Ah, the Metal Gear Solid 4 debacle … For what now seems like decades, the war over the possibility of a multiformat release has raged on. The air has long been filled with rumors, denials, fanboy hysteria, and the occasional confirmation, but whoever has spoken up on either side of the debate has always been instantly screamed down and labelled a heathen.
Now however, a new voice has entered the fray. Who is he? Kazumi Kitaue, head of Konami’s North American and European operations. Speaking to Reuters, Kitaue-san was dubious about the effect Sony’s much vaunted PS3 price drop will have on its market share, stating:
I wonder if Sony can win back user support by the price cut of just $100. I don’t expect a substantial impact … With $500, you can buy a personal computer.
A high-profile vote of no confidence like that is definitely not what Sony needs at the beginning of such an important E3 week, that’s for sure. On the subject of what that meant for the release of Konami’s latest blockbuster on Sony’s machine, Kitaue maintained loyalty, but admitted that provisions may have to be made given the current climate.
Since Metal Gear Solid was born for the PlayStation, we would like to keep it a PlayStation game. But we might have to take some steps.
Vague, off-hand comment, do you reckon? Or tactful and diplomatic statement of intent? It’s understandable that Konami wouldn’t do anything to empty its bladder on Sony’s E3 fireworks after so many profitable years together, but it’s also entirely understandable that big-budget games need big profits to avoid big losses. With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising if these latest statements did turn out to be the sugar-coated break-up speech many are expecting. We’ll no doubt get official word on the matter soon.
[Thanks to Steve Harris and Joe Burling, bitter tip-rivals to the end]
