Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Only legendary developer Hideo Kojima could make the announcements of his titles more confusing than the plots embedded within them. We always assumed that Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes – which was revealed quite a while back – had become The Phantom Pain, but it turns out that it’s actually a different game. Perhaps the most exciting thing is that you’ll be playing it on your PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3 in a matter of months.

In a somewhat unexpected announcement earlier today, publisher Konami has clarified that Ground Zeroes will launch in Spring 2014 in Europe and North America. A spokesperson for the UK arm of the company confirmed that it will cost £19.99 for a digital version and £29.99 for a retail version on current generation consoles. There'll only be a download version for the PS4, and it will cost £29.99. We believe that’s known as the next generation tax.

“The advanced capabilities of the FOX Engine have allowed me to tell the new story in a new way,” said a buoyant Hideo Kojima. “There will be a significant difference in what Metal Gear Solid: The Phantom Pain brings to the series, so we want to ease players into the new open world environment and its potential. As such, Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes has been designed to introduce key elements, allowing them to fully benefit from all that the new game will offer.”

The move somewhat reminds us of Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, in that the developer’s offering a teaser of the upcoming sequel ahead of its full release. What do you make of this announcement? Will you be purchasing the sampler for your PS3 or PS4? Are you irritated by the price discrepancies? Flash an exclamation point in the comments section below.