KONAMI SHIPS METAL GEAR SOLID: PORTABLE OPS TO RETAIL STORES NATIONWIDE

Leading Stealth-Action Franchise Infiltrates the PSP® System with Action-Packed Single Player Campaign, New Team Building Mechanic and Support for Strategic Online Multiplayer Matches

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – December 5, 2006 – Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced that Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops for the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system has shipped to retail stores throughout North America. An all-new installment in Hideo Kojima’s legendary Metal Gear Solid series, Portable Ops features a full stealth-action single player story mode as well as breakthrough wireless features that let players recruit and play as a unique squadron of battle-hardened mercenaries.

Set in 1970, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops follows the events of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and lets players take on the role of the infamous “Big Boss” as he establishes the elite FOXHOUND unit and attempts to topple a bloody revolt instigated by the treacherous FOX unit. Featuring the return of many notable characters in the Metal Gear saga, the game completes a major portion of the ongoing Metal Gear timeline, as players participate in the events that directly lead into later games in the series, including Big Boss’ greatest tragedy.

Featuring a full-fledged story mode, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops introduces a new team building mechanic that brings additional depth and gameplay variety to the series’ acclaimed stealth-based action. Players can now capture and recruit characters that they encounter in any of the game’s levels and assign them to different units that will perform different functions, such as healing teammates, gathering intelligence and creating new items. Players can also recruit rare and unique characters with special abilities throughout the game. Each character is rated on a series of more than ten attributes, giving players incredible variety in building the ideal squad and creating different teams that are best suited to different types of combat situations.

Continuing the cinematic pedigree of the Metal Gear Solid series, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops features fully-voiced cut scenes with original artwork by acclaimed visualist Ashley Wood. Using animations and sound effects, the cut scenes join comic book artistry with full motion style to create an entirely original form of storytelling. The voice cast of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops features veterans from previous Metal Gear Solid titles, including David Hayter, James Mathis and Jim Piddock.

Taking advantage of the wireless functionality of the PSP system, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops lets players scan their immediate area for wireless access points and recruit new teammates. Based on each different IP address in range, players will be able to generate a unique character. Certain rare and unique characters will be available only via access point scanning, giving gamers an incentive to play in different locations and build out their squad with new members.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops features support for massive online battles in more than ten areas specifically designed for multiplayer encounters, letting up to six players take their custom squads online and battle in stealthy encounters across several different modes of play. Using a unique White Flag mechanic, players can choose to surrender and fight again or risk permanently losing one of their valuable comrades. Players can also wirelessly trade characters with others, building a squadron that is best suited to dominate the online competition.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops carries a suggested retail price of $39.99 and is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB. For more information, please visit www.konami.com

About Konami
Konami is a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties. Konami’s titles include the popular franchises Metal Gear Solid®, Silent Hill®, Dance Dance Revolution® and Castlevania®, among other top sellers. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Web at www.konami.com. Konami Corporation is a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan with subsidiary offices, Konami Digital Entertainment, Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, Japan, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. in the United States and Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany. Konami Corporation is traded in the United States on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KNM. Details of the products published by Konami can be found at www.konami.com

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