Metal Gear Solid 4 sales top 1 million

By Ellie Gibson Published 24 June, 2008

In just a week. Limited edition sold out.

Konami has announced that 1 million copies of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots were shifted in Europe during the game's first week on sale.

As for those limited edition versions, complete with a Making Of Blu-ray disc, soundtrack CD and Snake mannequin - all 25,000 have now been snapped up.

"The Metal Gear Solid series has again proved its huge potential, and we are delighted with the fantastic response the game has enjoyed at retail," said top Konami bigwig Martin Schneider.

"MGS4 is nothing short of a masterpiece – an epic conclusion to the Solid Snake story. We are extremely pleased with the positive feedback we have received from retail and consumers alike, and will keep satisfying their needs with updates to the game's Extra option, and via new content to Metal Gear Online."

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was released on June 12th. It marks the final chapter in the story of Solid Snake, who is called upon to battle long-term nemesis Liquid Snake. However, as assistant producer Ryan Payton recently stated, it won't be the last game in the series.

Rumours the next instalment will be titled Metal Gear Solid 5: The Ballad of Rococo McSpuffers are completely made up.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (60) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • johnnybrn #1 4 years ago

    Oh crikey, here it comes...

  • Darren #2 4 years ago

    So Konami will be pleased then... didn't they say they had to sell a million copies to make a profit? :)

    Great game too and one which I expect will continue to continue selling for the rest of the year, seeing as it was a high-profile and eagerly awaited game for the PS3.

  • bad09 #3 4 years ago

    For all MGS4's problems and disappointments I still love it. Well deserved sales.

  • firefly #4 4 years ago

    @johnnybryn

    Indeed, I feel compelled to go hide under a cardboard box or something until it all goes away.

  • MasterNameless #5 4 years ago

    @ bad09

    Agreed. It certainly had it's faults but I enjoyed it immensely.

    If we wish hard enough will the Rococo McSpuffer rumour not come true? Aw...
    Edited by 3 at 24/06/08 @ 12:47

  • MasterNameless #6 4 years ago

    @ johnnybrn

    I'd like to think the rabid fans have all had their shots and their straight jackets tightly fastened by now. That's probably wishful thinking though.

    edit: /Mental note to proof-read comments more before posting...
    Edited by 2 at 24/06/08 @ 12:46

  • drumbaby #7 4 years ago

    MGS4 is my first MGS game...and it's bloody brilliant.

  • Widge #8 4 years ago

    I'm loving it too!
    In fact moreso than GTA4.

  • Moz #9 4 years ago

    @Tiste

    [not sure i'll get away with this but...]

    Is that because you sit their thinking about her heaving bosom?

  • DFawkes #10 4 years ago

    There were only 25,000 MGS 4 LEs? That makes me feel special :)

    Nice to see it did well at retail, it's very good. I'm curious to see how it'll sell long term though.

  • Widge #11 4 years ago

    I wonder if that making of bluray will end up on the old BAY

    I didn't want to fork out for the lovely box set.

  • bad09 #12 4 years ago

    @ Widge

    "I'm loving it too! In fact moreso than GTA4."

    / looks around then whispers "shh, don't tell anyone Widge but I agree"

  • Putty-Man #13 4 years ago

    I haven't even played it yet and tbh I'm enjoying it more than GTA (after about 11 hours play).

  • CannonAnBall #14 4 years ago

    By saying you 'loved' or 'liked' MGS4 will only piss people off to be honest. Remember the PS3 is shit and has no games.

  • aldo_14 #15 4 years ago

    Metal Gear Solid 5: The Ballad of Rococo McSpuffers

    Pff, everyone knows the sequel to MGS4: Too Lazy to Type Full Name is Rocco McSpuffers Presents: A Rocco McSpuffers Game starring Rocco McSpuffers: Metal Gear Solid 5: the Colons of the McSpuffers.

  • APHIZM #16 4 years ago

    Fantastic game, deserves all the praise and sales.

  • CannonAnBall #17 4 years ago

    @ evilfoxhound

    cos they are fuck puppets. Pisses me off as well. I prefer a good hearty debate here and there and these dicks just clog up the threads. They might also think they are being clever?

  • Dizzy #18 4 years ago

    So how much did Indiana Jones Lego do then? ;)

    BTW press release seems to say *shipped* not sold.
    Edited by 1 at 24/06/08 @ 13:13

  • the_dudefather #19 4 years ago

    @evilfoxhound

    /gets the popcorn!

  • CannonAnBall #20 4 years ago

    /gets the popcorn!

    My favourite one of all time!

  • mossychops001 #21 4 years ago

    I want to have a crap in a oil drum too now. 10/10 game.

  • GamesConnoisseur #22 4 years ago

    They are also too much of a coward to put in their own opinions, so basically a 'flamebaits' without seemingly to burn anything!

    Some here have said they loved the game even with the faults and flaws, I add myself to the crowd and certainly the most entertaining and the most important PS3 title to date. Obvious Game of the Year contender without question, but still in my view cannot be worthy of 10/10 as basically the game is still largely the same as previous MSG series!

    Only difference is in the presentation, improved control and having bit more 'interactive' filmic moments (pressing Triangle in Microwave Corridor). Still great to see these but will wear thin after repeating viewings. Drebin points taken away the pressure of not to do a 'rambo' and less likely in opting for no alerts/fewest kills. Repeatingly installations also get on my wick.

    I digress but glad though that Konami will be able to recoup their expensive development costs but how much of a profit margin will they actually end up with after selling say 5 million of MSG4?

    I am going to do a fourth run in extreme big boss mode and aiming for under 5 hours to get Big Boss Emblem and hope that this will be shown as an important trophy when 2.40 firmwares come out!

  • Moz #23 4 years ago

    I am going to do a fourth run in extreme big boss mode and aiming for under 5 hours to get Big Boss Emblem and hope that this will be shown as an important trophy when 2.40 firmwares come out!

    You can get through the game that quick!!! How long did it take on first play through?

  • the_dudefather #24 4 years ago

    @Moz

    skip the cutscenes, pausing also seems to count to your total time too

  • kgthatsme #25 4 years ago

    can someone tell me how to beat up Liquid : (

  • asphaltcowboy #26 4 years ago

    "MGS4 is nothing short of a masterpiece"

    Surely it's a whole 2 points short? ;)

  • bad09 #27 4 years ago

    @ kgthatsme

    Dodging is your friend on that one.....

  • the_dudefather #28 4 years ago

    @kgthatsme
    read the select button help screen for fighting controls, few useful things in there, just remember to play really defensive during the second phase (his charge punch does loads of damage), break his combos by ducking (x) or blocking, and when you get to the old snake phase just hammer the punch button like a madman (i tried to play strategically and got my ass handed to me)

  • Moz #29 4 years ago

    @the_dudefather so there's only 5 to 7 hours of actual game play then? hmmm but if it's all good game play then it's worth, Had great fun playing though Heavenly sword

  • DFawkes #30 4 years ago

    @GamesConnoisseur

    I'm sorry, I didn't order the spoiler, please take it back. (best imagined in a snooty upper-class restaurant customers voice).
    Seriously, I didn't need to find out about any Microwave Corrider, especially in a thread without spoiler warnings because I wasn't expecting them. Now I'll be thinking "Is this it? Or this bit?" until it actually happens. Although it may not be much of a spoiler, it is one none the less.

    EDIT:Actually I forgot I finished Act 4 last night and already know what that's about, but I'm leaving my comment regardless. So there :p

    Edited by 1 at 24/06/08 @ 14:00

  • MasterNameless #31 4 years ago

    @DFawkes

    It isn't much of a spoiler, don't worry. They tell you about it in a cutscene about 40 minutes or so before you actually get there. So, in a way, they spoil it for you anyway in that cutscene! Although I don't think that really counts...
    Edited by 1 at 24/06/08 @ 14:02

  • the_dudefather #32 4 years ago

    @Moz

    probably about 10 hours on the first playthrough in my case (not counting online/replays) assuming cutscenes and codec stuff is about 9-10 hours total

  • MasterNameless #33 4 years ago

    @the_dudefather

    That's about the same for me too. It felt like about 9-10 hours of codec/cutscenes. It probably felt longer as you got closer to the end though. God some of that was so boring... it was worse than the Lord of the Rings ending, I was practically begging for it to finish.

    After that first playthrough though, and you know the best way through each level, I reckon it wouldn't be too tough to get through it all in 5 hours.
    Edited by 1 at 24/06/08 @ 14:07

  • the_dudefather #34 4 years ago

    @MasterNameless
    someone put up a massive torrent up them up somewhere, think it was 9.30 hours long with all codec conversations, cutscenes and boss fights

    so yeah as long as all cinematic releases of Lord of the rings put together :p

  • ParanoidZombie #35 4 years ago

    [link url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=88556 ]http://ww w.eurogamer.net/article.php?art...[/link]

    According to this link, Konami said earlier this year that MGS4 needed to sell 1M on day one, so I guess they're actually less than happy about this number...

  • mossychops001 #36 4 years ago

    @ ParanoidZombie

    1m for europe only.

  • NewbieZilla #37 4 years ago

    "I haven't even played it yet and tbh I'm enjoying it more than GTA (after about 11 hours play). "

    What? You haven't played it yet, except for that 11 hours of play time?

  • Widge #38 4 years ago

    its a FUNNY comment about how you don't PLAY it.
    LOL

    ironic thing is that my 2 hours of play last night consisted of a massive boss showdown, a small codec chat and a large amount of sneaking about, tracking and general tomfoolery. so yeah, you just sit and watch it.

  • ParanoidZombie #39 4 years ago

    @mossychops: my mistake, sorry.;).

  • tonynibbles #40 4 years ago

    /hugs Ltd Edition

    Bah. 8/10 nonsense.

  • kgthatsme #41 4 years ago

    ill try again later to beat the final boss, i remember finding Solidus difficult in MGS2 and then recently beat him the first time trying...

  • septimus #42 4 years ago

    Glad I got the limited edition. First time I've ever been glad of a limited edition actually.

    Probably one of the best games I have ever played (atmosphere is excellent), top 10 possibly. Yes it has some niggles, but the overall package just makes up for it. I hated MGS, MGS2, didn't mind 3 with it's moveable camera but it still doesn't compare to 4.

    Haven't booted GTAIV since owning MGS4 which must mean something.

    How the fuck Halo3 got a better review is beyond me I must admit.
    Edited by 1 at 24/06/08 @ 14:51

  • MasterNameless #43 4 years ago

    @Matt Damon

    Probably because these are Metal Gear comments sections and not GTA. If you went to the GTA comment section I reckon you may find a few of them comments.

  • MasterNameless #44 4 years ago

    @MattDamon

    That's true yeah, but it kinda goes both ways too. People are definately far more passionate about the Metal Gear series in general, whether it be their love or hate for it, which makes them more vocal on the subject too I guess.

    GTA is also a much broader game, in terms of gameplay, and even across the demographic of fans, making their complaints less focused on specific aspects of the game. Also, a huge number of the GTA fans are far more casual gamers than Metal Gear fans, and it's always the hardcore that get so bitter!

  • DFawkes #45 4 years ago

    @MasterNameless
    I had already amended my comment, most likely whilst you were still typing. I hate it when that happen (especially when I have a really fantastic reply, post it, and see someone both beat me to it AND did something far better than me). I just decided not to remove the whole thing as I went to the effort of typing it. I agree it spoils it itself, I only just watched the Mission Briefing. I think my years of sc-fi spoiler avoiding have made me spoilerphobic.

    Anyway, I'm looking forward to finishing MGS4 and watching the Making Of disc (which brilliantly has a spoiler warning in the box). Then playing with the figure. What, it's a collectible, 23 year olds can play too!

  • patchbox360 #46 4 years ago

    i love the series - still cant believe the sensible part of my mind has allowed the whole liqiud reincarnation via the hand attached to ocelot thing slide - but thats love for ya

  • woodnotes #47 4 years ago

    Didn't Halo 3 do 4 million in a week? And MGS is a far bigger and more established franchise then Halo. PS3lol

    etc

  • septimus #48 4 years ago

    ^ There are more 14 year old dickwads on live who are into that kind of game than there are the older generation left into a series such as MGS.

    Bought Halo 3, it sucks. Halo 1 ftw still, in some ways even Halo 2 is better than 3 (but not many).

    -edit- wow, what a bad sentence... can't be assed to edit it.
    Edited by 1 at 24/06/08 @ 17:34

  • des #49 4 years ago

    Cory Barlog said somewhere that he heard: MGS4 costs=70 mil$.
    Crazy if true....

  • VMerken #50 4 years ago

    Not bad for an 8!

  • Buran #51 4 years ago

    I bought my copy last week. The characters and the dramatic story and cinematics are awesome, as always.

    But I still prefer to play against humans with k+m in UT III than the gameplay in the sp/mp in MGS 4. Anyway worth the money until a realy important game like Soul Calibur IV next august.

  • DAN.E.B #52 4 years ago

    "Warning! This game is the only one worth buying on Playstation 3 Console"



    fixed!

  • JediMasterMalik #53 4 years ago

    @patchbox360 - The game even explains that, and I liked the explanation, though some did not.

  • kgthatsme #54 4 years ago

    I totally agree with Mr tatsuyarr above, I found MGS2 Underrated and MGS 3 Overrated
    nb and id also give MGS IV 7/10
    Edited by 1 at 25/06/08 @ 01:08

  • Nocturne #55 4 years ago

    I enjoyed Metal Gear Solid on the Playstation immensely, even though it was littered with problems and flaws. In retrospect it is strange that I did enjoy it so immensely. There was simply nothing else like it at the time, and I was able to forgive its blemishes because when it was good it was incredibly good. However, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty overreached and introduced blemishes which not even its best qualities could compensate, before the atrocious Metal gear Solid 3: Snake Eater all but killed my interest in the series entirely. The best which the Metal Gear Solid series has to offer is Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes, a remake of the Playstation original for the Gamecube. It may be that Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots has sold more than a million copies, but I will not be adding any more to that impressive number.

    I once saw Hideo Kojima onstage at a Playstation Experience event a few years ago as he showed off a teaser trailer for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and answered some questions from the audience. I remember thinking that, if chosen, I would ask him what he thought about Splinter Cell and how such games influence the development of his own projects. I now suspect that he would have answered that they have no influence whatever, and try to dismiss the suggestion that there is any competition or rivalry between these games, or at least this seems to be how later Metal Gear Solid games have been developed--which is a shame.

  • davisorle #56 4 years ago

    @bad09

    That points out what i was gonna say that its more thna normal for the sale's figure. its the best game tha PS3 offers so how the hell are the sales point weir? its more than expected since there is nothing else that ppl had expected so badly for that console and came out somewhat really good for them.

  • Arwin #57 4 years ago

    @Nocturne: on the contrary, Kojima has mentioned somewhere that he loves the Splinter Cell series.

  • asphaltcowboy #58 4 years ago

    @Nocturne: on the contrary, Kojima has mentioned somewhere that he loves the Splinter Cell series.

    As well he should, it's an awesome series!

  • Nocturne #59 4 years ago

    Arwin,

    I did not mean to suggest that Kojima does not like the Splinter Cell series, but only that the Metal Gear Solid has stubbornly refused to learn from its competitors. The "stealth-em-up" has come a long way since Metal Gear Solid on the Playstation, and Kojima has failed to keep up. Moreover, it does not seem as though he has even tried to keep up.

  • GamesConnoisseur #60 4 years ago

    In reply to Moz and DFawkes

    I did the first run in 17 hours or so, inc all cutscenes and pauses, second run much quicker about 9 hours (lots of skipping) and third run was longer as re-watched all the cutscenes.

    Only had the time and opportunity cos I was in a break between jobs and starting new full time management position next week, so glad that MSG4 fall my way at the right time! I also am sadden that I would not have as much time to participate in my favourite hobby from next week as was working more on flexible arrangement previously.

    DFawkes, well I give apologies for not using spoiler tags, but was illustraing the 'interactive cinema' usage and should perhaps have used an earlier example. But the particular section was referred to long before you get there and lots of references elsewhere as well. I know should not add to it and spoil somewhat the suprise. We all know that MSG always have the 'long ascent/walk' moment such climbing the tower/long ladder in an earlier MSG before the big climatic moments.

    Hope you dont mind me mentioning that!
    Edited by 1 at 25/06/08 @ 16:30