MGS4 price & editions
$29.99 for MGS4 standalone on Steam. The Master Collection Vol. 2 bundle — which includes MGS2 HD, MGS3 HD, and MGS4 — is a separate purchase at a higher price. No launch discount on either.
What's on Steam right now
KONAMI sells MGS4 on Steam as a standalone title, separate from the Master Collection Vol. 2 bundle. The bundle combines MGS2 HD Edition, MGS3 HD Edition, and MGS4 Master Collection Version into one purchase. The pricing structure:
MGS4: Guns of the Patriots — Master Collection Version. Standalone purchase, no Master Collection extras included. Single-player + Metal Gear Online.
The Master Collection Vol. 2 bundle, which adds MGS2 HD and MGS3 HD, costs more. If you only want MGS4, the standalone purchase is the cleaner option. If you don't already have MGS2 or MGS3, the bundle is better value per title.
What you get in each purchase
MGS4 standalone ($29.99)
- Full single-player campaign
- Metal Gear Online with cross-region support
- Achievements, 4K, modern controllers
- 30 GB install
Master Collection Vol. 2 bundle (separate price)
- MGS2 HD Edition
- MGS3 HD Edition (including MSX-era Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake as bonus content)
- MGS4 Master Collection Version
- Master Collection extras: digital books, soundtrack, wallpapers
Which one should you buy?
Three scenarios:
- You only care about MGS4: Buy standalone at $29.99. No reason to pay the bundle premium for games you don't want.
- You've never played MGS2 or MGS3: Buy the bundle. You need them to fully appreciate MGS4 — the plot ties threads from both. Plus you get Master Collection extras and the original MSX Metal Gear games.
- You already own MGS2 HD or MGS3 HD: Buy MGS4 standalone. KONAMI doesn't offer a "complete your collection" discount — you already paid for the games you have.
Will there be a launch discount?
No. KONAMI has consistently launched Master Collection titles at full price with no launch-week discount, and MGS4 follows that pattern. The first discount typically arrives 4-8 weeks after launch — historically 20-30% off, which would put MGS4 standalone at $20.99-23.99. Bigger discounts (40-50%) usually appear during seasonal sales 6+ months later.
How MGS4 fits into the Master Collection line
The full Metal Gear Solid Master Collection line includes three separate purchases on Steam:
- Vol. 1 — MGS1 + MGS2 HD + MGS3 HD (older bundle, may be replaced by individual sales)
- Vol. 2 — MGS2 HD + MGS3 HD + MGS4 (newest bundle)
- Standalone MGS4 — separate purchase for those who only want MGS4
This structure is annoying, but it's what KONAMI shipped. If you own Vol. 1 already, Vol. 2 is mostly redundant. If you own nothing, Vol. 2 standalone is the better entry point. If you only want MGS4, the standalone purchase exists for exactly that case.
Bottom line
For most people: buy MGS4 standalone at $29.99 if you've played the previous games and just want the finale. Buy the Master Collection Vol. 2 bundle if you're new to the franchise or want the complete experience. Either way, no rush — KONAMI discounts reliably, and prices will drop within 2-3 months of launch.