PlayStation 3 gears up with Metal Gear Solid 4

• By Tracy Erickson
• June 11, 2008 18:22 PM PST
• Print
• Email this!
• Share
  • Digg
  • Yahoo Buzz!
  • FaceBook
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us

Forget being sneaky. Metal Gear Solid 4 wages a full-scale assault on the PlayStation 3 this summer as PS3 owners prepare for the most anticipated exclusive game of 2008.

There's absolutely nothing stealthy in the approach Konami is taking with the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. What has unquestionably become the most anticipated exclusive game of 2008 also marks an important milestone for the PlayStation 3. Hideo Kojima's latest epic serves as the first major PlayStation 3 exclusive to come from outside of Sony, and on it hinges great expectations. Naturally, Sony hopes that the game will push gamers into buying shiny new PlayStation 3s; however, the implications go beyond sales. Metal Gear Solid 4 represents a pivotal title that could usher in a new wave of high quality PlayStation 3 games.

Teaching an Old Snake new tricks

More than being the foundation of the stealth-action genre, Metal Gear Solid is also one of the most popular series in gaming. The three core games in the series have sold nearly 18 million units on PlayStation and PlayStation 2 alone, not even counting their Xbox re-releases, PC versions, and handheld entries.

But how does a 20 year-old franchise emerge as a fresh force in a new generation of consoles? The answer comes in the form of new technology, new gameplay, and a stubborn commitment to PlayStation 3 exclusivity that has given rise to a veritable frenzy over the game's release. For a gamer, this is as exciting a release as any. "It's becoming increasingly clear," proclaimed Senior Editor Sid Shuman in a hands-on preview earlier this year, "that Metal Gear Solid 4 will be the rare game to live up to its own hype." The enormous anticipation surrounding Metal Gear Solid 4 easily trumps the intensity that predicated earlier Metal Gear games.

Snake Appeal

A poll conducted by Yahoo! Japan at the end of May suggests that Japanese consumers aren't ready to line up for copies of Metal Gear Solid 4. Of 625 individuals questioned on the website, 61% expressed no intention of buying the game. But that hasn't stopped Konami from selling out of the Limited Edition Gunmetal PlayStation 3 bundle in Japan.

Good luck getting one of these!

The attitude of Japanese gamers doesn't reflect American interests, of course. Metal Gear Solid has always enjoyed greater popularity in the Land of the Brave, a country where military games are held in high regard. Much of Metal Gear Solid 4's hype is centered in the US; as a result, Sony intends for the release to spur a wave of new PlayStation 3 sales. Gamers, particularly those with a PlayStation 3, should be eager to see Metal Gear Solid 4 drive sales of the console. Sure, PlayStation 3 sales directly benefit Sony and each copy of the game fills Konami's coffers. But the more Metal Gear Solid 4 moves PlayStation 3 consoles, the greater the likelihood other publishers will consider crafting triple-A exclusive content for the PS3.

Maverick Metal Gear

Exclusives can benefit gamers because it often yields better games. Developers are able to hone in on creating their game and technology instead of preparing for a multi-platform release. Exceptions certainly exist--the most recent example is Free Radical Design's underwhelming PlayStation 3-exclusive Haze. Yet many of the recent console exclusives have been fantastic: see Mass Effect, Resistance, and Gears of War. More than anything else, Metal Gear Solid 4 serves as the ultimate example of a console exclusive-it looks beautiful, ties deeply in the PS3's hardware advantages, and is a truly original game that couldn't have been made on any other system.

Metal Gear Solid 4 could be just the shot in the arm the PlayStation 3 needs.

The better Metal Gear Solid 4 sells, the greater the potential for seeing more high-quality PlayStation 3 exclusives. Game makers want to make money and if there is a vocal group of consumers snatching up PlayStation 3 hardware, they will want to seize the opportunity and develop games for that audience. Wii offers a case-in-point here: as millions pick up Nintendo's console worldwide, publishers have quickly moved to push games out the door to capitalize on that burgeoning market.

When it comes down to it, Metal Gear Solid 4 will assuredly energize PlayStation 3 sales; however, to what degree remains up in the air. Strong pre-orders for the Limited Edition Gunmetal bundle show the potential for explosive PS3 sales, but whether tens of thousands more consoles get sold over the summer as a result of Metal Gear Solid 4 is questionable. The game's exclusive nature can only benefit the system, though. Metal Gear Solid 4 kick starts a banner year for PlayStation 3, offering a shining example for developers waiting to see a breakthrough on Sony's console. Gamers should hope for a rousing success because it'll only lead to more great games and, in turn, reasons to turn on your PlayStation 3.

Click for 202 Metal Gear Solid 4 screenshots

• Print
• Email this!
• Share
  • Digg
  • Yahoo Buzz!
  • FaceBook
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us