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Konami Expects MGS4 Boost

Kris Graft's picture

By Kris Graft

October 31, 2008

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Konami has revealed just how much of an impact it believes Metal Gear Solid 4 had on the company's financials.

Ahead of Konami's November 6 earnings release, the Tokyo-based game maker forecasted a year-on-year net income boost of 88 percent for the six months ended September 30.

Konami expects 11.8 billion yen in net income for the period, versus 6.2 billion yen for the same period a year ago.

Operating income is expected to rise to 22.8 billion yen from 13 billion yen.

The company forecast net revenues of 146.9 billion yen for the six months, up from 133.7 billion yen.

Konami attributed the rise in earnings to "factors such as recorded steady sales of the home videogame software products, particularly Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, and sales of our products for arcades and card game products have also been strong."

MGS4 released in June of this year.

Kim_Naroz's picture
On November 3rd Kim_Naroz said:

FACTS:

RESOLUTION: Metal Gear Solid 4 only runs at a resolution of 1024x720p. This is actually a LOWER form of 720p resolution than the standard 1280x720p resolution. This is the reason why the graphic textures in MGS4 lack detail.

SALES: Metal Gear Solid 4 sales dropped all the way down to #34 in just ONE MONTH!!! Metal Gear Solid 4 doesn't even show up on sales radar at this point in time! Metal Gear Solid 4 is a game that Konami won't see any type of sales help from after this financial quarter.

TAINTED REVIEWS: Konami literally forced websites, magazines, and newspapers to sign a contract saying that the ratings of the MGS4 game could NOT BE PENALIZED for certain factors. For example, the very annoying loading "installs" that occur randomly throughout the game, with annoying times of 5 minutes, 4, minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 1 minute ect.... This is a factor that actual gamers HATE! ... Any other game would have received MAJOR PENALTIES during the review. Konami knew this, which is why they told the reviewers "Sign this contract, or else you will not get a free copy of the game to review." This is the reson why the early reviews of the game were so much better than the honest reviewers who didn't sign Konami's contract. Honest reviewers spent the money to buy the game when it was released, and they rated the game fairly--with lower scores!

PROBLEMS: Metal Gear Solid 4 is a game that has many problems.

* Looooong Loading "installs"
* Terrible online play
* Low-resolution graphic textures
* Terrible storyline
* Cutscenes that last up to 90 minutes at a time
* No Trophies
* No replay value - After you beat it, no reason to play again

Metal Gear Solid 4 is not nearly as good as MGS1 or MGS2...it is a disappointing game, just like MGS3...the sales prove this. People saw the game, they played the game, and they were not longer interested in the game, which is why the sales dropped so dramatically so quickly. The first batch of people saw the good (tainted) reviews, so they ran out and bought it. But after people had played the game, everyone lost interest in Metal Gear Solid 4.

rivet24's picture
On November 1st rivet24 said:

you guys must be retarted not to be able to figure out any mgs control scheme. You sure are missing out on some of the greatest games ever made. Putting a game down after 10 mintues because you dont like the control, well that something like a 5-year old would do. Also, the reason Mgs4 hasnt or wont be released on the xbox is beause, the xbox isnt a blue-ray player it would take at least 8 or 9 dvds to even fit mgs4 onto the xbox. anyway just thought you ppl should know the situation

Cure's picture
On November 4th Cure said:

Well I agree with the MSG control scheme not being all that difficult to master, although your estimates are a bit off, dual-layer blueray = 50 gig, dual layer HD = 15 gig (+-) so actually its only like 4 (if its all dual layer of course).
But My opinion is that MGS4 was so heavily optimized for the PS3 (for people that don't know programming that means assembly lots of assembly), that they'd probably have to rewrite most of the it for the xbox.

Gamerz's picture
On October 31st Gamerz said:

I had the same exact experience with MGS2 as w/NickgamertagO1 when trying to play it before MGS4: The controls are so horrible, could never get used to them and gave up on it in fustration. Good riddance to bad controls!!! Seems hard to believe anyone could like it.

However, MGS4 is *much* better control wise and and absolutely amazing game in total. One of the best console games ever made! Be sure to try it out and don't let the foul taste of MGS2 prevent you from experiencing this masterpiece.

NickgamertagO1's picture
On October 31st NickgamertagO1 said:

If it does come to the 360 and I'm finsihed with RB2, GH:WT, Dead Space, Fable 2, Gears 2, Fallout 3, and Call of Duty: WaW I'll give it a go. But with RE5 and Riddick coming out next year it seems the flow of excellent games isn't going to stop.

I have heard the controls for MGS4 are more simple and straight forward than they have been in the past. We'll see...

NickgamertagO1's picture
On October 31st NickgamertagO1 said:

I second that. I won't be buying it though (I liked the first one, but after 10 minutes of MGS2, I lost complete interest in the series, the cumbersome controls did it in for me).

Limanima's picture
On October 31st Limanima said:

They will make a lot more money when MGS4 releases on the XBox next year.

calladorn8t's picture
On October 31st calladorn8t said:

I agree, after the release on 360 and they realize how much more money they made or could have made with a simultaneous release, I wonder what it will do to the whole "we'll support PS3 first before 360" theory...

CameronL99's picture
On November 3rd CameronL99 said:

Hideo Kojima wanted to make a game that was specific to one platform and took advantage of all of its strengths. Even with 50 gigs of space he still needed to make cuts, and there are way too many ps3/sony/apple products and references in the game that Microsoft would need to change it all, they would need to drastically rewrite and redo a lot of scripting, which is impossible at this point. The 360 is a garbage machine that breaks down and goes into complete tantrums more often than the nerds and lifeless dorks who play on it and refuse to let go, despite being on their 12th one. Multiplatform games always suffer, and MGS4 truly shows what can be done if you only program for PS3 - FULL 1080p graphics with almost zero hiccups, with more onscreen action and unbelievable effects (graphics and soundwise) than any other game out there.

NickgamertagO1's picture
On November 3rd NickgamertagO1 said:

There may be things that need to be changed since for some reason Konami thought it was a good idea throw jabs at MS IN A GAME. That in itself reeks of desperation if you ask me. If there were PS3 references in Halo or Gears, I'd be pissed off. Any way...

As for your Multiplatform games always suffer comment; you were referring to the PS3 versions correct? If not, you're sorely mistaken. With just a few recent exceptions, the 360 versions of multiplatform games always run better (that may simply be due to developers just now getting the heads wrapped around the PS3, although, the PS3 version of Fallout 3 as noted by multiple gaming sites/magazines runs better on the 360 and that game is brand new). Bioshock, Oblivion, Fallout 3, and Orange box (to name a few, there's plenty more, those are just some of the bigger releases) all scored higher on metacritic on the 360 than they did on the PS3. The latter two having notably better frame rates on the 360 version. Not only that, but Orange Box is one of the highest rated 360 games at 96% which is 7 points higher than the PS3's version.

360 metacritic top games- http://www.metacritic.com/games/xbox360/

PS3 metacritic top games- http://www.metacritic.com/games/ps3/

And your 50 gig argument. That's garbage. No game this generation should take up 50 gigs, that's just lazy development. All the 3rd party releases on the 360 (CoD4, Fallout, Oblivion, GTAIV, Orange Box for example) run as good if not better than the PS3 version, but also fit on the 7 gigs of available space one 360 DVD-9 disc provides. You're telling me that the amazing graphics of CoD4 could be done at 7 gigs, but Metal Gear is so much better that you need an additional 43 gigs??? Unless there is a ton of prerendered cut scenes (which I've never played MGS4, but knowing Playstation's history with Final Fantasy and all their fantasy CG cut scenes I wouldn't be surprised). Some games do prerendered cut scenes using in-game assets so although the graphics don't look that much better at all, it’s still prerendered (it makes doing the scenes and animation easier). And Gyak is right, only a few PS3 games run at 1080p. Sony did SAY that their system could run games at 1080p at 120 FPS, but it seems 720p at 30 FPS is about its average offering. Even their 1st party game that is supposed to show off what the PS3 can do (it does look amazing) only runs at 720p at 30FPS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killzone_2

So, check your facts before you go on a rant.

gyak's picture
On November 3rd gyak said:

Mate. Last time I checked MGS4 wasn't 1080p at all (only 720p), check your details again. Not that it wasn't gorgeous - because it was - but in 720p.