MGS4 could be done on Xbox 360

By Tom Bramwell Published 19 December, 2005

It's MGS3's fault.

Hideo Kojima says the only reason that Metal Gear Solid 4 is debuting on PlayStation 3 is that he likes to be first with everything, and that the last year's focus on MGS3 meant Kojima Productions didn't have any time to get to grips with Xbox 360. Actually, he says, it could quite happily work on Microsoft's system.

When asked whether MGS4 could work on 360 during a recent 1up interview, he said: "Yes, that's technically possible." It's not that he doesn't like Xbox 360, see, he just doesn't want to do things second. So he's a bit like those kids who "hate" bands because their mates found out about them first.

"Kojima Productions has this philosophy that we want to be the first in everything regarding new technology. So after we finished MGS3, the option was to work on the PS3 to try all the new things for Metal Gear Solid 4. The only reason for this is I'm the kind of person who wants to be the first person on the moon, and don't want to be asking 'what the moon was like?' from other people." (Shh, don't tell him.)

So yes. Metal Gear Solid 4 could work on Xbox 360 ("maybe some nuance or a small detail here and there might be different") and the reason for that, apparently is that "there are really no differences" between the PS3, 360 and PC, although obviously Revolution is "totally different".

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (48) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Fairlane #1 7 years ago

    Well well well - some reality from a "Sony" bloke. I bit immature though ;-)

  • Cyhwuhx #2 7 years ago

    .::: I think it has rather to do with the fact that MGS4 can now be an anticipated title for PS3, rather than 'just another one' for 360. It worked with MGS2 as well. Hype was through the roof with that one just becasue people ahd been waiting for it for so long.

    Making it for 360, would make it lose that exclusiveness and anticipation. A bit like the 360 has Gears of War. Making it less exclusive might indirectly damage its reputation.

  • Blerk #3 7 years ago

    I get the idea that most of the first batch of next-gen games could run on this generation of machines, never mind other next-gen consoles. ;-)

  • oceanmotion #4 7 years ago

    Hopefully more devs come out with these wise words. Might actually get through to some delusional folk.

  • smelly #5 7 years ago

    All these "next gen" games, are just current gen games with prettier pixels!

    Wake me up when the revolution arrives.

  • OllyJ #6 7 years ago

    would an MGS thread or Splinter Cell Thread be the same without someone saying, they prefer the other one anyway?

    ;]

  • Darren #7 7 years ago

    Hmmm, I admire the guy's honestly but Sony will probably be a bit miffed at his comment since they're still maintaining the PS3 is twice as powerful as the 360 so either they're lying or Hideo Kojima isn't using the PS3 fully. My money's on the former... /wink

  • OllyJ #8 7 years ago

    "the cell is best "

    Yeah Splinter Cell IS the best for sure.

    ;]

  • feinry #9 7 years ago

    the ps2 was already able to launch missiles. that's why it was forgiven to export it to North Korea.
    ps3 will be able to launch a spaceship and explore the whole universe

  • OllyJ #10 7 years ago

    yeah even though I don't really like MGS I wouldn't say it's for kids at all....quite the opposite, I don't know many "kids" that could be bothered with it....not that that's a bad thing before I get jumped!

  • Mr_Brown #11 7 years ago

    Well I'm not shocked. And its very likely that there will be a MGS4 Substinense on the Xbox 360...so I don't have to get a PS3 after all :)

  • TS2610 #12 7 years ago

    MGS is for kids? If a child under the age of 12 tried playing the end of MGS2, their head would explode.

  • brainbird #13 7 years ago

    Monsieur Kojima is fishing for Mr Gates' money, methinks.

  • Artemus #14 7 years ago

    *Remembers the horrible Xbox port of MGS2*

  • Royal Fool #15 7 years ago

    The pacing in Splinter Cell is much slower and far less action-oriented in many levels, you can't just duck behind a corner in a shootout and eat some rations to get your health back... or at least not in Chaos Theory. Instead you'd have to survive through it and find a medical cabinet.

    Very different games, silly to compare them. Yes, they both involve espionage and stealth but MGS always reminds you that it's just a game and never attempts to take itself too seriously, often relying on fantasy elements to make itself more unique. Splinter Cell is more down to earth and "hardcore" in terms of what it presents you with.

  • OllyJ #16 7 years ago

    I found MGS 2 terribly difficult to get to grips with. Really awkward controls.

    Graphically and style wise it's great, gameplay wise I just couldn't do anything at all, I'd just end up hiding in a locker for ages. It really put me off stealth games for ages, I didn't even bother with Splinter cell 1 till way after it was released.

    What I mean about kids not playing it is that it's just too much, too many cut scenes, too much quirkyness (that to some is cool others is irritating).

    It is a Japanese game in many ways and that sometimes isn't suited to a broader audience. Yes they'll enjoy the guns and gadets but the rest I think is too much...when people say they played Metal Gear 2 for a couple of hours and most of it was spent on codecs and movies it just puts me right off.

    Saying that they all say they enjoy it....just not my cup of tea really!

  • killyourtv #17 7 years ago

    up with codecs and movies

  • OllyJ #18 7 years ago

    watch a film? read a book?

  • JonFE #19 7 years ago

    quote : "*Remembers the horrible Xbox port of MGS2*"

    What exactly makes it horrible ? I remember talk about some slowdown but nothing else comes to mind...

  • GitSomE_UK #20 7 years ago

    What made the XBox port of MGS2 horrible was that it was ummm errr... on the Xbox.

  • kaosridder #21 7 years ago

    ^^ fool

  • Pike #22 7 years ago

    The horrible part about the xbox port was just that, JonFE. It was shoddily made. The core game was the same, but it suffered from a lot of technical problems.

    Apart from that it was the same boring nonsensical game that was released on the PS 2, with some added minigames.

    (Is bitter about horrible endless ending of a game that started out pretty good.)
    Edited by Pike at 19/12/05 @ 15:12

  • Freek #23 7 years ago

    So he basicly just confirmed that MGS 4 is a PS3 launch title and that anything less then that would be considered a giant personal failure on his part?

  • reality_cheque #24 7 years ago

    He didn't mention it as a launch title - just that it was on the PS3 and could be put on anything (except maybe the Rev, but he was a little unspecific about that)

  • funkyd #25 7 years ago

    don't want to be asking 'what the moon was like?' from other people." (Shh, don't tell him.)

    WHAT the moon like?
    What WAS the moon like :(

  • Lothar Hex #26 7 years ago

    Well, it just goes to show you you can't make the decision based on the graphics. Just say which console has the games you're more interested in instead of going on about which one is more powerful, as as Hideo Kojima said, there isn't much difference between the hardware.

  • Eighthours #27 7 years ago

    *laughs even more at the "Real Next Gen" headline*

    Oh dear, you're never going to live that down, EG. Hope you have a sense of humour about it!

  • SentientNr6 #28 7 years ago

    If there's a God please let this end the "PS3 is much more powerful than XBox360" crap. Gamers Unite! There's no power only games!

  • #29 7 years ago

    Japanese developers will suffer for the next gen, if they dont support the 360. xbox is big news now and konami know it, although 360 will probably flop in japan the jap developers know everywere else its very popular, especially in the US and europe. MGS4 on 360 makes perfect sense, it means more profit for them. capcom lost out big time not releasing RE4 for the xbox, and many other jap developers have made the same mistake. i dont think every japanese PS3 game will jump to 360, but japanese games which are popular over here will.

  • Artemus #30 7 years ago

    In other news, shock as developers managed to port RE4 to PS2.

    BTW it's hilarious watching the fanboys clinging to whatever information suits them. You remember how the precious the fact that the Xbox was more powerful.
    Edited by Artemus at 19/12/05 @ 22:13

  • King_of_the_internet #31 7 years ago

    "If there's a God please let this end the "PS3 is much more powerful than XBox360" crap. Gamers Unite! There's no power only games!"

    That's the most sensible post I've read all day. Good on you, fella.

    I don't get this tearing at the PS3 everyone seems to be doing on this site. In my day, a new console coming out was cause for celebration, now it just seems to be a scorn-o-rama.

    Sad it has come to this :(

  • TripleSeven #32 7 years ago

    Splinter Cell imo is pretty easy. Just hide in the dark, be a little patient and voila, one doesn't have any problems. Snake Eater in comparison is tougher. For one point due to the camera system.

  • beep #33 7 years ago

    Japanese developers will suffer for the next gen, if they dont support the 360. xbox is big news now and konami know it, although 360 will probably flop in japan the jap developers know everywere else its very popular, especially in the US and europe. MGS4 on 360 makes perfect sense, it means more profit for them. capcom lost out big time not releasing RE4 for the xbox, and many other jap developers have made the same mistake. i dont think every japanese PS3 game will jump to 360, but japanese games which are popular over here will.

    Developers aren't that stupid. If a console has the numbers, they will bring their games to it if they want to. MGS4 being PS3 exclusive hardly equates to a poor business decision. MGS4 is primed as a launch title. A system seller. If Konami were bordering on bankrupcy, maybe you'd get MGS4 on your precious 360.

    And I don't think Capcom "lost out big time" by not putting RE4 on the Xbox. The only big time losers were people who only own an Xbox. Sounds more like sour grapes to me.

  • admir #34 7 years ago

    JA$ON

    you are full of shit, you have no idea what you are talking about

  • Xerx3s #35 7 years ago

    "the ps2 was already able to launch missiles. that's why it was forgiven to export it to North Korea.
    ps3 will be able to launch a spaceship and explore the whole universe "

    So, your basically saying that the ps3 could be compared to a pocket calculator? The first space shuttles had computers to do those tasks (or atleast help with them) and they had less capacity than todays pocket calculators. 0_o

  • lucky_jim #36 7 years ago

    I've been playing games for nearly 20 years now. I'm not saying that makes me any more knowledgeable than anyone else, I know people have got different tastes, but after all this time I'm usually pretty quick to put my finger on why I do or don't like any given game. But MGS is different. I don't like it, but I'm not sure why. I persisted with Splinter Cell a bit longer, in fact I got really into it for a little while, but neither series has ever forced me to complete one of their games cos I just get bored before they're finished.

    Am I freak? Or is there anyone else out there in Eurogamerworld who finds "hiding" a boring fundamental premise for a game?

  • admir #37 7 years ago

    MGS is the only stealth game that i like and sprinter cell played it but didnt like it.
    some people think that halo is a great FPS but i dont like it at all there are much better FPS then halo like FEAR or half life. its what i think and fanboys try to tell you that you or me that we are wrong.

  • lotteryman82 #38 7 years ago

    i think you are not getting the point of Kojimas words...

    its not about visuals and power he never mentioned anything about those two
    he said technically its possible...splinter cell since its the debate here was possible
    on PS2 even if wasn't a really good port but still could be done.

    but in terms of hardware i doubt you expect in a 6month period to see either a PS3 being X times better than 360 but i d also consider foolish comments that PS3 will be underpowered or equally as 360 i think that its just gonna be a bit more powerful but thats really up to developers to make use of it

    by the way whoever says MGS is for kids is totally out of his sense...only if you see the scenario and the messages in these games have to think it clear a kid or an early teen is actually too far from understanding them fully, as games they can be played by anyone but in content not everyone understands them (....wonder if grown ups do?)

  • Pike #39 7 years ago

    But I guess literacy isn't a requirement to understand a MGS game?

  • Daikon #40 7 years ago

    It COULD be done on Xbox 360, but then again it would only sell four copies in Japan...

  • lotteryman82 #41 7 years ago

    mrxbox

    played any MGS to see the content and value of that game the characters and their background story??? its scenario ??? and all u kept was snipe and hide ???
    geeesh man.

    i think yesterday about the doubling some poor japanese granma thought her grandson would appreciate it ....ha poor grandson
    no i don't mean 360sux its just too early


    Edited by lotteryman82 at 20/12/05 @ 10:40

  • lotteryman82 #42 7 years ago

    Kojima tries to tell something through the story and tries to put u in more movie like situations and lets you interact (remember phycho mantis and remember his story as well ) or remember a bit Fortune in MGS2 or Otacon in term of story i m not even going to mention MGS3... if you can can't see beyond hide and snipe in MGS there is nothing else to tell

    go play something simpler perhaps with the terrible depth of....please lovely armed hero save the princess from the mean mean boss.....so some won't get confused...

    gimme a break

  • Pike #43 7 years ago

    I find it amusing that lotteryman's posts display a similar disjointed structure and unintelligble narrative that were on display in MGS 2.

  • lotteryman82 #44 7 years ago

    happy to amuse u m8...
    but in a few words so that i get myself clear is that

    if peeps mostly see hide and snipe then they miss all the point in MGS
    is it really that hard to understand?

  • Seifer #45 7 years ago

    Duh! We all know that the 360 is the best!

  • Sony_Blair #46 7 years ago

    Thanks for your completely irrelevant fanboy post.

    And yes, you are correct, the Xbox 360 is currently the best next gen console on the market right now. It's outselling the competition at every turn!

  • #47 7 years ago

    MGS is the only stealth game that i like and sprinter cell played it but didnt like it.
    some people think that halo is a great FPS but i dont like it at all there are much better FPS then halo like FEAR or half life. its what i think and fanboys try to tell you that you or me that we are wrong

    Im full of shit huh? hmm lets all sit down and have a nice game of sprinter cell. lol

  • #48 7 years ago

    Admir you're dead right. I listened to all of the hype about Halo for literally years, and when I finally played it on the PC I thought that (as a one-player game anyway) it was a big pile of pants!!!

    1) Anyone who got an XBOX and really thought that Halo was a killer app., get any other FPS on either of the other systems (and possibly on XBOX too), and enjoy it! Halo is a classic example of how hype can make people believe that a game is good despite its actual pedigree; Emperor's New Clothes style...

    2) This goes for PS-3 and XBOX-360 too! They're all talk about spec's and hardware, but are eerily quiet about the games! I suspect that both "Gears Of War" and "MGS-4" will be good, but what else do they have on the horizon, and how can it compete with the sheer excitement of the Revolution (assuming that the controller does what it promises"...

    3) Everybody, be sceptical!!! Whatever ye think about Nintendo, we ALL know (from bitter experience) that you CANNOT trust Sony or Microsoft. Happy New Year to ye!