PlayStation 3 Scoops Exclusive Rights to Next Metal Gear Solid

Kojima discloses platform plans inside.

Posted by Staff
PlayStation 3 Scoops Exclusive Rights to Next Metal Gear Solid
This morning’s issue of Famitsu Magazine has some good news for the somewhat downtrodden proponents of Sony’s emerging PlayStation 3 platform, with the news that the next Metal Gear Solid game will be a PS3 exclusive.

Series lead and famed quite grumpy person Hideo Kojima poured cold water on the concept of a multi-platform launch, saying, “Metal Gear Solid 4 is only scheduled for release on the PlayStation 3 at the current time. Of course we could port it to other consoles, but doing so would require additional staff and research and development costs. If I were to make games for the Xbox 360 or the Revolution, I'd rather create original titles that match each console's audience, instead of the Metal Gear Solid series.”

As to why Metal Gear is not deemed fit for the Xbox 360 is not quite clear, though perhaps the wider belief in Japan that the console is for an American audience looking to play football and shooting games is hampering the port. Of course, Nintendo still needs to address how third-parties view its home console offerings…
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DrNinestein 16 Jun 2005 13:23
1/15
"Exclusive Rights to Metal Gear 3"

Don't you mean Metal Gear 4?
Coxy 16 Jun 2005 13:48
2/15
DrNinestein wrote:
"Exclusive Rights to Metal Gear 3"

Don't you mean Metal Gear 4?


I too was thinking that, still im not convinced by having the words "Playstation" and "exclusive" in the same title - it probably will be ported to other consoles in some form or another,as most ps2 exclusive titles have. (look at MGS: Substance, basically MGS2 with a bonus disc, which was ported to Xbox)
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fluffstardx 16 Jun 2005 15:31
3/15
Don't forget the MGS3 special, Subsistence, announced for Xbox at E3...

Yeah. If it's exclusive, they got paid a lot. I get the feeling it'll be like the last 2. Don't forget that wonderful food analogy he (Kojima) gave at E3, the gist of which is "this war will come down to price, both for making and buying games".
Joji 16 Jun 2005 16:06
4/15
The funny thing about this is that when a Konami title like say, Silent Hill3 or 4 doesn't sell well, you don't see Konami looking to spread the license in order to make more money

Let's face it Konami love working with Sony, so much so that Xbox and GC have suffered as a result. Pleasing Sony comes across as their priority (a sound move business wise) and the rest can go jump. Notice that Konami quickly had a PSP game ready for it's launch and again it was none of than another MGS game. Konami's stance might also explain why GC got half baked stuff like MGS: Twin Snakes and no sniff of the highly demanded Pro Evo series.

Only real support Konami give Nintendo is with GBA and now DS, but the GC has had next to nothing. Xbox has had Silent Hil 3 and 4 and only recently began to get Pro Evo. I think this is a real shame as I'm sure Xbox and GC would have cried out for a dose of some good Konami product.

MGS is a god series but it's stupid decisions like this that make me glad Ubisoft exist. They have given us multiformat hit Splinter Cell when we should have had MGS, and Prince of Persia where we should have all had Castlevania. As for football FIFA will have to do for some.

Just makes me wonder what other exclusivity deals Sony are gonna seek. Let's hope they don't get the Biohazard/RE series too.

Funky 16 Jun 2005 18:19
5/15
Not being funny, but why the hell should Xbox360 and Revolution have Metal Gear Solid? It's a series that was started on the PlayStation, spawned 2 sequel on PS2. Xbox should think itself lucky that they ported Substance over, and GameCube that they made Twin Snakes. I don't see many Xbox or GameCube games making their way over to the Sony consoles, the only note-worthy ones like Splinter Cell and Resi4 (which was a PlayStation game originally, so that doesn't really count...).

Meanwhile the Xbox takes games that started out on the PS/PS2 - Tony Hawk series, Burnout series, SSX series, GTA series, Metal Gear Solid 2, Pro Evo series etc. etc. - then whinges when it doesn't get 1 game.
Thief 16 Jun 2005 19:26
6/15

Because the PS2's hardware is much inferior to the Gamecube and Xbox. These games could be much better on either other system. Also, unless you are talking about Konami Xbox and 'Cube exclusives (which I doubt, because there aren't too many), most exclusives on those systems are made by Microsoft/Nintendo, or an in-house developer of those for their respective consoles. The only liscenses that deserve to be exclusive to PS2, are Gran Turismo are God of War, as they are made by Sony. In fact, I wish those were the only exclusives to PS2, because there's a lot of games that could benefit from being on the hardware superior other consoles. Devil May Cry 3 was amazingly good, but there were a lot of times I was looking at the enviroments/creatures and thinking "Man, the art here is great but the graphics are really lacking." Not even to mention the load times could have been cut down, too.
Coxy 16 Jun 2005 20:31
7/15
Funky wrote:

Meanwhile the Xbox takes games that started out on the PS/PS2 - Tony Hawk series, Burnout series, SSX series, GTA series, Metal Gear Solid 2, Pro Evo series etc. etc. - then whinges when it doesn't get 1 game.


This is exactly how I used to feel, I don't see why other consoles should get PS2 excusive games, I used to rant on about it all the time, but I figure that companies have to port titles to other consoles in order to get more money. (a game released on all consoles would sell more than a game released on one console)

Back when the playstation was released this wouldnt have been such a major problem as there were few new consoles out, but now there are 3 so there is more oppurtunity for making money.

I guess xbox games stay exclusive as microsoft are more careful with their exclusitivity agreements or something.

I now see that the term "PS2 exclusive" actually means "PS2 exclusive untill its ported to xbox in 6 months time" unless its published by sony then its not PS2 exclusive.

Other than that i'd like to say well done to the person that managed to read this all the way through.
Joji 16 Jun 2005 20:49
8/15
I'm with you Thief. And Funky is obviously talking out of his funk hole if not both of them.

Funky boy, it's not a contest but I've notice for a long time now that Konami favour PS2 above others. If Xbox and GC tech can offer these games and customers want them then why not offer them?

By the way Funky both RE4 and the wonderful Viewtiful Joe were on GC first and are being ported to PS2 ( a difficult task but Capcom atleast try whereas Konami just take the piss out of us). They might as well just stick two fingers up at us.

I can understand those developers that tried wwith the GC and bailed to save money or whatever because atleast they tried. I see little signs of Konami having tried with GC. They are only just reaching into Xbox with Pro Evo and Silent Hill.

Are you seriously telling me it's too much to ask for a Pro Evo game on GC when the only other good footy game is FiFA? Or a Gradius or Castlevania game? When their is little to no competition on GC fans would be glad for it and GC has more tools and trick they could have played with (maybe even on Xbox too). But alas no. Cheers Konami, I shall be looking where all your games go next gen but my bet is on PS3.

Praise the lord for the likes of Capcom, Sega, Ubisoft who are putting Konami to shame. While I admire Konami's DS and PSP support they are guilty as charged. Kindly remove your chapped lips from Sony's arse, (I doubt this is gonna happen now that Ape Escape and MGS series have crossed paths and proved my point of how close they are) Konami. Give other home systems some games.

As for exclusivity I don't think Sony need to chase it anymore. Really I think Sony are learning and creating some nice games for a change. God of War look groovy, Shadow of the Colossus also looking grand and I'm glad they now have some good IP of their own.
Thief 16 Jun 2005 21:11
9/15

I personally thought God of War was a bit over rated. DMC3 was a much better game, imo. God of War was great for about the first 3 hours, then I upgraded my weapons all the way and honestly could beat the entire game by hitting square once, then twice and holding it (keep in mind that I was playing on the default difficulty, not some super easy setting). Also the lack of any sort of camera control caught up to it, and I really disliked the boss of the game.
BustyKrusty 17 Jun 2005 02:01
10/15
yeah i hate exclusives, but sometimes they really demonstrate our consoles power so they're something special;sure it sucks because Xbox could handle MGS3 but so could PS2 Ninja Gaiden i think.It would be nice i think at least having sports titles like PES that come out each year ported to all platforms.

Also i'm with Thief about Xbox getting more exclusive ports than PS2 or to a lesser extent GC, not fair but for that there is none other to blame than Sony.They're not doing a good job out of their agreements OR maybe it's their strategy to making people with other console(s) buy their product once they see next great "exclusive" or they admire GC,Xbox fanboys so much they have to give 'em a better port...yeah, its surely that!

Thief 17 Jun 2005 07:03
11/15

Whoa. There's no way PS2 could handle Ninja Gaiden like it is now.
tyrion 17 Jun 2005 08:13
12/15
The thing about exclusives is that they are the games that sell consoles.

This is for two reasons;

1) They are only available for one console, to play the game you must buy the console. Duh!

2) If the dev team doesn't have to make a compromise because a feature may not work so well on another console, or if they don't have to write three game engines that must use assets exactly the same, then they will be able to devote more time to the game and make it "better".

The last point is the main reason that exclusives exist. It's also the main reason they are usually developed or funded by the hardware owner.

If Sony want to make a game that really shines on PS2, they get their own dev team to do it, give them as long as they need to make it and give them access to the hardware engineers that designed the console. Same with Microsoft and Nintendo.

The other type of "exclusive" - the "for a limited time" exclusives exist for purely financial reasons. A platform holder can buy a release window by compensating the publisher for the lost sales due to not being on all platforms.

All parties win here, the publisher gets guaranteed money, the platform holder gets more sales for their platform, the dev team get more time to work on the other platforms.

The consumer you say? What of them? This is a business!
Thief 17 Jun 2005 08:29
13/15

Except that it doesn't just completely screw over the consumer. You assume that everyone has every console, I know for a fact my friend wanted to play GTA:SA since it game out, but didn't have PS2 or a quality computer, and was realy happy with the recent Xbox release, and unless Rockstar just completely ignored the much better specs of Xbox, the Xbox version of the game should be better.

While it may be worse that it didn't come out for a couple months, it's a lot better than not coming out at all for him.
config 17 Jun 2005 08:56
14/15
Thief wrote:
and unless Rockstar just completely ignored the much better specs of Xbox, the Xbox version of the game should be better.


HA!

I'll leave you to guess which route C* has taken, though the term "old rope" prolly factors in there.
BustyKrusty 17 Jun 2005 10:26
15/15
Currently more and more gamers are switching to MS side, and Sony knows that all too well, so its only natural they're fighting back.

How about that guy who wanted so badly GTA:SA but had no PS2.let's take his example and imagine
after playing he realized what he's been missing for
so long, and that game instantly became his best game ever or say, since Halo.Now, if the sequel is going to be released exclusively for the 1st 8 months on the ps3, there's a good chance he's not gonna wait for that unconfirmed port.

This way maker wins,MS wins and Sony wins even more.

Ok guys this is just a likely scenario, please don't panic.
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