MGS4 delayed until Q2 2008

By Robert Purchese Published 31 October, 2007

So Solid crew can do more.

Konami Japan has delayed the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots by pushing it back to the second quarter of 2008 (April - June).

It seems to be a little confused in its official statement, however, which suggests the game was originally due to launch this winter, despite creator Hideo Kojima revealing at E3 this summer that it would be released simultaneously in spring 2008. Mmm, seasoning.

"Konami had initially intended to release Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots this winter and has been working on the production of the title," read the slightly baffling statement.

"Konami has decided to delay the title's release in order to make further improvements to the quality of the game and provide even greater enjoyment for more customers worldwide."

We had a chance to finally get our hands on the game at the recent Tokyo Game Show 2007 and were impressed with its improved accessibility as well as its stealthy bag full of new tricks.

Pop over to our hands-on impressions of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots to find out more.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (56) Latest comment 4 years ago

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

  • monkie_king #1 4 years ago

    /stands well back

  • souljacker2000 #2 4 years ago

    o i c

    producing for the 360 too aye

  • monkie_king #3 4 years ago

    hmm, i read it more as "waiting until some people buy PS3s".

  • souljacker2000 #4 4 years ago

    yea that too

  • Darren #5 4 years ago

    Well there's a surprise... yet another delayed PS3 game... I can't help feeling that Sony launched their console a year too soon! LOL

  • oreillymj #6 4 years ago

    Delaystation 3

  • Fairlane #7 4 years ago

    thank god for all the other AAA titles for the PS3

  • lambtron #8 4 years ago

    Personally I will be surprised if we see it before 2009. Given the enormity of what Sony have riding on this game they cannot afford for it to be anything less than brilliant.

    This is officially the least surprising news EVER.

  • GitSomE_UK #9 4 years ago

    WTF!!!!

    /Kicks table over

  • kangarootoo #10 4 years ago

    I have a slightly unrelated question.

    When people write LOL (particularly in upper case), are they actually laughing out loud at the time of writing? Call me curious.

  • RickHard #11 4 years ago

    With all the games delayed it really seems that the only reason to own a PS3 is to be granted the privilege of watching BluRay movies... Actually, the same happened with PS2 : no decent games were released within the first 2 years, the console being only a mere dvd-player... The release of MGS2 was really a turning point for the console. But I doubt Sony will be able to sell 120m units this time even if MGS4 looks great ;)

  • DUFFMAN5 #12 4 years ago

    Looks like the ps3 purchase is a little further away then!
    Starting to think I can't be bothered. I love my 360, although I'm just waiting for it to go tits up for the 2nd time. My original ps2 is five years old and still chugs along with Bully and TR.A.
    MGS is the only reason I want a PS3.
    Edited by 1 at 31/10/07 @ 10:15

  • JediMasterMalik #13 4 years ago

    Shit, was really looking forward to this. Kind of a good thing though, since it'll now come out after my final exams probably.

  • Les #14 4 years ago

    "Given the enormity of what Sony have riding on this game they cannot afford for it to be anything less than brilliant."

    The importance of this title (same goes for FF XIII byt the way) is immensely overrated. The only thing it will achieve if very good, is getting people that own a 360 already to get a PS3 as well. This isn't a mass market game and that's what Sony needs if they ever want to challenge the Wii.

  • Sebo #15 4 years ago

    As great as I think this game is going to be, MGS3, as great as it was, didn't set the sales chart alight did it? So while I don't doubt that I will love every last second of MGS4, I'm not sure that it will have PS3s flying off the shelves.

    Oh, and in the wake of the PES2008 debacle, I am happy to wait a little longer for this one. It has to be great.

  • SBfistfun #16 4 years ago

    "thank god for all the other AAA titles for the PS3"

    lol

  • 4cough #17 4 years ago

    The stuttering ps3 strikes again.

  • AcidSnake #18 4 years ago

    I give a shit!

    I bought a PS2 just for MGS3!

    I don't think the delay will matter much saleswise, the only thing that could harm sony is if Kojima announced it on 360...

    (Also, SBfistfun, long time no see)

  • 4cough #19 4 years ago

    The stuttering ps3 strikes again.

  • lambtron #20 4 years ago

    "The importance of this title (same goes for FF XIII byt the way) is immensely overrated. The only thing it will achieve if very good, is getting people that own a 360 already to get a PS3 as well. This isn't a mass market game and that's what Sony needs if they ever want to challenge the Wii."

    Sorry, but that is nonsense. MGS2 sold 7 million copies - only a handful of titles did better last gen - and it was released at a time where the PS2 was nowhere near its current install base. It also, apparently helped shift 1.5 million consoles in a relatively short period of time.

    There is a good post here about how this theory about MGS not being that important is rubbish:

    [link url=http://www.gamespot.com/pag es/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25940658&msg_id=293706485
    ]    http://ww w.gamespot.com/pages/forums/sho...[/link]

    In any case I am not sure how people reach the conclusion that something that sells 7 million copies is not mainstream - you wouldn't say that about a book that sold seven million copies would you?

  • GamesConnoisseur #21 4 years ago

    Konami's PES 2008 a disappointment for PS3 owners and X360 version being the better one, and now Konami's PS3 exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4 delayed, any relations?!

    I am so looking forward to MGS4 and hoping to god that Konami wont give us any tearings or frame drops as that game was one of main reason for my splashing out on PS3 months ago. Delay may indeed help to ensure best possible quality.

    In anticipation of Xbots saying 'should do X360 MGS4 then', this would not happen until well after PS3 released if indeed is a timed exclusive rather than permanent, also the reality for Konami doing business especially what the situation is goin to be market wise of both PS3 and X360 (data of sales for PES 2008 on X360 and PS3 may be a factor!).

    DT: corrected spelling mistakes as blasted lags affecting my fast typing!
    Edited by 1 at 31/10/07 @ 10:54

  • Sebo #22 4 years ago

    The minute they announce MGS4 for 360 is the minute I remove the life support from my PS3.

  • AZA #23 4 years ago

    This doesn't come as too much of a shock tbh ah well guess my PS3 can gather dust for a little longer then.

    As for worries of tearing etc, it shouldn't have that since it isn't cross platform, IF MGS 4 comes out for 360 it would be after the PS3 version is released I'm guessing.

    I should have waited a year before I considered getting a PS3 like I did with the 360 lol.

  • rashes #24 4 years ago

    Those who are claiming this game is not an important system seller really need to keep up.
    This is PS3s great hope at the moment. This and LBP.
    I've a 360 at the moment and will not feel the need to buy a PS3 till one of those are out.

  • Kalinin #25 4 years ago

    As long as it is actually a global launch I don't see the problem. Even if it had launched Winter 2007 as was quoted on a trailer a while back, I always assumed that meant the US and we'd get it around the usual March-ish just like MGS2 and MGS3.

    Kojima always said if rumble came along for the PS3 he would reimplement stuff in MGS4 because it was always a big part of the game, so I guess this delay is probably down to that and that's one thing I'd interpret the greater enjoyment malarkey as being.

    Still, I do think Konami are being coy are fishing to some sweet exclusivity money from Sony with their flirtations of multi-platform shenanigans. Odds are it'll eventually be good business to bring it on other platforms but there's a development cycle there which would be all the nicer if they could kick back and do during six months plus of paid-for-exclusivity while enjoying some Sony-funded cocktails

    It's what I'd do.

  • rhinoxious #26 4 years ago

    Haze had better be bloody good or its a complete whitewash to MS this xmas in terms of software.

    (Not forgetting of course that the wii is going outsell both of them, and probably both added together if nintendo could make enough stock)

  • rhinoxious #27 4 years ago

    Yes but what you're forgetting is that is the Japanese release thats gone back, expect it here end of next year.

    EDIT - I'm not at all convinced by the addition of the word worldwide in that statement by the way.
    Edited by 1 at 31/10/07 @ 11:16

  • Kalinin #28 4 years ago

    "Yes but what you're forgetting is that is the Japanese release thats gone back, expect it here end of next year. "

    I dunno - the last two MGS games released in the US prior to Japan, MGS2 by a matter of weeks, but MGS3 by a whole month.

    Metal Gear has always been produced much more for the western market, and from what I recall, English script translation normally occurs very early in the process - it's only really Europe that loses out due to multilingual translations being done very late.

    If the game's near complete but being held back to implement new features, there's no reason to stop multi-lingual localisation so I don't see in terms of project management why, short of idiocy, a business would make this error.
    Edited by 1 at 31/10/07 @ 11:34

  • SeesThroughAll #29 4 years ago

    I'm surprised that some people aren't aware that the message "Spring 2008" has already been in trailers for quite some time.

    Localization + rumble + waiting for hardware sales are the main reasons.

    Had they given us an actual date, then that would have been news.
    Edited by 1 at 31/10/07 @ 11:36

  • BadBoyBonner #30 4 years ago

    The longer it is delayed, the less important it becomes in my eye's - loosing it's bleeding edge appeal - just like Heavenly Sword did.

  • SeesThroughAll #31 4 years ago

    The longer it is delayed, the less important it becomes in my eye's - loosing it's bleeding edge appeal - just like Heavenly Sword did.

    Not that it would have ANY appeal to you either way, would it?

  • BM #32 4 years ago

    Shame Konami didn't do the same for PES2008.

    And I'm talking about the 360 version too

  • Les #33 4 years ago

    "In any case I am not sure how people reach the conclusion that something that sells 7 million copies is not mainstream - you wouldn't say that about a book that sold seven million copies would you?"

    My point is the game will sell to people already into gaming. MGS2 might have sold 7mln copies and it might be considered a 'system seller' but only to people already owning a video games console. MGS2 probably succeeded in getting PS1 owners to get a PS2. MGS4 might confince some fence sitters to move from PS2 to PS3 as well as having some 360 owners getting a PS3. In that regard it will definitely have some impact. But from the perspective of getting closer to the Wii it will do very little.

    "Those who are claiming this game is not an important system seller really need to keep up.
    This is PS3s great hope at the moment. This and LBP.
    I've a 360 at the moment and will not feel the need to buy a PS3 till one of those are out."

    360 owners are not the demographic that the PS3 needs to ever become a success. They're to small a group to even make the less expensive (production cost wise) 360 profitable.

  • zedzee #34 4 years ago

    No mention of the delay being so that it can be released simultaneously world-wide, so my money is on it appearing in UK/Euroland for Xmas 2008.

    No one demos a game so much and then says it's been delayed...Why?! It's an odd thing to do, so there's more to this than meets the press release eye. If the reason is because of the X360 version, it certainly spells doom for Sony and this generation of the console wars.

    Over to EuroGamer to go and find out the REAL TRUTH.

    DelayStation 3, indeed.

  • bioreit #35 4 years ago

    @ Curious / Kangarootoo

    "When people write LOL (particularly in upper case), are they actually laughing out loud at the time of writing? Call me curious."

    Probably not, but it does sound/look better than LUB (laughing under breath) and is nowhere near as crazy as LIMHNOL (laughing in my head, not out loud) and rather less creepy than SLAW (smiling like a weirdo).

  • VMerken #36 4 years ago

    *sigh*

    Patience is a virtue. Right. Right?

    Part of me really hopes they're releasing in "april" instead of "june". Oh well.
    Edited by 1 at 11/01/08 @ 23:36

  • Kropotkin #37 4 years ago

    They will release this game in March 2009 in Europe. They will take that long as they always do with PAL releases of MGS games so we are in for a very long wait unless of course you import the US version.

    What's really interesting to note is that MGS4 will now appear *after* Killzone 2. I never saw that coming...

  • dahsif #38 4 years ago

    Oh NO!

    What am I gonna waste my 600 euros on now?

    DON'T answer this question!

  • Kryon #39 4 years ago

    <a href=http://i2.tinypic.c om/62dyomu.jpg>Snake</a> lol.... PS3lol.

  • Les #40 4 years ago

    "Only the silly Americans keep on (re)buying the xbox."

    The silly Brits are as well... ;)

  • Trane #41 4 years ago

    Fear not you'll be able to play as snake before Q2 2008, albeit on Smash Brothers for the Wii.

    olol.

  • DAN.E.B #42 4 years ago

    Seems a bit odd calling people that buy the machine with the best games silly
    what do you call people that fork out £400 for a PS3?

  • DjFlex52 #43 4 years ago

    well, where are all these xbots everyone claims will descend on this thread and mock the PS3?

    /yawn

  • Sebo #44 4 years ago

    They've given up.

    Nobody enjoys kicking a dead dog.

  • threefortrouble #45 4 years ago

    My guess is the game will be coming to PS3 on MAY and will port to 360 six months later (afer their exclusive deal with sony done)... =P

  • interceptor #46 4 years ago

    If you need any evidence that developers are really struggling with the PS3, then there it is. The game must be nowhere near finished for them to miss what would have been a lucrative holiday seasons (instead of there being just a few minor bugs they could have patched).

    Konami will lose a LOT of money by doing this, not only in the lost Christmas revenue but in the extra development time. It makes a port to the 360 much more likely imo.

  • captainrentboy #47 4 years ago

    Wow the Xbots really flooded this thread huh???.....
    I don't really see this as a big surprise, who out there was actually expecting this game to be out any time before March next year? I haven't been following it's development, but even I knew it was no where near release, not for us Brits anyway.
    I'm sure it'll sell by the bucketload on release, and will surely shift a good few PS3s, but unlike a previous poster, I really can't see LBP doing the same sort of thing, it doesn't exactly have mass market appeal does it?

  • Pedrolot #48 4 years ago

    MGS is completely PS3 exclusive isnt it?

  • JavaJawaUK #49 4 years ago

    The roflcopter has just flown in.

  • J.C #50 4 years ago

    thank god for all the other AAA titles for the PS3

    Whatever your smoking, i want some.

  • Kryon #51 4 years ago

    I agree that it will probably appear on 360 at some point, but I'd suspect there'll be a whole lot more than a 6 month gap between launches. Fact is that MGS4 has been built from the ground up for PS3

    Yeah, a bit like the PS3 exclusive launch title Fatal Inertia... PS3 couldn't handle it so they ported it to the superior 360 hardware, and it's still utter shit.

    Fatal Inertia lol....PS3lol...MGS4lol.

    God, I'm so bored of trolling PS3 threads, Sony have made it too easy:( .....So, I'll just say 'lol' and bid thee farewell...for now...

  • SleepyMagpie #52 4 years ago

    If there's still a PS3 owner (even those that bought the cheaper, non backward-compatible version) that isn't beginning to feel just a tad screwed, then their zealotry is approaching the great devotion of Scientologists and Moonies, and other distinguished faiths.

    Happy Yuletide all ye devotees of The Church of Praystation!

  • Les #53 4 years ago

    "If there's still a PS3 owner (even those that bought the cheaper, non backward-compatible version) that isn't beginning to feel just a tad screwed, then their zealotry is approaching the great devotion of Scientologists and Moonies, and other distinguished faiths."

    Why? Because you say so?

  • spookyzombie #54 4 years ago

    You've got to laugh really. It's like they're trying to ruin the PS3.

  • Sebo #55 4 years ago

    @Les

    Come on. The PS3 has been a really rough ride.

    Absolutely nothing of real interest since launch.

    Then PES2008 comes out and is utter rubbish.

    Those who are enjoying their PS3 must have some real niche tastes.

  • Kryon #56 4 years ago

    "Those who are enjoying their PS3 must have some real niche tastes."

    Yes, I believe they enjoy the taste of cock and arse ;-)