While Metal Gear Solid 4 the game may be a worldwide phenomenon, the jury is still out on Metal Gear Solid 4 they system-seller. While reports have already come in that the game has moved a massive number of PS3s in Japan (over 70,000 sold in a week), it has not had the same effect in jolly old England.

Chart-Track director Dorian Bloch, when asked about the game’s effect on hardware sales, stated: "There’s not a lot to say about it... it had minimal impact really. Units were up by seven percent." This is much different than in Japan, where units were up something more like 700%. Funny what a difference a few zeros can make.

So in spite of the fact that MGS 4 went immediately to the top of the sales charts and is second only to Grand Theft Auto IV in its success, its status as a console mover is still up for debate. It should be interesting to see the US numbers once they’re released, as Sony was expecting MGS 4 sales (particularly the limited edition bundle) to continue to keep the PS3 ahead of the Xbox 360 in terms of monthly sales, as well as close the overall console gap. So we’ll all continue to wait with baited breath until we find out if the American numbers trend more toward Japan or the UK.