Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition?

Gamestop has started taking pre-orders for a MGS4 Limited Edition.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

Konami has not yet officially announced a special edition MGS4 package. There has been speculation that one will be released but no official announcement has been made. However, Gamestop must know something we don't as the video game retailer has started taking pre-orders for a deluxe special edition Metal Gear Solid 4.



The limited edition, as described on Gamestop's Site, comes in a collectable metal box and is loaded with extras. Found in the package is a blu-ray disc containing two making of documentaries, four chapters from the graphic novel, and a Metal Gear soundtrack CD. Gamers who pre-order from Gamestop will also receive a limited edition art book. It is unclear whether or not pre-order of the limited edition will grant access into the MGS4 online beta. Gamestop lists the special edition at a price of $84.99.



While I'm a total sucker for limited editions I'm a bit disappointed by the extras found in the MGS4 special edition. Don't get me wrong, the blu-ray disc loaded with extras is cool, but it's not as exciting as a mini Master Chief helmet or Grand Theft Auto safety deposit box. It's going to be hard for me to justify paying an extra $35 for a tin case and an extra DVD considering most games sell similar packages for only $10 extra. However, this may all be speculation on Gamestop's part. Nothing has officially been announced by either SCEA or Konami and, if true, the price may change closer to release.

What do you guys think of this package? Would you pay the extra $35 for the content found in the special edition?

Metal Gear Solid 4 hits shelves on June 12th. Click HERE to pre-order the game over at Amazon.

Cheers.

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Making the Switch to Blu-ray

The time has come to dust off my DVD rack and start fresh.

It appears that Sony has won the high-definition war. Toshiba has dropped their format out of the running and it looks like Blu-ray will take over as the accepted step up from DVD. While Blu-ray discs aren't yet flying off the shelves at the same rate as DVDs they are no doubtably picking up steam. Consumers can now buy Blu-ray with confidence now that Sony controls the entire market. I too have jumped on the Blu-ray bandwagon and have decided that it's time to clean house and embrace the new format.

I've been an avid DVD collector for roughly eight or nine years. I make it a habit to pick up the DVDs of films I enjoyed in theatres and would rather buy a movie than rent one. My collection is a humble one peaking around 150 flicks but I'm proud of the titles I've accumulated over the years. However, I feel it's time to let the majority of my collection go in an attempt to kick start my library of Blu-ray discs.



As of now roughly half of my DVD collection has been listed on eBay. I'm mostly selling the titles that can be replaced on Blu-ray or one's that I'm not very inclined to keep. I'm holding on to all my box-sets and my favourite films but I'll probably end up selling those as soon as I pick them up in high-def. I understand these eBay auctions won't make me anywhere close to the amount of money I spent on these DVDs over the years but that's just the way things work. I figure I'll make more selling them now than I would if I waited; the sooner the better. Selling my collection looks like a good idea right now but could easily backfire.

For starters, who says Blu-ray is going to be the format of the future? Sure, Sony has beaten HD DVD but who's to say another format, say digital downloads, won't come in and steal the spoils? I would hate to sell all my DVDs and end up with a sizable collection of discs from a a format no longer supported. While I'm confident that Blu-ray can stick around for the long haul I still have my doubts.

Has anyone else sold off their entire DVD collection yet and embraced Blu-ray disc? Where did you sell them? How many titles did you sell? Am I making a poor decision by selling my DVD collection? Post a comment and let me know.

You can view and bid on my eBay listings HERE.

Cheers.

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Metal Gear Solid 4 Release Date Announced

Konami has revealed that MGS4 will have a street date of June 12th.

It appears that Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots finally has a release date. Konami has announced they plan to ship the game for a June 12th street date and that a Metal Gear PS3 bundle will come out around the same time.



This is the game the PS3 needs to gain momentum as a gaming system. The PS3 has been picking up quite a bit of steam lately with the recent success of Sony's Blu-ray format. However, many are viewing the console as a cheap Blu-ray player and not as a gaming system. Sony needs to start releasing quality games for their machine as MGS4 will be a giant step in the right direction.

Sony has plans to release a Metal Gear PS3 bundle around the same time as the game's release in June. The bundle will include an 80GB PS3, a recently announced Dual Shock 3 controller, and Metal Gear 4 along with an online start pack.

Speaking of online, Sony has revealed that gamers who pre-order Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots will be accepted into an online beta similar to what Bungie did with Halo 3 last spring. The beta plans to begin in late April and there has been no word on how long it will last.

Metal Gear 4 should be a great game and provide the push Sony needs to sell their PS3 as a gaming system. Keep checking back to MediaZEALOT as we'll provide MGS4 updates leading up to its release.

Cheers.

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Walmart Chooses Blu-ray, HD DVD Dies

The voice of Walmart has spoken.

Walmart has chosen BluRay. The retail giant has decided to stop backing both formats and has settled on Sony's blue disc. Come June you will no longer be able to find HD DVDs at all four thousand Walmart and Sam's Club stores across North America.

HD DVD has been on the decline since Warner Bros. signed on exclusively with Sony's high-def format back on January 4th. Best Buy and Netflix have also chosen to side with the format and I wouldn't be surprised if Walmart is the final nail in HD DVD's coffin.



I feel like a fool. I went with HD DVD late last summer and have been keen on it becomming the successor to DVD. It appears I was wrong, Blu-Ray has been picking up steam since the fall and now has a dominating stranglehold on the high-definition market. It's hard to see HD DVD making a comeback with 20th Century Fox, HBO, Lions Gate, Miramax, New Line, Disney, and Warner all on Blu-ray's side. I knew I had to plan on picking up a Blu-ray player sooner or later as The Dark Knight will be released exclusively for the format. This announcement just solidifies my choice.

Follow-Up Report: Toshiba has confirmed that it will no longer be manufacturing HD DVD players. The format is officially dead.

Cheers.

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FILM: Sony names Blu-ray as winner over HD-DVD

Sony's Blu-ray for-the-win?

SCEA (Sony Computer Entertainment America) today realeased a few bits of information hoping to swing the Blu-ray/Toshiba HD-DVD war. Sony says that since the release of their gaming machine, the Playstation 3, Blu-ray Disc has undergone "tremendous growth in consumer adoption."

Sony stated that:

-Blu-ray has outsold HD-DVD in cumulative sales.
-Blu-ray titles outsold HD-DVD titles by more than two-to-one during the first week of January 2007.
-Blu-ray titles outsold HD-DVD titles by more than three-to-one during the second week of January 2007.



While some sites are stating that these tidbits of information declare the winner of the media war, I still believe that it's far from over. First off, Sony didn't release cumulative sales numbers, only the fact that they were selling more. The battle could be neck and neck or it could be a landslide, we're not sure. Second, the other stats released by Sony are VERY specific, and don't mean much when you look at the big picture.

I'm yet to pick sides in the HD-DVD/Blu-ray media war, I'll wait until the dust has settled and pick the victor. Until then I'll sit on the fence.

Cheers.

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