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Kojima teaser ends in countdown timer

Konami's "Next" Web site updated with clock set to expire on May 21; Flash animation reveals what could be a "5" or an "S."

Those hoping that Konami and Kojima Productions would today reveal Metal Gear Solid 5, a Metal Gear Solid 4 for the Xbox 360, or even Metal Gear Solid Touch 2 for the iPhone are in for a bit of a disappointment. After launching Kojima Productions' "Next" Web site as part of a teaser campaign on Wednesday, the publisher today updated said Web site with...a new teaser campaign.

Prominently featured on the new teaser site is a countdown timer that is expected to end at 6 p.m. PDT on May 21. The background art of Konami's site has also changed. Whereas the first site showed two remote figures standing on an open, dreary field under an overcast sky, the art has been replaced with Flash animation of turbulent storm clouds and the audible rumble of rolling thunder. Most interestingly, the site also briefly flashes what appears to be either a "5" or an "S" as lightning rips through the roiling clouds.

Several theories have already cropped up regarding what this ambiguously blocky character could refer to. Immediately and most obviously, the "5" could be in reference to a sequel to last year's top-rated PS3-exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots--which creator Hideo Kojima teased at his Game Developers Conference keynote address in March. This theory is supported by the Web site's page info, which lists among other keywords "MGS" and "Metal Gear."

Alternatively, the "S" could refer to Kojima's long-dormant Snatcher franchise. The cyberpunk adventure game was most recently released in North American for the Sega Saturn in 1996. Yet one more option is that the teaser campaign could somehow tie in to Metal Gear Solid 4 + Oxide, the widely rumored Xbox 360 port of MGS4 that may--or may not--cap Microsoft's Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference on the morning of June 1.

Tom Magrino
By Tom Magrino

Tom Magrino has covered the games industry since 2006. He's been compared to Steve Martin by Ozzy Osbourne and Daniel Craig by Tim Schafer. His voice, heard largely on GameSpot's podcast, recalls that of Kermit the Frog. It ain't easy bein' Magreen.

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tainted_lynx 5 pts

As much as this is potentially big news.. a word of caution. When this has happened in the past, it hasn't always gone well. Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot are examples of franchises that were exclusive, but went into decline when they went multiplatform. Some would argue the Splinter Cell series did the same, and only returned to greatness when it went exclusive again for its most recent installment. While I expect there are examples to the contrary (though I can't think of any off the top of my head, interestingly), the fact remains that going multiplatform has to be carefully managed. There's something about being a series exclusive to a system that endears that series to that system's fans. When you go multiplatform you have to step up your game.

DarrenZX07 5 pts

Kojima should make MGS5 exclusively for PS3 because if they put it in the Xbox it would kill the Metal Gear Solid saga because alomost all of the Metal Gear Solid games are always in the Playstation franchise so i think he should just stick with PS3

SocialAnXieTy 5 pts

Kojima already said Raiden is the start of MGR.

shii666 5 pts

Metal Gear Solid Rising! I think it stars Sunny. The eye color is different from Raiden's. But, oh well. It is a multiplatform game.

Strife88 5 pts

Cannot wait for this announcement.

dth_dlr 5 pts

not too long to wait before we find out what Kojima have install for us. all i know is it will be a big announcement

bonafiedhero 5 pts

if you continue to watch, the numbers and letters, E/3 6 9 p can be seen, i didnt watch for more than 5 minutes but i assuming it spells something

cj_simmons 5 pts

@ mediocrazy it's bigboss and grayfox.

pakhair 16 pts

Kojima will surprise us............. Not with a brink but with a bang..............

Check out My Pre E3 Blog
SnakeRayden 5 pts

is a five (5)..... MGS 5...... hopefully only for PS3.....MULTIPLATFORMS SUCKS!!!

mediocrazy 5 pts

If you watch it for 6 minutes or so a face of either big boss or snake flashes followed by Raiden. Its pretty obvious what this is

poopman9000 5 pts

when you go to the website don't just look at the first thing that comes out,if you wait,different letters will come out and spell P.R.E.S then at the en a 3 appears and i got the same thng as JimmyChalice. Not to mention that at the end of about 10 minutes,a face of a game character appears.so,go to the website and stare at your computer for like 10 minutes and you will figure things out eventually

JimmyChalice 5 pts

the timer only announces whats gonna happend at the end of the countdown, in other words its the timer that is counting down to "Kojima Production's" E3 Press conferece, recently the lightning flashes and shows a P,R,E,S and the #3. so im guessing the timer is saying we will now the big secret at "Kojima Production's" press conference @e3 2009

Merciless_R 5 pts

"I am lightning... the rain transformed." Isn't it obvious yet?

jackwillkillu 5 pts

I hope its a new Snatcher, not enough Cyber-punk games, but we're saturated with stealth. I would like an MGS5 but I don't see where they could take the series, and I don't think they could top MGS4.

TOMMY_D13 5 pts

If MGS5 comes out I will cry with happiness, by far one of the best game series ever!!!!!! MGS4 rocked so 5 must be insane!!!!

CrystalEdgen 5 pts

Soooooo hoping for MGS 5. MGS 4 was the best game ever! Lets hope they make it as funny as Snake Eater

obedandaw 5 pts

From what I can gather it says "MgS 5 E3"

PayneKiller 13 pts

@Heaventorn: It was a timer that was set to expire last night at 9pm EST, but when it expired it only brought on ANOTHER timer. Typical Kojima rock rollin. But before it only had the 5/S flashing, now it has the 5/S, E, e and 3 flashing since the timer restarted.

AlfaxD_Centauro 5 pts

@lewi-jay Buy a PlayStation 3 if you want to play MGS4 ^_^.

Heaventorn 5 pts

Hmm, I don't think GameSpot watched it long enough, I saw an 'S' or '5', a capital 'E', a lower case 'e', a backwards 'E' or a '3' and I think that was it.

deathreturns 5 pts

I'm not sure if someone already posted this, but my countdown timer went down to 7 hours when I checked this morning, has anyone else? Seeing as it was at 119 hours yesterday it doesn't make much sense.

lewi-jay 5 pts

yeah, im seeing "5 E 3". Please can this all end with a sentence that has "xbox" in it?

Adam314- 5 pts

I think its a new mgs if you turn the backwards E to the left you get m theres a g and I think its an s

odoyle420 5 pts

I think I have it figured out the countdown timers seem to go increaments of 40 the first one was released may 16th in the magizine and the roughly 40 hours later the second teaser was shown with 80 hours on it and then after that there was another teaser with 120 hours on it. Now if I am right the next one will have 160 hours on it which will take it to microsofts e3 day, but that is only 4 teasers and there is supposed to be 5 so I think that after that it will be droped down to 24 hours and then they will talk on sonys day about a new metal gear game which is possible metal gear solid exestince which they registered in 2008. I am not 100% sure about the release date of the magizine but they posted it up on the website on the 16th I think.

games100 5 pts

@ The Austrian: their are three more timers coming, intill the 1st June so ye....

Randy_Savage 5 pts

@ The Austrian: My thoughts exactly!

TheAustrian 5 pts

I swear if we get to the end of this new timer and we get another timer, death will come on swift wings.

legend133 5 pts

I should have known better, who announces something on a thursday night

legend133 5 pts

other than being rick rolled at the end of the timer, this is the most @$$hole thing to do.

pablo091377 5 pts

@yoda4ps3 it's a lower case "e" not a "9"... a nine faces the opposite direction.

pablo091377 5 pts

@lobert124 It's 119 hours... not days. That equals roughly 5 days, which is 5/27 (in Japan... 5/26 here in U.S.). The 5 countdown theory is looking "solid" (pun intended). However I have to agree with SharinganTH14 that the "5,4,3,2,1" theory doesn't hold "water" now (pun intended... sorry). My only real question is how much worse can this storm get... 3 more countdowns... this is gonna be something.

yoda4ps3 5 pts

something to do with s or 5 (5 most likely) at e3 in 9 days. There was a 9 5/s and e and 3

SharinganTH14 5 pts

Hideo Kojima, you make great games, but you're an absolute d*ck.

ChubbyGuy40 6 pts

Guessing MGS5 at E3 for the PS3. I really hope they don't bring it to the 360, maybe the Wii though. 360 controller is uncomfortable and PS3 needs more awesome games!

10679 5 pts

it should have already have started lol as the countdown timer is zero

SharinganTH14 5 pts

I think it has to be MGS5. If it had been the countdown thing like 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 then you could say the 5 was there by coincidence as a countdown. Now I don't think there is anything else it can mean apart from MGS5 if after the countdown 5 is still here. I have a feeling MGS5 will be announced AS WELL AS this Existence thing for 360, or something for 360 if the final date does coincide with Microsoft's E3. Perhaps a multiplatform MGS5? I'd prefer to keep it in the Sony family, but what will be done will be done.

13thGuards 5 pts

dang, hideo is messing with our minds!!!

pablo091377 5 pts

@dgmoore7811 Tokyo is 16 hours ahead

dgmoore7811 5 pts

haha yah when it finally loaded for me it took quite awhile

pablo091377 5 pts

Funny I have 3 versions of this same flash up right now... the 1st 80hr version, my special grey background version, and the field with thunder rain and lightning.

pablo091377 5 pts

@dgmoore7811 I refreshed right away and think that I caught the file while being uploaded or something. I now have the field on another tab but I am keeping the grey background up. if only I could sell it on ebay as the uber rare Kojima mindf*ck :)

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