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Konami has announced the long-anticipated Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots won't ship until the second quarter of 2008.

Sony's PlayStation 3 video game platform has just been dealt another blow by game developer Konami, which has announced that the lon-gestating fourth chapter in the Metal Gear Solid game series, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, won't ship until the second quarter of 2008. In a brief statement (Japanese), Konami said the game was being held back to make "further improvements," but did not cite any specific reasons for the delay.

The much-anticipated game was to have had a simultaneous, worldwide launch just prior to the end-of-year holiday season. Metal Gear Solid 4 is also exclusive to the PlayStation 3; investors and industry watchers had speculated the anticipated game might prove to be a "must-have" title for the pricey console, which has been struggling to find market share.

PlayStation 3 fans specuate the delay may in part be caused by integrating support for rumble-enabled DualShock 3 controllers.

Developed by franchise creator Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear Solid 4 features an older, more cynical version of series hero Solid Snake as he's deployed to the Middle East to neutralize a massive private army. Many characters from previous Metal Gear titles are slated to appear in the game.