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MGS4 needs to sell OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAND!
2:08 PM on 11.29.2007, Jim Sterling 77 comments

MGS4 needs to sell OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAND! photo
     My exclusives, let me show you them

An article on Reuters suggest that Metal Gear Solid 4 will be the "last of the great exclusives" and talks about the death of third party exclusivity as well the high costs that factor into their demise. Of note was a comment from MGS4 assistant producer Ryan Payton who stated that Guns of the Patriots would need to sell one million copies in the first day alone if the high development costs are to be justified.

In the first day, on the PlayStation 3, is a lofty goal, and proof positive that third party exclusivity just isn't worth it anymore. Will MGS4 manage such a feat? Well, without saying it's impossible, let us just say that it's about as likely as Darth Vader being Luke Skywalker's father and the creator of C3-PO while discovering that The Force is actually made up of hundreds of tiny germ people.

G4's Adam Sessler agrees that Metal Gear Solid 4 isn't going to be a modern day miracle. "No, Metal Gear Solid 4 isn't the killer app," Sessler states in the article.  "People who already own a PS3 will likely get it. But it doesn't have that kind of broad-based appeal." I adore Metal Gear Solid, and I'm inclined to nod along with him. Metal Gear is not a system-shifter. Never has been, never will be. A sales spike is possible, but Solid Snake will never be as mainstream as Mario.

Now, what were we saying about MGS4 on the 360?


Next page: More The almighty dollar stories




mooserson's Avatar
mooserson at 11/29/2007 14:12
The last time I enjoyed playing as a character with severe arthritis and centrum silver addictions was never. Give me a gun not Fiber one . ha J-K I love mgs
Cheeburga's Avatar
Cheeburga at 11/29/2007 14:13
God dammit. I'm losing my hopes in the 360 version.
supremeFronk's Avatar
supremeFronk at 11/29/2007 14:16
IN WORKMAN WE TRUST
Tragic_hero 's Avatar
Tragic_hero at 11/29/2007 14:19
You mean people still enjoy MGS? I say bring back Kings Quest!
IvoryShipping's Avatar
IvoryShipping at 11/29/2007 14:19
I don't see 9 million selling first day. I'm not excited for this one like I was the last two, either. Old future snake with ugly walking robots does not look fun.

Meh..
foxhound009's Avatar
foxhound009 at 11/29/2007 14:20
You just have to love it.. even when it comes out on 360 ;P
blehman's Avatar
blehman at 11/29/2007 14:20
I believe the words used for MGS4 for 360 were "cease and desist".
dv8withn8's Avatar
dv8withn8 at 11/29/2007 14:28
Konami investors angry!

Foshi's Avatar
Foshi at 11/29/2007 14:31
MGS is without a doubt a system seller. I know many people who bought a PS1 for MGS and a PS2 for MGS2 and I know people who are going to buy a PS3 for MGS4. I love this series blend of movies and games I cannot wait.
dv8withn8's Avatar
dv8withn8 at 11/29/2007 14:35
@Foshi
It's not a system seller to the demographic that matters: Casual or non-hardcore gamers. You, me and your friends fall under the small minority of hardcore gamers.
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 11/29/2007 14:35
We need MGS4 on 360 forreal now.
Teta's Avatar
Teta at 11/29/2007 14:37
I ahven´t done a really deep research, but reading the first pages from google i get this numbers:
40g PS3 sells for the first day on japan: 5000
So they want to double those numbers for 1 game, that is metal gear solid?
Yeah right.
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 11/29/2007 14:39
Yeah, this game is NOT a system shifter in the broad sense. Of course it is for hardcore MGS fans, but that only accounts for a small percentage of the videogame market. Like I said, Snake is not Mario, and he never will be.
bleep's Avatar
bleep at 11/29/2007 14:44
well since this game isn't going to be released for a while you never know how many PS3's are gonna fly off the shelves this holiday season altering the potential sales of the new MGS...really the challenge now for Sony is to get as many PS3 sold in order to bolster there potential market here.
Netrat33's Avatar
Netrat33 at 11/29/2007 14:45
MGS2 sold 7 or 8 million copies. I can't remember exactly. And it launched around the time of the PS2 (1 year after) Sure it's not a system seller?
Kryptinite's Avatar
Kryptinite at 11/29/2007 14:45
I'll be one of those buyers!!!
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 11/29/2007 14:47
Workmeng said it, therefore it must be true.

I'll buy it for PS3 first day, so thats only 999,999 copies left to sell
nicojay's Avatar
nicojay at 11/29/2007 14:49
It's a system seller for me.
Finally I'll be picking up a 360.. er PS3 I mean.
decoyb's Avatar
decoyb at 11/29/2007 14:50
It's hard for me to imagine this game not selling 1 million on day one, but then I remember that "casuals" and idiots don't like good games. That's why we don't have more games like zone of the enders or okami out there.

As for the 360 version I still say that "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots" will never be on the 360. "Metal Gear Solid 4: Strange One Word Subtitled Game Released One Year Later" may be a different story though.
Xavier's Avatar
Xavier at 11/29/2007 14:51
Metal Gear Solid 2 basically killed the fanbase, the series to this day has yet to recover from the mess that game created. MGS is pretty much only a system seller to core gamers which as we all know is not a huge amount of people compared to the casual crowd. Wii Fit, now that will be a system seller.
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 11/29/2007 15:07
People need to stop confusing "system seller" with "game that sells several million copies."

To be a system seller, people need to buy a PS3 JUST to play MGS4. And not just small pockets of you and your mates. Thousands upon thousands.
JamesSorensen's Avatar
JamesSorensen at 11/29/2007 15:12
MGS1 and more with MGS2 were system sellers... MGS2 especially.. the MGS2 intro and trailer had the same huge wow effect that the numerous MGS4 trailers had.. and MGS2 shifted some PS2's.... MGS3 well who knows that's a different story. MGS4 looks geared to shift a lot of units with it and MGO maybe not halo 3 units but only 2nd to it..
Corak's Avatar
Corak at 11/29/2007 15:12
I think Jim had it right. The Metal Gear games were never "system sellers" in the broad sense of the word. Will this move systems? You bet it will. Will it move as many as they would like to because of it? I kinda doubt it. Snake, while an honored game character, will never be as recognized as Mario. Its just a fact, take a picture of mario and show it to your folks, then one of snake. See who they recognize, most likely if they are not avid gamers they will pick mario. I know it seems like comparing apples and oranges, and mario has been around longer, but its just a fact that mario appeals to a wider gamer base and metal gear does not.

I for one will definatly be picking up this title, already have a ps3, and this was one of the reasons I picked up the system earlier this year. If I didn't have one would this game make me pick one up? If I had the cash I probably would.
JamesSorensen's Avatar
JamesSorensen at 11/29/2007 15:13
either way... games gonna rox
Jim's Avatar
Jim at 11/29/2007 15:17
Solid Snake will never be as mainstream as Mario

Wait for SSBM ;)
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 11/29/2007 15:22
"Now, what were we saying about MGS4 on the 360?"

God... dammit..
poonster's Avatar
poonster at 11/29/2007 15:22
eventually they'll port it to the 360, it's a no brainer. what developer in their right mind wouldn't want the huge 360 owner pool to boast the sales of their game.
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 11/29/2007 15:25
I am one of those niche "I bought a PS3 for MGS4" guys, as well as my older brother, my best friend, and my other best friend. That's niche.
Netrat33's Avatar
Netrat33 at 11/29/2007 15:32
Hmmm. I dunno. It's a game that looks great regardless if you don't like the series or new to it. It's a game that does infact have a history and tons of fans. Gears of War was a system seller and it it was due to it looking good. Good game but no history. I think this takes a "wait and see" approach. But I do think this will push systems if they advertise it right. I don't think it will seel 1 mil in a day though. No way.
weedgan's Avatar
weedgan at 11/29/2007 15:47
Well look at it this way,

The first gen xbox never did sell to well,

but the one thing that sold the hell out of it?

halo.

If MGS4 can be a good enoguh game to sell itself insted of being a game that sells the PS3, then people have nothing to worry about. If worse comes to worse Konami will realize that if they want to make money they will put it on 360 eventually. Plus, it'd be selfish to make a game exclusive to a system that people are only buying that one game for...i'd feel ripped off if i bought a PS3 just for MGS4, also, does anyone see MGS4 getting any kind of sequel for PS3? I don't unfortunatley, because by the time this game comes out sony will be near its 2nd year life cycle for the ps3, and i think that if sony had any huge announcment games that were going to be exclusive, they would have announced them by now, and having MGS4 as the only game peopel consider buying a PS3 for, well......thats just stupid. I didn't get my 360 just for Halo 3. I was the second person at my gamestop to get halo 3, and now i have not played it in about 3 weeks, because its simply not as fun as all the other good games that are coming out, and the funny thing is all the games I've been playing are crossplatform. I say this exclusive stuff should just come to an end.
Im OK's Avatar
Im OK at 11/29/2007 15:57
I personally would probably buy a PS3 for Mono Sodium Glutamate 4 (because I keep making that damn typo and having to fix it before I post), but I don't know of many others that would do so. And this does, of course, assume that the game doesn't get released for the 360 down the line.

And yeah, MGS4 selling that many copies on the first day is as likely as all of that.
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 11/29/2007 16:14
"I am one of those niche "I bought a PS3 for MGS4" guys, as well as my older brother, my best friend, and my other best friend. That's niche."

Four people is pretty niche. Yes.
raggedROBO's Avatar
raggedROBO at 11/29/2007 16:43
The goal is not to sell a million consoles day one, so why the arguments about "system-sellers." PS3 owners: get out there and pre-order it: Show Konami how much support there is for the game. Besides, Sony is owning 08. There are tons of reasons to get the system. 360 and Wii are looking weak.
TheStripe's Avatar
TheStripe at 11/29/2007 16:46
Those calling MGS4 the PS3's system seller are leaving out some important details. When MGS2 hit for PS2, the PS2 was down to $199. It also had a large library of good games. The PS3 is still $400, and does not have a large library of good games. I didn't think twice dropping $200 for a PS2 for MGS2. I didn't think twice about dropping $179 for a GC for Viewtiful Joe. I will not be paying $400 for a PS3 for MGS4. More solid snake doesn't really appeal to me after MGS3.
freeman1's Avatar
freeman1 at 11/29/2007 17:11
If 3rd party exclusives die out, so will the Playstation consoles.

I'm pretty sure that MGS4 will come to 360 eventually. PS3 is just a more expensive 360 with less games.
Kyousuke Nanbu's Avatar
Kyousuke Nanbu at 11/29/2007 17:19
Metal Gear Solid=Sony's Halo.

MGS1 was great but the stealth mechanics where a joke, MGS2 was total shit and Splinter Cell came out 4 days after MGS2 and showed what an actual stealth game it is, it also didn't have a joke of story.

MGS3 was mediocre at best, good idea, horrible execution, especially the menu system, pausing to enter the heal menu and remove a bee bullet from my crotch just slowed things down to much, same with the camo system and the weapons things.

Overall, the MGS series just irks me, it tries to add some realism and tries to preach while at the same giving me a ridiculous situation that makes my eyes hurt from rolling them so much.

MGS4 will sell not because its good, but because of its mammoth hype train.
Im OK's Avatar
Im OK at 11/29/2007 17:25
Guys, can we please, just this once, not let this devolve into yet another PS3 vs 360 vs Wii pissing contest? We're doing pretty well at the moment, but even so I can see a bit of smoke starting to rise.
Hagar the Horrible's Avatar
Hagar the Horrible at 11/29/2007 17:29
@raggedROBO
sorry to piss on your parade but I don't think any of us are in a position to make postures on who is "owning" 08... unless your related to Mystic Meg of course.

I do agree that it is good to support games development, and that requires a good user base... which is probably why Okami is being ported to Wii, even if it is weak by your ascertion. Its just unfortunate that the sales lists will be dominated by chavtastic copies of FIFA 0X regardless of quality.
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 11/29/2007 17:38
Workman told me I gotta believe!

PrinceofCannedPeaches's Avatar
PrinceofCannedPeaches at 11/29/2007 18:03
Speaking from a purely PC standpoint, we tend to get left high and dry a lot. While it helps us miss on some of the worst of cultural phenomena, it also leaves us out of great things such as Gears of War and Metal Gear Solid and such (which we got recently). But that's just console s***.

We want joor bases, too!
PrinceofCannedPeaches's Avatar
PrinceofCannedPeaches at 11/29/2007 18:03
Speaking from a purely PC standpoint, we tend to get left high and dry a lot. While it helps us miss on some of the worst of cultural phenomena, it also leaves us out of great things such as Gears of War and Metal Gear Solid and such (which we got recently). But that's just console s***.

We want joor bases, too!
PrinceofCannedPeaches's Avatar
PrinceofCannedPeaches at 11/29/2007 18:03
Speaking from a purely PC standpoint, we tend to get left high and dry a lot. While it helps us miss on some of the worst of cultural phenomena, it also leaves us out of great things such as Gears of War and Metal Gear Solid and such (which we got recently). But that's just console s***.

We want joor bases, too!
Wedge's Avatar
Wedge at 11/29/2007 18:08
All I care, is if this is anything like MGS3. As in, everything like it EXCEPT the worthless shitty gameplay. The game was hilarious, creative, and detailed beyond most any game I've seen since. And it played like ass. If they can finally get the gameplay in a MGS game right, it will be the sweetest thing ever.
Fading Star's Avatar
Fading Star at 11/29/2007 18:08
"Will MGS4 manage such a feat? Well, without saying it's impossible, let us just say that it's about as likely as Darth Vader being Luke Skywalker's father and the creator of C3-PO while discovering that The Force is actually made up of hundreds of tiny germ people."

Jim is my best friend!
Boolean's Avatar
Boolean at 11/29/2007 18:15
Niche genre + Small install base + ostracized new players? This does not bode well. MGS4 will probably settle around 500,000 by week 5, then crawl up to 600,000 over the next few months and stay there.
mrkonchu's Avatar
mrkonchu at 11/29/2007 18:29
I do feel it will move some systems but I do feel it will be within the existing fan structure of the series and that is why this is niche. I dont see this making alot of new MGS players right out the gate but with some people that have the system that are hungry for new games I have little doubt solid snake will gain some new fans.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 11/29/2007 18:33
Until Workman indicates otherwise, I'm going to believe that it's still coming to the 360 eventually. HE'S SEEN THINGS, MAN.
Boolean's Avatar
Boolean at 11/29/2007 18:41
Oh btw, the link in the article is broken.
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