´Metal Gear Solid 4´ no longer PS3 exclusive?, part III

After recent renewed speculation on the matter, Hideo Kojima himself has failed to put the rumours to rest that ´Metal Gear Solid 4´ may be no longer a PlayStation3 exclusive.

Speaking to GamePro, the acclaimed game designer politely voices some criticism against the PS3 controller´s lack of rumble, goes on to say that he does not yet have any details on Sony´s online plans and that he may consider a ´Metal Gear Online´ just as well for Xbox360 and Wii. He also confirms that he will work on Wii projects.

Most importantly, though, he says that ´MGS4 is actually for the PS3 only,´ adding a significant ´so far´. Here are the relevant excerpts:

I really miss the rumble feature, and I already said to Mr. Kutaragi that I want the rumble feature back. (...) Sony has not really spoken with us about their online plans. What I have is Metal Gear Online, and I'm always thinking of how we can conduct this plan on the Sony platform.

One example is the PSP game Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. That's, in a way, one our plans for MGO that we have in mind. It's not about the platform. In an ideal MGO world, no matter what the platform is -- PC, Xbox 360, PS3, handheld, Wii -- we wish that we could create a kind of community where everyone can play. That's kind of the MGO way of thinking. (...)

Wii! [laughs] Yes, I will do it [develop for it]. I'm saying this every day. [laughs] But first, I have to face this giant that is called Metal Gear Solid 4, so until I'm finished with that, I can't do anything. (...)

Of course I don't actually work with all the programs, so I can't tell you specifically what's difficult [about writing code for the PS3]. But overall I think it is difficult, of course. But if it's easy and simple, then how can you differentiate from other games? Other people will do the same thing as you. Therefore, we're trying to use [the Cell's] difficulty to create something different.

If I say too much, Mr. Kutaragi might get really upset. I think that the PS3 is difficult to work with, but so was the PS2. (...)

I do have strong interest in creating something for the Xbox 360. In the US and Europe, it is selling, and I think it will sell a lot this year as well. I'm a fan of Gears of War as well, it's very interesting.

Frankly speaking, I want to create something on the PC. It's a multi-platform [format]. I've been regularly studying work on the PC anyways, and I want to provide something as a world-wide platform because of the consequences with timing on the PlayStation platforms, MGS4 is actually for the PS3 only so far.

Kojima´s statement is the next best thing to an outright confirmation that ´MGS4´ will make it to other platforms. And there has been circumstantial evidence already. An industry insider claimed in late December that an Xbox360 version had already been approved and, two months prior to that, gaming magazine EGM popped the question ´Metal Gear Solid 4 on Xbox 360?´ on its cover.

In my mind, soon it will be time to take that old ´rumour´ tag off of this story and paste a brand new ´news´ tag alongside it.

Source: GamePro
Thanks to: Maxconsole