Metal Gear Solid V Available Practically Everywhere in The Middle East

TheArabGamer writes: "Arguably the year's most highly anticipated game is available in the Middle East practically everywhere. Nearly every shop has managed to obtain an early copy with some selling for a reasonable price (60 USD) while others are more insane due to demand (80-90 USD). Most shops in the Middle East (particularly the Saudi and UAE region) use Instagram a lot to promote their line up of games."

[TLG1991]

that whole region is going to get black listed from publishers and suppliers if this carries on lol

[Doge]

They're not dumb enough to blacklist an entire region just because shops are selling copies earlier than western regions.

Also, I got my copy yesterday B)

[LonDonE]

Agreed i live in uk and amazon sent out mgs5 copies due to monday being a bank holiday.

[Old_Boss_]

Same :^)

[Kingthrash360]

I'm in cali and i have a copy already too...uploading some vids on youtube as we speak...i was surprised I went to my Lil shop that sales games early to pre order it thinking I might get it a day early..when I asked to pre order he said which console I told him and he pull the game from under the counter...speechless I leave. .turn off my phone and began ending my social life for a couple weeks lol
10/10 so far....craziness from the start..

[u4one]

how is it? i'm ordering it on ps4 tonight, though digital. I'm in los angeles though that prob doesn't matter for digital.

[RashBandicoot]

I highly doubt it either. It's just one of the bumps some publishers have to deal with. A few weeks early isn't worth not selling any copies.

[joab777]

It's selling like hotcakes, and Konami still gets their money, so they don't care.

[Clover904]

haha, no way is any publisher going to stop selling their games in the Middle East just because shops are selling them early. I could definitely see publishers pushing back their deliveries a week later than usual, knowing that stores will just put the game out as soon as they get it.

[Lon3wolf]

Yes this is a more likely scenario.

[styferion]

that also happens in South East Asia, just so you know. Funny thing is we got early copies of Region 2 (Europe) here, not R3 (Asia)

[Ezz2013]

I live in Egypt
The store that near my house always break the release dates to pretty much every game.

They told me that will start selling the Ps3 version today.

Didn't think i will get it this soon :)

[showtimefolks]

TLG

Do you know how many countries come under middle east and how many other countries get their gaming shipment from middle east

I am currently in Pakistan and very likely thing is that mgs 5 may have been available for some time now. I am waiting till I get back to play but people here don't pat attention as much to release dates

Pc gaming is huge in pakistan. There are weekly tournaments for many games like counter strike, call of duty etc,

[extermin8or]

Tbf I'm in uk got mine yesterday in post as did alot of others I know due to shops sending it early to avoid bank holiday making it arrive late. You can't go instore and buy it but you can probably still order it online and get it tomorrow from alot of places.

[TeeKay]

its very common...has happened for years.

[MasterD919]

This is getting ridiculous...I'm sure most places have the game already.

[Sarah_Ch]

Ah that's weird they got the Latin edition!

[MWH]

thank you.

[Sarah_Ch]

Lol, for what?!

[MWH]

for your kind hope.

[Shazz]

What does selling early actually to to the company though? Is it a bad thing for them

[Lon3wolf]

More the possibility of major spoilers etc. getting out before release date and before people have had a chance to play. Other than that no there is no real issue.

[extermin8or]

And everyone playing has to play without ground zeroes data or other online features as servers are not up yet.

[Kleptic]

The only real matter is it can undermine launch events and media embargo...

retailers that still do 'midnight' releases and that sort of thing will often fight with the pulisher when other retailers leak the game first, an return unpurchased stock if it actively decreased sales at their stores...I'm not sure how that works in the middle east, and not sure if any retailers still even bother with that sort of thing....but that used to be the case in the US; wal-mart got into enough trouble for selling early that the publishers forced them to load the sku's into their entire point of sale system, in which a game literally couldn't be processed by the cashier until the release window opened...and that was mostly because of pressure from Gamestop.

the other side is media outlets...Certain media partners will pay for exclusive review rights and ads on their sites, while the rest get stuck with a media embargo...if a game gets out to a massive degree early, both sides of the media get annoyed...it makes the exclusive rights to preview and review the game early pointless, and makes the rest get smaller traffic when their review finally goes live...

i'm not saying any of them are a big deal...honestly, as a consumer, who cares?...but those are the reasons that publishers actively try to avoid it...

[Lon3wolf]

Lol they maybe doing that too who knows :D

[Lon3wolf]

Don't know why you got flagged for bad language lol ah well :)maybe next time instead of using a well known clothing brand name you can just use F U :D

[time2die]

So if one region sells it early then everyone else should and there should be no penalty for doing so.

Why should the majority in Europe have to wait when its available a week earlier in other places.

I use Shopto and generally always get my games a day early,today i got Until Dawn and the Gears Ultimate for Xbox One.

Like the poster says they have been doing this for years and there has been no fines or penalties .

[kaizokuspy]

Couldn't you get until dawn on tuesday?

Edit: realized you aren't from America probably. Makes sense now. Carry on Mr man.

[extermin8or]

Simplygames got me MGS yesterday because of bank holiday they sent it out pretty early. They usually just send preorder day they get stock regardless. Bethesda tend to get stock to places pretty early so I often get their games from simply games a week early. Happened with skyrim and happened for eso for my mate not that he could play that till almost launch day anyway.

[EinRobot]

Just release in the middle east two weeks later. That way it will leak and come out two weeks early. Problem solved...S rank

[TheLoCoRaven]

So this is the new strategy for peace in the middle east? heh

[ReconHope]

Well MGS has traditionally game heavily symbolic anarcho-pacifism and against american intervention/imperialim. Not that is a bad thing. Many liberal americans love the game exactly for that reason.

[mafiahajeri]

Got it yesterday describing this game as epic is an understatement

[TheLoCoRaven]

I was listening to Faith No More's biggest radio hit yesterday and to describe it as Epic would be accurate.

[TheUberAsian]

They should change the release date to tomorrow (Friday), if the game is out in most areas

[Gatsu]

This isn't fair :(... Its like release dates don't matter at all anymore.

Sucks that it gets out so early in half of the world, because of money greedy maggots and the rest of us have to wait.

Should at least respect the developers etc more by following the actual date, but everyone wants to play it asap...

I'm gonna find who does this and then I'll pull the trigger.
Maybe they should release future games 1 month later in Middle East.

[smashman98]

I think this practice is fine why shouldnt gamers be able to pick up their games as early as they want

[SULTAN_4]

YES this is true .. I got my copy yesterday for SR210 which it is $56

https://twitter.com/sultan_...

[scark92]

I have to wait til Tuesday *cries*

[xRyderx]

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[ion666]

They should release a game as soon as store recieve them. If anyone knows why they hold on to them please let me know.

[madjedi]

Probably because the company is required by either law or contract not to release it till the date it is supposed to be available by.

They likely are not authorized to sell the copies, before said date or else risk losing their contract.

[Kalebninja]

Releasing the game before its set release date is a breach of contract. They can be sued for doing so. Thing is if none of these retailers ever get sued then they should just let them do what they want.

[Luvofdegames]

So? My copy arrived today and I live in the UK. Plus I got it for £34.99

[scark92]

Holy S... How!? :(

[Luvofdegames]

I ordered it from simplygames when they had the offer on during E3.

[extermin8or]

You too eh yeah I love simplygames, they dispatch most games soon as they have the stock for preorders.

[PFFT]

Hopefully this forces Konami to release the game earlier.

[Tankbusta40]

I have been saying this for a few days...sadly they won't and we will be waiting four more agonizing days

[PFFT]

Yeah it was nothing more than wishful thinking on my part.

[Tankbusta40]

This happens all the time, Why if publishers care about street date and spoilers do they ship copies to the middle east weeks in advance?? send em the day before

[DxTrixterz]

I've already brought a copy from someone who had the wrong console version arrive and put it for sale so why not get it. Hopefully it'll arrive on saturday.

[MrBigShot007]

I actually just bought a copy and I"m in NY. Mom and pop stores will sell them as soon as they get them.

[barb_wire]

Street dates are broken all the time.. no one cares.

Screenshots of gameplay have been up on NeoGaf since this morning, more than sure more have been added.

Enjoy the game, those who got it early. Play on!

[Dangerous]

I got the game today :)
but at the same time i almost lose it because there are not too many of copies.
Don't worry guys no SPOILER and I hope you got it as soon as possible.

[xwilldemise]

Most places have this game already it seems. I could have gotten this game as early as two days ago here in Fordham, NYC. Already pre ordered at best buy tho with GCU plus I'm patient so I'll wait until the 1st.

[Gamesgbkiller]

The thing is we don't have big major stores like Gamestop. Until we have, then this will not happen frequently.

[UNKLE]

I have the game... Ps3 version.. Part1 is awakening with the hospital scenes what we already saw from trailers.

[JangoMan]

I live in Pakistan and got my copy of game on ps4 today! from a retailer who imported 100s of the copies from Dubai. can't wait to got home and play it!

[WitWolfy]

Lucky.... Wish South Africa broke street dates like this. I want this game NOAW!!!

[Xavior_Reigns]

Excellent. All of you who got it early, let us know if we can expect some glorious patches.

[Manubiggs]

happens all over Europe wher you have small stores, they don't care about street dates and will sell it as soon as they have it under the counter. I'm able to get a lot of games several days to even a week before release sometimes.

[il-JumperMT]

I got my copy and I am from europe. Problem?