 2015. [Image: Konami]
MGS 5: Ground Zeroes infiltrates Steam in mid-December
To prepare PC players for the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, Konami has revealed plans to launch its interactive preface, Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes, on Steam on December 18. According to the publisher, the game will feature enhanced graphics, including support for 4K resolution and an enhanced number of on-screen models and light sources. While it's easy to argue that Ground Zeroes is diminutive - content-wise it sits somewhere between a demo and a proper game - Metal Gear Solid fans should enjoy the series' most intuitive, functional controls and most detail-packed environments. Our review awarded the game's console incarnation 3.5 of 5 stars while describing the game as "too good to be a cash-in, too calculated to be satisfying and too intriguing to spurn." [Image: Konami]
New Nintendo eShop releases: Super Smash Bros, Dracula X
It's time, once again, for Nintendo's pantheon to beat the ever-loving snot out of itself. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS headlines this week's Nintendo eShop update, arriving tomorrow with a cast of familiar favorites and eager newcomers. Smashers can currently download the game's free version 1.02 update from the Nintendo eShop in advance of tomorrow's release. Also hitting the eShop this week is a Wii U Virtual Console port of Konami's Super NES platformer Castlevania: Dracula X. Note that this isn't the version of Dracula X that many hold in high regard; the SNES version is a compromised reworking of the PC Engine classic Dracula X: Rondo of Blood. Konami has more Castlevania in store for the month of October, announcing that the Game Boy Advance series entries Castlevania: Circle of the Moon and Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance will hit the Wii U on October 9 and October 16, respectively. Other games premiering this week include the anime-based 3DS fighting game Tenkai Knights: Brave Battle, edutainment release Red Riding Hood, and EnjoyUp's Wii U dodge-'em-up 99Seconds. A full list of this week's eShop releases is after the break. [Image: Nintendo]
