After the release of Metal Gear Online: Gene Expansion, an expansion pack for Metal Gear Solid 4’s multiplayer component, things have got a little hairy for Konami.

Due to the large volume of traffic, heavy server load has resulted in a host of problems for players trying to access the new multiplayer content, including the inability to access the ‘MGO Shop,’ ‘Ranking Display’ and the ‘Community Support Page.’

Simply trying to login to the service has been problematic, while Konami have been issuing refunds to player accounts after payments made were processed incorrectly, one of the main sources of the server load.

You can read the full list of issues, to which Konami have ‘no permanent solutions,’ but are currently trying to fix.

Konami’s Rock Revolution will be released across Europe in Quarter 1 of 2009. This music based party game will be released on the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS. Xbox 360 and PS3 owners can also look forward to song packs which will be released on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live.

Konami is no stranger to rhythm action games, having brought gamers the popular Dancing Stage series, as well as Karaoke Stage, Beatmania and Guitar Freaks.

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Konami Digital Entertainment has announced an expansion pack to Metal Gear Online, Metal Gear 4’s multiplayer component, entitled ‘Gene Expansion.’

The expansion pack features new characters, such as Meryl and Johnny from Metal Gear Solid 4, as well as a new Survival mode where players need to stay alive as long as possible against increasingly overwhelming challenges.

A ‘Reward Shop’ has also been added to trade points for new equipment, while players are now able to create female soldiers as their custom character.

New maps also feature in the expansion with the likes of ‘Coppertown Conflict’ featuring wide open streets, ‘Tube of Tombs’ comprising underground, labyrinthine passages and lastly ‘Virtuous Vistas,’ including locations ideal for mid- to long-range combat.

Gene Expansion will be made available on Thursday, the 17th of July, at a price of 9.99 Euro.

Konami has announced that Castlevania Judgment is currently in development for the Wii. It is scheduled to be released across North America this fall.

Developed by Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi, this marks the franchise’s next-gen debut on the Wii and its entry into the fighting game genre. The game will pit several generations of the Belmont clan against characters that span the series’ 22 year history.

The game will feature 3D environments rendered on the Wii and sees players choosing sides in a battle between good and evil using famous Castlevania characters. Players will use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to slash, stab and whip through various stages and environments using surrounding objects as weapons.

Players can also use select characters to set traps and use monsters. In addition players will be able to compete head-to-head using Wi-Fi as well as unlock bonus game play content by connecting with Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia on the Nintendo DS.

“We wanted to take this addition to the signature Konami franchise in a direction that really sets it apart from the previous Castlevania titles in the series,” said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami.

“The Wii Remote and Nunchuk capabilities, along with the iconic characters, make this game the ideal entry point into the fighting game genre. This combination is certain to thrill old and new fans of the franchise.”

Konami has announced that PES 2009 will be released on the PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, PSP and PC this Autumn in Europe.

The latest installment in the Pro Evolution Soccer series will include new graphics and new options allowing players to tailor the game to their personal tastes while new moves, control elements and online elements add to the realism of the game.

“The announcement of a new PES game is always a highlight for Konami, but PES 2009 looks set to reaffirm the series’ utter superiority,” commented Jon Murphy, PES Project Leader for Konami.

“We are committed to extending the realism of the new game with a wealth of key gameplay additions, and will produce a football title that truly embodies all the skill and pace that is good about the modern game.”

Last week Konami announced a Metal Gear Solid 4 Database would be available for download on the PlayStation Store. The Database is already available to North American PSN account holders but will become available to European gamers on the 26th of June.

The Metal Gear Solid 4 Database gives fans information about characters, weapons and plots from all the previous MGS titles and MGS4 Guns of the Patriots. Users can search using three central hubs: Genes (a glossary), Meme (maps relationships between characters in the series) and Scene (timeline for the series).

As previously mentioned information relating to MGS4 only becomes assessable when the game has been completed to avoid spoilers.

Konami has announced that sales of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot have topped one million units within the first week across Europe.

Konami shipped over one million copies of the PS3 exclusive stealth game to retailers across Europe “to meet the exceptional demand.” Konami also confirmed high sales in all European territories and that the 25 000 copies of the limited edition MGS4 sets made available across Europe were bought almost immediately by MGS fans.

“The Metal Gear Solid series has again proved its huge potential, and we are delighted with the fantastic response the game has enjoyed at retail,” commented Martin Schneider, Sales and Marketing Director Germany for Konami.

“MGS4 is nothing short of a masterpiece – an epic conclusion to the Solid Snake story. We are extremely pleased with the positive feedback we have received from retail and consumers alike, and will keep satisfying their needs with updates to the game’s ‘Extra’ option, and via new content to Metal Gear Online.”

MGS4 was released worldwide on the 12th of June and marks the final adventure of Solid Snake. The game sees an ageing Snake taking on long-time enemy Liquid Snake who has taken control of various private armies. The disc also includes Metal Gear Online, a dedicated online game that features locations from MGS4.

Find out more about the game in our MGS4 review.

Gamestation is accepting pre-orders for a limited edition Metal Gear Solid 4 watch.

The MGS4 watch, exclusive to Gamestation, will be available on the 31st of October for £99.99. There are only 500 units available worldwide, individually numbered from 1 to 500. The watch is approved by Hideo Kojima and comes with a Konami certificate of authenticity.

The MGS4 watch comes with a “watch gift box with MGS 4 print, black flock interior with matching cushion” and is a “must have for all true Metal Gear Solid fans.”

Sony has taken the wraps off a Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Database.

Konami Online’s Brandon Laurino made the announcement on SCEA’s blog yesterday, revealing that the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot Database would be available on the PlayStation Store update today.

Laurino explained that “The MGS4 Database is a free, downloadable interactive application that contains the official knowledge base of everything that is Metal Gear, reaching all the way back to the very beginning of the franchise. Including complete storylines, character profiles, relationship diagrams, and much more!”

“The MGS4 database is a great way to catch up for someone new to Metal Gear, as well as a useful resource for any veteran of the series, with complete official details on every aspect of the intricate Metal gear lore.”

For fans who have not yet played through MGS4 don’t worry because the MGS4 Database blacks out spoilers until you have played through the entire game.

In addition Laurino disclosed that there is already new, free downloadable content available (new camouflage and a new music track for the in-game Ipod) for the game under the Extras option of the main menu. Apparently more content will be added so gamers should check this option often.

Zoë Mode will be developing Rock Revolution for the Xbox 360 and PS3. Konami recently announced Rock Revolution will be released in fall 2008.

Rock Revolution is a new music based franchise for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS. Players will be able to rock out on the bass and lead guitar or step up their game on the realistic drum peripheral for the Xbox 360 and PS3 which has been designed by musicians.

Rock Revolution is being developed in close collaboration with Konami and builds upon the core game play of games including DrumMania and Guitar Freaks. The game features 15 characters and 40 rock ‘n roll tracks on the disc as well as downloadable songs available at launch for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game.

Jam Mode enables players to create their own music and record up to eight tracks using different guitar, bass and drum sounds. The Career Mode includes various game play challenges which expand on the standard song performance. Players can also improvise their own drum and guitar solos over their favourite tracks in Gig events.

The game also features a Rehearsal mode where players can practice songs at different speeds as well as leaderboards and both online and offline multiplayer modes including Versus, Co-op and Band Battle.

Players will use the Wii Remote and Nunchuck for an air-drum and air-guitar experience in the Wii version while the Nintendo DS version enables players to enjoy music on the go.

Studio Head Ed Daly says, “We are delighted to be working with Konami and the BEMANI team who invented the genre. In addition to introducing a number of genre defining features that will soon be announced, we are also working hard to deliver a drumming experience balanced so that beginners, experts and everyone in between can have a blast rocking out to their favorite tracks.”

Konami has announced a limited edition of Metal Gear Solid 4 will be available in the UK when the game is released on the 12th of June. Gamers in the UK can also look forward to a pre-order campaign.

The limited edition will include a soundtrack CD, a 6” Old Snake action figurine as well -as a ‘Making of’ Blu-ray disc (behind the scenes look at the development of the game and interviews with Hideo Kojima). It will retail at £79.99.

Gamers who pre-order MGS4 through key retail partners in Europe will receive Metal Gear Saga Volume 2 as part of a pre-order campaign. It is a seven part documentary which takes a look at the origins and evolution of the Metal Gear series.

“Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is rightly seen as the stand-out title for 2008, and we were determined to come up with something special for its launch,” commented Martin Schneider, European Marketing Director for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH.

“With interest so high, it is only right that we reward fans of the series for pre-ordering the game, and the Metal Gear Saga DVD is a stunning look at how the series has evolved into the phenomenon it has become. Likewise, the Limited Edition is a celebration of all things Metal Gear, and will be prized by those who buy it.”

Konami has announced the official title of its first Silent Hill game for the PS3 and Xbox 360. The game will be titled Silent Hill: Homecoming and will be released across Europe at the end of September 2008.

Silent Hill: Homecoming will be the sixth installment of the series. The game introduces a new protagonist and follows Alex Shepherd as he returns to his hometown of Sheperd’s Glen to investigate his brother’s disappearance. In order to find his brother, Alex must face horrors from his hometown to Silent Hill.

Homecoming will be Silent Hill’s debut on next-generation consoles and will feature new graphics that promise to “bring the fear and terror of Silent Hill alive like never before.” Players can also look forward to a new combat system which Alex must use to launch attacks and counter-attacks on the misshapen denizens of Silent Hill.

Alex will discover various weapons to help him battle the monsters but must also solve deadly puzzles to uncover Silent Hill’s secrets. The game also features a new soundtrack by acclaimed series composer Akira Yamaoka.

Konami has announced that the Metal Gear Online Beta has been postponed.

The Beta was scheduled to launch yesterday, the 21st of April but “extraordinary levels of traffic from all over the world have caused the MGO Beta servers to destabilize” meaning the “service has been unable to run.”

In a post on SCEA’s PlayStation blog, Konami confirmed changes to the schedule. Konami Online’s Brandon Laurino said “The MGO team in Japan is currently working around the clock to stabilize the servers, and is aiming to launch game play this weekend of April 26th. We must note, given the current situation, this is subject to change.”

“To compensate for the delay, the MGO Beta period has been extended a week, now ending on May 11th. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that your MGO Beta UPVCs will only be valid up until May 5th 2008, so please make sure to register them by then.”

“We would like to apologize for this inconvenience, and thank you for your patience. We know that you can’t wait to get started with Metal Gear Online, and we truly appreciate your enthusiasm, as well as your participation in the MGO Beta test – which really helps make MGO the best it can be!”

Konami promised to keep Metal Gear fans updated on the Beta on konami.com, the PlayStation blog, Konami ID site and Konami Japan’s MGO teaser site.

[UPDATE] Konami US had earlier announced that they would be deferring the European public test as a temporary measure, only starting it once the server was stabilized. Apologising for the inconvenience and confusion, Konami announced that the start date was now planned for the 25th of April but noted that this “may change due to unforeseen circumstances.” In addition it also confirmed that the Beta test will now close on the 11th of May instead of the 5th of May.

Hot on the heels of Sony’s announcement that the Metal Gear Online Beta would be available across Europe on the 17th of April, Konami has issued a press release detailing the beta.

Konami announced that Europe would be included in the public beta program for Metal Gear Online. It also confirmed that the Metal Gear Online beta would be available via the PlayStation store from the 17th of April, with online tests running from the 21st of April to the 6th of May.

Metal Gear Online is a new Metal Gear title that is designed specifically as a multiplayer online experience. It will be released worldwide as part of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots on the 12th of June.

Players will be able to sample the multiplayer experience and co-operative team based play of MGO through the beta. If you download the beta you can explore two maps, Blood Bath and Groznyi Grad.

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Game Watch have posted a whole bunch of new screenshots which were released at Nintendo conference today in Japan.

Included among them is some shots of Kirby Superstar DS, which may or may not be a straight remake of the SNES game. Also particularly exciting are shots of the newly announced Fire Emblem DS which looks to be a remake of an early Fire Emblem game from the NES/SNES era. Square Enix’s games are looking beautiful as always (except for the DS Kingdom Hearts with the odd name). Anyhow, this is one amazing batch of games - check them out if you love gaming.

Why do I single out Kirby you may ask? Kirby is awesome, that’s why.

Here are the names of the games shown on that page in English and in order so you at least know what you’re looking at:

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