OCT. 31, 2007 • Konami announces that the release of the PS3-exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, was being pushed back from the first quarter of 2008 to the second quarter. A need for further improvements in the quality of the game was cited as the reason for the delay in release.

Impact: If any title can spark hardware sales momentum for the PlayStation 3, Metal Gear Solid 4 is that game. While Sony likely would rather see the game release closer to when consumers have Christmas gift money still in their pockets, a second quarter ship date probably will be better for retailers. Getting a huge franchise title in-store during the usually uneventful sales months leading into summer can boost consumer excitement and lead to other impulse purchases. As Square Enix has shown with Kingdom Hearts, and Blizzard with Diablo and World of Warcraft, huge franchises will sell huge whenever they are released.