The online beta for Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Online (PS3) has been updated with a new map and the Sneaking Mission gametype, allowing players to engage foes as series' protagonist, Solid Snake.

Sneaking Mission divides players among a red team, blue team, and one player as Snake. As the grizzled hero, the objective is to stun or hold up enemy soldiers and steal a set number of dog tags before the match ends.

The new map, entitled Midtown Maelstrom, is crafted in the middle eastern locale where Metal Gear Solid 4's single player campaign takes place and includes a variety of intertwining alleyways and passages. Midtown Maelstrom joins Blood Bath and Groznyj Grad as the third map available to players in the Metal Gear Online beta.

The beta went live last Friday in North America following a short delay. In light of the missed launch, Konami has extended the beta's operation by five days, setting a new closure date of May 11 for the test.

Access to the North American Metal Gear Online beta is available via a download code included in the Metal Gear Saga 2.0 DVD, a bonus disc given to gamers who preorder the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3).

Update: Konami has revealed the new Metal Gear Online beta launch as April 25 at 11:00 PM PST.

Original Story: The North American public beta test of Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid Online (PS3) has been delayed to an unspecified date, publisher Konami announced today.

The company cited "extraordinary levels of traffic from all around the globe" as impetus for the delay of the Metal Gear Online beta, which was originally scheduled to go live today. Konami also noted that further information regarding the beta's new launch date would be announced Tuesday night.

In light of the delay, Konami has extended the beta's operation by five days, setting a new closure date of May 11 for the test.

A handful of new screenshots of Kojima Productions' upcoming stealth multiplayer shooter Metal Gear Online (PS3) has surfaced, coming by way of JeuxFrance.

A beta of Metal Gear Online is set to go live on April 21, and will be made available to gamers who preorder Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3). A download code for the beta test will be packed in with a limited edition Metal Gear Saga 2.0 DVD which contains a series retrospective and a collection of trailers.

Publisher Konami has revealed that the beta for Metal Gear Online, the 16-person multiplayer component of Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3), will begin on April 21.

As previously announced, players will be able gain access by pre-ordering Metal Gear Solid 4 from major retailers. The pre-order program will begin in April, with consumers receiving a limited edition DVD, entitled Metal Gear Saga 2.0, that contains a download code for the beta.

At present, the beta is expected to run for about two weeks, according to a post by Konami PR director Michael Shelling on official PlayStation blog. He also noted that the participation of "additional promotional partners" could open the test to those who don't pre-order.

A PlayStation 3 exclusive, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots hits retailers worldwide Thursday, June 12. It will contain five Metal Gear Online maps, which Konami has repeatedly described as a "starter pack." For more on both efforts, scope out Nick Breckon's hands-on impression of Metal Gear Solid 4 and Metal Gear Online.

Konami confirmed today that Kojima Productions' upcoming tactical stealth action title Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) will hit retail shelves in North America on June 12 of this year.

The announcement confirms Konami's previous mention of a late second quarter release window for the anticipated sequel.

The company also revealed that consumers who pre-order the title from participating retailers will receive a limited edition Metal Gear Saga 2.0 DVD, which contains a series retrospective, character bios and a collection of trailers. The DVD will also contain a download code for the Metal Gear Online (PS3) beta test, set to go live in late April.

As previously confirmed, Metal Gear Solid 4 will include a "starter pack" version of Metal Gear Online, featuring five different maps and supporting up to 16 players in online matches.

Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) and its multiplayer side project Metal Gear Online (PS3) will be bundled together as one release, PlayStation: The Official Magazine has confirmed.

The report indicates that a "starter pack" version of the online game, featuring five different maps, will be bundled alongside MSG4. Though it was previously known that MGS4 would include some version of the online title, publisher Konami had yet to specify any concrete details.

With support for up to 16 players, Metal Gear Online is said to place a heavy emphasis on character customization. Much like Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC, PS3, X360), players will be able to level up based on their combat experience, as well as assign their characters special abilities. It is believed that extra maps will be sold through Sony's online PlayStation Store.

The PlayStation 3-exclusive MGS4-MGO bundle is currently expected to release in Q2 2008. For more on Metal Gear Online and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, scope out Nick Breckon's Tokyo Game Show coverage of both titles.

If yesterday's Metal Gear Solid 4 trailer wasn't enough, here is the Tokyo Game Show trailer for Metal Gear Online. The video offers three minutes of cinematic in-game footage from the PlayStation 3 exclusive multiplayer action game, due out next year.

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Konami held its 20th anniversary party for the Metal Gear series last night, with franchise father Hideo Kojima on hand to deliver some key presentations for upcoming games, including the much-anticipated Metal Gear Solid 4, the new Metal Gear Solid Online, and Metal Gear titles for the PSP and mobile devices.

Most notably, Metal Gear Solid 4 was shown in playable form during the proceedings, as seen in Kojima's gameplay presentation below:

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Download the full HD Metal Gear Solid 4 gameplay video at FileShack.

Kojima began by reiterating that stealth gameplay is still the name of the game in Metal Gear, but illustrated how this will change based on the... Read more