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Man escapes prison in a cardboard box, MGS style
Here's a curious incident in Willich, Germany that sounds suspiciously like something out of Metal Gear Solid: a 42-year old Turkish man that was serving a seven-year sentence climbed into a 150cm x 120cm (about 59" x 47") cardboard box and was successful in getting himself delivered out of jail. When an express courier came to the prison to pick up some inmate-produced merchandise, the box containing the prisoner was also loaded onto the truck. As soon as the truck passed through the prison gates, the prisoner made a run for it -- he is currently still at large.[Via Joystiq]
Metal Gear Online's MEME hitting the scene on Nov. 25
Those of you still keen on Metal Gear Online's multiplayer scene take note: The MEME expansion pack will officially careen onto servers on Nov. 25 (pre-order it on Nov. 18, if you wish), priced at a not-too-obscene $9.99. It'll also be bundled with the previous GENE pack for $14.99, ideal for players still lean on downloadable content for Hideo Kojima's epic most Byzantine.Joining the battlefield (as seen in three new maps) are Mei Ling and perpetual source of mean, Liquid Ocelot. We look forward to shooting him in the, uh ... spleen?What a stupid, stupid post.
VGA 08: The PlayStation-exclusive nominees are ...
Spike TV's 2008 Video Game Awards will be kicking off next month and the nominees and categories have all been set in place. Among the PlayStation-centric titles, Metal Gear Solid 4 and LittleBigPlanet lead the pack and have earned five nominations each. Both titles are going head-to-head in such categories as: Game of the Year, Best Original Score and Best Graphics. LBP is also vying for Best Soundtrack, while MGS4 is looking to score Best Action-Adventure Game. Both titles, along with Grand Theft Auto IV and Resistance 2 will be fighting it out for Best PlayStation 3 title.Resistance 2 comes in third with three nominations for Best Multiplayer, Best Shooter and the aforementioned category. Other nominees include: SingStar - Best Music Game; Media Molecule - Studio of the Year; and PixelJunk Eden - Best Independent Game. God of War: Chains of Olympus and Patapon have been nominated for Best Handheld Game.
Resistance 2 Easter Egg gives props to MGS4
You know, Easter Eggs are always fun little secrets to seek out -- such as this one from Resistance 2, which candidly gives a shout out to Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4. Reader Jay stumbled upon this "MGS4PWNS" sign in co-op mode. It looks like the ladies and gents at Insomniac have enjoyed MGS4 quite a bit. And why not? It's great.To see the EE for yourself, just check out the Spec Op's ammo crate after "prototype ammo berserk" has been activated. We haven't tried this ourselves yet this weekend, but we're sure we'll run into it sometime. So how about you? Have you found anything interesting in your gaming sessions this weekend? [Thanks Jay!]
MGS4 sells four million copies worldwide
The numbers are in. While Metal Gear Solid 4 has shipped three million copies around the world in the first two weeks, it's already gone off to sell over four million copies worldwide. 4.33 million copies have been sold from June up to September -- that's four months after launch. Hmm, the fourth game sells four million in four months? We sense a Patriots conspiracy here. With conspiracy theories aside, MGS4 alone accounts for 38 percent of all Konami games sold between April and September 2008. This ties in with previous reports where Konami predicted an 88 percent increase in profit.
Custom Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 back on eBay
A few moment's hesitation prevent you from placing the winning bid on that sweet, customized Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 a few weeks back? It's okay, we've all been there -- sitting at the screen, cursor hovering over the "Bid Now" button, wracked with indecision, finally saying "Why not?" just as the timer hits 0. Usually that's cause for a lifetime of bitter regret, but this time you're in luck. The winning bid of $17,000 turned out to be bogus, so the creators have placed the machine on eBay again, ready for you to ponder anew. Now, before you make some snide remarks about $17k being way too much for a tarted up PS3, take a look at the attention to detail here, and remember that 15 percent of the proceeds are going straight to the Child's Play charity -- a factor that should hopefully reduce the vehemence of those remarks by roughly a fifth.
Fans create Octocamo videos, win PS3s
A while back, Sony asked it's fans to create some MGS-inspired vids. The focus of these videos: Snake's Octocamo suit, which lets him blend into the environment. Check out this video by Aaron C., our favorite of the winning entries. The style of humor on display is very Kojima -- we're surprised we didn't see something like this in the game! To see the other winner, click here. [Thanks, Rodrigo!]
Holding out on getting MGS4? Then play the demo
Metal Gear Solid 4 was by far the biggest third-party title exclusive on the PS3 this year. It's the end of the line for the Solid Snake tetralogy, and it's a milestone that every hardcore Metal Gear fans should already have in their collection. However, more cash-savvy fans know Kojima Productions likes to re-release MGS games, possibly leaving some to wait out the usual extra year or so for a souped up version. If you find yourself in the latter category and haven't tried the game out yet but want to, the demo that's available on the Japanese PS Store should give a taste of Snake's last adventure. The 1.4GB download can only be grabbed off the Japanese PS Store (so far, since the other regions have not updated yet); so make sure you've got an appropriate account.[Thanks Amish G. and Mike!]
Konami is predicting an 88% profit boost, due mostly to MGS4
Konami is forecasting some rosy numbers for the first six months of the fiscal year. They are forecasting an 88% rise in profits to ¥11.8 billion ($119.6 million), up from ¥6.3 billion ($63.7 million) during the same time last year. Konami attributes this largely to the adventures of a prematurely aged geriatric in Metal Gear Solid 4, which has shipped over three million copies worldwide as of August. Konami also expects revenue to increase by 9.8 percent to ¥146.9 billion ($1.49 billion). Now who says a PS3 exclusive can't prove to be extremely profitable for a third-party developer?
Konami expecting profits to rise by 88% (thanks, MGS4!)
Snake is still getting the job done, with Metal Gear Solid 4 publisher Konami forecasting an optimistic increase in profits, largely thanks to the senior stealth citizen's shenanigans. The company expects its financial results for the first-half fiscal year (due next week) to show an 88% rise in profits to 11.8 billion yen, with revenues increasing 9.8% to 146.9 billion yen.Now, if only there was some way to sell Metal Gear Solid 4 to more people.
Ah, patience: 'Gun Metal Gray' PS3 bundle now $400 at Amazon
CheapAssGamer posted last week that the "Gun Metal Gray" MGS4 PS3 bundle, previously only available through Konami for $600 (plus shipping charges), was now available to pre-order from Amazon.com for $450. We were going to post it at the time, but we got distracted by some Mei Ling fan fiction, which is all for the best now, considering Amazon has reduced the price of the bundle to $400.The bundle will release on Nov. 4 and patience will reward those consumers who waited a half year with a $200+ savings on the 40GB PS3 package.
Deal: Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition PS3 40GB Bundle for $450
Remember that Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition 40GB PS3 Bundle? Sure, we all wanted it, but peons like us just didn't have $599.99 to folk over for this baby. Fortunately for us, Amazon has them for pre-order now for $449.99 with free shipping for release on November 4th. Still a bit steep, but definitely more reasonable considering it only includes a 40GB PS3 with no backwards compatibility, unlike the more popular 80GB MGS4 bundle. Details on the contents of this 40GB PS3 package, after the jump. You can pre-order the bundle here.[Thanks, Juan P.!]
La-li-lu-le-look at this MGS4-themed PS3 mod
So, you think naming your kid Nicholai Stephanovich Sokolov Smith is enough to prove that you're the biggest Metal Gear Solid fan? Well, in the immortal words of Michael Jackson, if you don't own the above custom PS3, then you ain't bad. In fact, you ain't nothin'.The system, which includes a backlit logo and the signatures of Hideo Kojima and Yumi Kikuchi, can be yours along with a few other MGS collectibles for the low, low price of ... well, whatever the high bid ends up being on eBay. It's currently a bargain at $7,100....You know, you could probably prove you're the world's biggest Syphon Filter fan for a lot cheaper than that. Just saying.[Via PS3F]
Custom-made Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 puts Sony and Konami's to shame
Konami and Sony's limited edition Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 may have been enough to satisfy a few fans of the game willing to pay a premium for their console of choice but, for sheer excess, it has nothing on this custom-made system built by the folks at Morpheon Mods, which is now up for auction on eBay. Among the many details adorning this shiny creation is a laser-cut, stainless steel MGS4 marquee, a laser-etched image of Solid Snake, a carbon fiber Fox Hound logo on the rear, and 14 white micro LEDs to light everything up just right. They even got Hideo Kojima himself to autograph the console and, perhaps best of all, they wrapped everything around a fully backwards compatible 60GB PS3. Just don't expect any of that to come cheap, as bidding is already topping the $1,500 mark with six days left, though you do also get pretty impressive collection of Metal Gear swag with it, and 15% of the proceeds will go to help the Child's Play charity.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
OMG at this amazing custom MGS4 PS3 system
Morpheon Mods has crafted an incredible MGS4-themed PS3 system that's not only completely blinged out, it's signed by Hideo Kojima himself. The quantity and scope of the modications applied are mind-boggling. "The entire PS3 and controller is a combination of Carbon Fiber and Midnight Black done in our own digital camouflage technique ... The final product is a uniform finish that reflects like a mirror.""It has been specially fitted with 15 white micro LEDs that back light not only the marquee but also the etching so the artwork is viewable in complete darkness." Best of all? You can actually buy this thing off eBay. Not only will you be getting the system, you'll also be getting an incredible grab-bag of rare MGS merchandise, such as a custom embroidered Otacon patch -- of which only 12 have been made in the world.Finally, 15% of the sale's proceeds will go to Penny Arcade's charity, Child's Play. If you decide to make a bid, good luck. This really does seem like the most amazing piece of MGS fandom money will ever be able to buy. Go see the listing to find even more pics of this incredible creation.
Japanese report removes Konami 'looking into MGS4 on Xbox 360' quote
Earlier in the week Japanese investment research firm, Morningstar, released a published report that quoted an unnamed Konami representative as saying the company was "actively looking" to bring Metal Gear Solid 4 to Xbox 360 -- suspiciously, the quote in question has now disappeared. GameCyte details that the Kabushiki business journal, which is owned by Morningstar, has changed the original article with new quotes from another Konami representative discussing completely different titles. Speaking to J-Cast News, an unnamed Kabushiki representative said that the article is not a correction but a 'second appearance' and admits to no breach of journalistic ethics.[via Joystiq]
Japanese business journal removes MGS4 on Xbox 360 quote
Here we go, for the umpteenth time: A quote published by Japanese investment research firm Morningstar that Konami was "actively looking" to bring MGS4 to Xbox 360 has now disappeared from the record. This comes to light on the same day that Microsoft's Software and Services VP John Schappert said that the Xbox 360 could run the game.GameCyte details that the Kabushiki business journal, which is owned by Morningstar, now quotes a different Konami rep. and completely ignores the topic. The company is calling the new article a "second appearance" rather than a correction.[Via GameCyte]
John Schappert: 360 can run MGS4
Frankenstein's rumor just keeps on shambling. In the wake of a Konami representative saying that the company was "actively looking into" a 360 version of Metal Gear Solid 4, concerns about the 360's power have come back into play. Speaking to MCV, John Schappert, Microsoft's corporate vice president of Xbox Live, did his best to quell such thoughts saying, "I can't speak on behalf of Konami, but I can shed more light on the fact that we definitely have the power to run MGS4." He adds that there are several games running in "true high-def" on 360 and not on PS3.Schappert also voices his personal desire to see MGS4 on 360 saying, "I'm certainly in the fan club that would love to see Kojima-san's masterpiece come our way," adding that it would be another example of a franchise that was previously exclusive to another console making its way to the Xbox 360. Was there any confirmation that the game is actually heading to 360? No. No there wasn't. Move along.[Via Joystiq]
Xbox 360 has 'the power to run MGS4,' says Schappert
Thanks to a recent comment made by Konami, the "Metal Gear Solid 4 on Xbox 360" rumor mill has once again begun to spin or grind or whatever it is that a mill does. We've never actually seen one. One of the main points of argument against a potential port of Hideo Kojima's senior citizen sneak-em-up has always been steeped in the technical capabilities of the Xbox 360, versus that of the PlayStation 3. While Microsoft's ability to run MGS is currently in question, Software and Services VP John Schappert tells MCV that there's no doubt about the manufacturer's power to run MGS4. "I can't speak on behalf of Konami, but I can shed more light on the fact that we definitely have the power to run MGS4," he said.We could take your word for it, John, but we wouldn't be a snarky video game blog if we didn't wonder if players had the power to run in-between the couch and the disc tray every few hours. That there is what we call a "world without compression" joke.
Konami: 'We're actively looking' into MGS4 on Xbox 360
And here you thought we'd escaped TGS without this rumorang whizzing by again. Oh no, we most certainly did not (duck!). "We're actively looking into a [Metal Gear Solid 4] release for the Xbox 360," a Konami rep told Japanese investment research firm Morningstar for a TGS report published today (in Japanese). Feel free to take that as "no duh" or a renewed glimmer of hope -- Morningstar's report does not include further evidence that Konami is any closer to bringing a MGS4 port to Xbox 360 than when the rumor first appeared ... two years ago!As IGN notes, the key dilemma is in the discs. How to transfer all that optimized Blu-ray data? And, where to put it? [Via IGN; thanks Joe!]
