Konami explains MGS4 delay

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 9th November 2007
Comments (10) Stumble
Metal Gear Solid 4 won't be available for PAL territories until June 2008 at the earliest.

Metal Gear Solid 4 won't be available for PAL territories until June 2008 at the earliest.

Some people are confused about the Metal Gear Solid 4 release date, something which probably stems from the difference between the Japanese, American and European financial years. Thankfully, Konami has been kind enough to talk about it semi-publicly.

According to Kotaku Konami investors held a closed-door meeting today in Tokyo and laid out exactly what the plan is for the game. Konami apparently remains committed to a release in the first quarter of next year, but because the Japanese financial year ends March 31st that actually means that the game will probably be released between April and July in Japan.

This means the game has been delayed from the original late December. The very earliest that PAL territories can expect to see the game will be June 2008.

During the meeting the Chief Financial Officer for Konami explained to investors, who were no doubt worried about the drop in share value for the company, that the delay was actually good for investors. Konami shares dropped by 7 percent to a 4 year low after the delay was first announced.

The Konami CFO explained to investors that the delay means the company will be able to reach more fans worldwide and that the extra time afforded to developers will ensure a higher quality game.

Oh, and this means sales of the game will all fall in one financial year too - hopefully driving share prices up higher than if the sales had been split between two financial years. Damn those fiendish accountants!

How annoyed are you at the delay and which do you reckon is the best Metal Gear Solid game to date? Answers in the forums.
Quote cjoyce1980 9th November 2007, 10:07
lies, is because they want to get the 360 version out at the same time, double impact and uber profits.

konami should not care which system it is released on, just how much money they can make.
Quote mikeuk2004 9th November 2007, 12:06
June 2008???? Dam that is way too far. I bet it so they can get MGS online out first.
Quote mmorgue 9th November 2007, 12:17
I'm not bothered. I do want to play the game, but I'll take quality or a rushed/botched job. And knowing Konami, who have usually impressed me with most of their big releases, I'm quite confident the game will be top notch when it comes out. So far, the in game footage has been stunning.

As for the notions it's delayed to coincide with a 360 release -- rubbish. Konami want as perfect a product as possible and I fully understand why as so much has been placed on MGS4.

I do, however, wish more companies would take the idSoftware mantra of old, which was, "It'll ready when it's ready" and avoid a firm release date. Sure it annoys the fanboys but it allows the company time to do what it needs to produce a quality product without breaking commitments they'd of otherwise agreed to.
Quote Paradigm Shifter 9th November 2007, 13:07
It'll sell like hotcakes anyway, and I'd rather have it delayed a little than fatally flawed in some manner. ;)

As long as it doesn't turn into Duke Nukem For(n)ever. :)
Quote sub routine 9th November 2007, 15:10
share prices? finacial years?

oh the art of computer games is really loisng itself these days. It gets on my tits though that more and more the games get bought over by big bucks and accountnt managerial non-sense, makes me wonder about half these super developers and their CEO`s.
"Yeah man were in it for the games oh yeah I loves games man they`re soooo rad"
Quote Veles 9th November 2007, 15:53
You gotta make money, otherwise you don't have any money to pay for the development of future games or the wages to pay their staff.

I don't think the accountants particularly care about the quality of game though, that's not something you can quantify on a P&L sheet.
Quote devdevil85 9th November 2007, 19:34
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veles
I don't think the accountants particularly care about the quality of game though, that's not something you can quantify on a P&L sheet.
I bet they will once the game starts selling like hotcakes once the public sees just how amazing the game looks/feels due to the extended time for polishing......this game is going to be so sweet....watching the video on my 720p projector looked heavenly.....the movements were so fluid and the motion blur effect really made it that much more realistic.....I just can't wait to see this come March......
Quote Rebourne 10th November 2007, 01:50
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veles
You gotta make money, otherwise you don't have any money to pay for the development of future games or the wages to pay their staff.

I don't think the accountants particularly care about the quality of game though, that's not something you can quantify on a P&L sheet.

Depends on how much the consumer cares about quality, if the consumer needs a level of quality to want to purchase the product then the higher quality the more units you sell which equals the accountants caring a lot.
Quote Jordan Wise 10th November 2007, 15:30
best to date? metal gear solid for the original play station, awesome story, revolutionary gameplay, and the only game i can really say has excellant voice acting. The graphics were pretty tidy for its time too
Quote Shadowed_fury 12th November 2007, 01:45
I can't wait for MGS4 in all honesty.
Then again, with PS3 prices as they are, I don't mind - I see it like this, the longer I wait, the cheaper the PS3 will be by then. All is fine ;)

(Same goes for Gran Turismo in my eyes)
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