Gamernode: Columns - How Konami and Sony f*cked up the release of the Limited Edition Gun Metal Grey Metal Gear Solid 4 PlayStation 3

How Konami and Sony f*cked up the release of the Limited Edition Gun Metal Grey Metal Gear Solid 4 PlayStation 3

The most powerful form of marketing is word-of-mouth. Given this commonly known bit of advertising 101 splendor, who better to act as herald to one of the biggest games of the year sold only for a console in desperate need of any kind of content; let alone the highly marketable system-selling triple-A blockbuster kind; than the die-hard fans; the people who have had the next entry in the series at the top of their "most anticipated" list since they were forced to pull the trigger on their virtual mentor in a sea of white flowers over four years ago. These people, of which I'm a proud card-carrying member, are arguably any series greatest asset, and expanding their numbers must be made a top priority. Unfortunately, just the opposite has happened. Konami and Sony have just pissed them off.

On Thursday April 10, 2008 Sony posted on their official blog, to everyone's amazement, the "Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots" Limited edition PLAYSTATION 3 Hardware Bundle would actually be coming stateside. Unique to this bundle would be both the console (40GB version) and new DUALSHOCK 3 controller coming in a new gun metal grey finish with the text "METAL GEAR SOLID 4 LIMITED EDITION" appearing at the bottom of the console (if standing vertically). Included in the bundle would be the Limited Edition version of the game, otherwise only available for purchase from Gamestop and EBgames for $84.99. Almost on cue, the forums and comments sections of news sites were filled with equal amounts of praise and vilification. User "DaiMacculate" on Kotaku said "This is, IMO, the best looking PS3 model I've seen so far. I just wish I was more of an MGS fan, so I could justify the purchase based on that." Conversely, user "Zertoss" on Joystiq simply said "Ewwww. 40 GB," noting the hardware capabilities, or lack thereof, associated with all 40GB PS3 models such as no backwards compatibility, no SACD support, no flash card readers and only two USB 2.0 ports. The 80GB has all of the aforementioned features and an additional two USB 2.0 ports bringing the total to four. Konami and Sony jointly found a way to genuinely get people excited for a tie-in product only to have them feel torn, and shy away some, by offering an obviously inferior product. Did they not know the same people who buy limited editions are the same people who prefer purchasing the more powerful and feature-rich technology? As a die hard fan of the series, I didn't want the 40GB version, I needed it. How embarrassing it would be proclaiming my undying love for Metal Gear and not being the proud owner of the LE!

On Thursday May 19, 2008, over a month after their initial announcement, Konami announced the details of what they previously said would be a "VERY, VERY Limited Edition bundle." The only way to purchase it would be by logging onto Konami's website on May 19^th where it would be available at an unspecified time for a price of $599.99. As of writing, May 19, 2008, the current price for a 40GB PlayStation 3 with included DUALSHOCK 3 controller at Amazon.com and Best Buy is $399.99. With the included limited edition version of the game priced at $84.99, the gun metal grey paint job essentially adds an additional $115 to the price tag. In this time of rapid economic downturn with the videogame industry experiencing just the opposite, it's apparent this is another attempt to test the buying power of the rabid and "loyal" fan base with this very subjectively perceived "value," a value which ebay scalpers are more than happy to push even further. Sorrowful and reluctant, I began questioning the feasibility of my future purchase.

On Sunday May 18, 2009 at 11:59 I logged onto the Konami website, eager to just "check" the status of product's availability. The only option was to add it to your "Wish List," an option about as necessary and fulfilling as sending a letter to Angelina Jolie informing her of your marital status as being "single." "It'll probably take a couple of hours to appear on the website," I thought. After an embarrassing number of refreshes over the course of one or two hours, the details of which I will never (soberly) divulge, the page remained the same.

On the morning of Monday May 19, 2008 at approximately 8:00 AM (no, I didn't get up just to check the availability...I had to take my girlfriend home so she could get ready for work! Honest!), unsatisfied with the lack of results from the previous night I checked the site yet again; nothing. Remembering Konami's inability to supply an exact sale time, I proceeded to an array of forums. Apparently some wanted the bundle much more than me. User "samuraigundam" on the Gamefaqs message board for MGS4 stayed up all night refreshing the page every half hour. He was frustrated.

At 10:19 AM the community got word from Konami the bundle would not be available until later in the afternoon.

After an unusually long refresh at around 5:00 PM, the page changed. The bundle became available for pre-order. With more excitement than a child receiving a Nintendo 64 for Christmas during its peak year and with more grace than an Olympic level floor-dancer, I clicked on the new big green button these eyes longed to see. After a lengthy and concerning wait, the next page appeared; the last page in the process I would see.

This is where the shit hit the fan. Attempting to proceed beyond this point yielded a blank white page. Some got through and reported their success like a lotto winner with a winning scratch-off. "Those f*ckers must be lying," I thought. "My luck can't be THAT bad." It is, apparently. They had the pictures to prove of their success. Unfortunately I wasn't the only one stuck in rabid MGS consumerism hell, my comrades on various message boards were also having trouble procuring the sweet sweet gun metal-colored marriage of plastic and electronics. For some, various pages wouldn't even load and eventually timed out. For others, when they did eventually load they were logged in under a different username, Duane. If the shit had already hit the fan, this is where it spreads on the furniture, on your tv, christ even on your freshly marinated Rib Eye.

Various reports started to emerge of a $500 mandatory insurance fee. As the minutes went on, oddly enough my frustration level rose equivalently, more reports and details started surfacing. The $500 insurance fee is real, bringing the total price to a massive $1120.98 including standard shipping of $20.99 to have it delivered in 3-5 days. According to user "sephiroth617" of the Gamefaqs message board for MGS4, in a phone call he or she had with Konami, they told him the insurance fee would be refundable once the item ships. No matter who you are, $1120.98 is a lot of money, refundable or not.

Pic of the checkout. Thanks Gamefaqs user!

In response, user "Blizzard Cyclone" of the CheapAssGamer (CAG) boards listed the insurance rates for U.S. shipments from a number of carriers.

For U.S. shipments, the rates are as follows:

UPS - 3-5 Business days:$7.99 for the first product and $1.00 for each additional product.UPS - 2 Business days:$9.99 for the first product and $1.00 for each additional product.UPS - 1 Business day:$15.99 for the first product and $1.00 for each additional product.

For U.S. Military shipping destinations with an APO/FPO address, the following rate applies:

USPS First Class:$7.99 for the first product and $1.00 for each additional product.

For Canadian shipments, the following rate applies:

USPS Global Priority:$9.99 for the first product and $1.00 for each additional product. Important: The shipping rate to Canada does not include the taxes and tariffs that you may be charged when your order crosses the Canadian border. All taxes and tariffs are the responsibility of the purchaser and are to be paid at the time of delivery. Please check with Canada Post and/or Customs for the appropriate rates that may be due upon delivery.

We are currently required by law to charge state tax in the following states below.

California tax rate:7.25% + local assessments

Illinois tax rate:6.25%

Indiana tax rate:6%

Texas:6.25% + local assessments

For orders shipping outside the continental U.S. , please allow additional time for your order to arrive due to delays that may be encountered due to border crossings into Canada or transit times to Hawaii or Alaska.

Let's recap. The MGS4 LE bundle includes the LE version of the game and a new color scheme for the controller and console. The console itself is inferior to the 80GB version but costs significantly more. The bundle is not sold in stores; only on the Konami site. Konami didn't tell consumers what time it would be available. When it finally became available, very few could actually purchase it. Those who got lucky observed a refundable $500 mandatory insurance charge, bringing the total up to $1120.98 which is immediately deducted from your account.

It's been around 5 hours since the bundle first went on sale. When I once again click the big green button labeled "Pre-Order" I am taken to a nice little page seen below:

Before this silliness I really wanted the bundle, now I'm just bitter. I already have the LE version of the game preordered so now it's time to research alternative PS3 procurement methods. While doing so, I won't be able to keep from asking myself, "since when did it become a good idea to take a big Taco Bell-sized shit on your most loyal fans?"

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