Konami has announced that Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the PS3 will be released across Europe on the 12th of June.

MGS4 will be released on a Blu-Ray disc which will contain both the game disc as well as Kojima Productions’ Metal Gear Online, an online title that makes use of game play elements as well as locations from the game.

The press release did not detail the MGS4 Online beta but did mention a public beta version of Metal Gear Online before the release of the game and promised that “full details” would be announced “shortly.” So it seems that the beta will be released across Europe as well.

MGS4 and Online beta detailed for the US

Earlier Konami confirmed that MGS4 would be released across the US on the 12th of June. However, it was uncertain whether Europe would get the game on the same date.

Konami also previously announced that the Online beta would begin in the US on the 21st of April and run for roughly two weeks. Details of the beta were given including pre-ordering the game being a prerequisite to sign up for the beta. Konami also revealed that the pre-order package of the game would include some extras such as a Metal Gear Saga 2.0 DVD, trailers and bios. It was also unclear at this stage whether the beta would just be available across North America.

Game play and story

The final chapter in Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid series, MGS4 takes place in the future where hand-picked mercenaries are used by conglomerates in the fight for supremacy. Players will see this battle scarred world through the eyes of an older Solid Snake as he sets about infiltrating various locations including South America and the Middle East. MGS4 offers innovative combat elements as well as a refined control system and promises to tie up key plot lines and loose ends.

The stealth and combat features of the game have been combined in Metal Gear Online. Players will be dropped into various war zones and game options including Last Man Standing battles as well as rescue and protect missions. It supports online game play with up to 16 players.