Famitsu

Famitsu, formerly known as Famicom Tsushin, is a line of video gaming magazines in Japan. There are five versions of the magazine currently: Shukan Famitsu (週刊ファミ通, literally meaning "Weekly Famitsu," the most well known as well as the original incarnation), Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū DS+Wii, and Famitsū Wave DVD; as well as five issues no longer in circulation: Famitsū Bros. (ファミ通ブロス Famitsū Burosu?) (which concentrated on video game hints and strategy rather than actual news), Satellaview Tsūshin (サテラビュー通信 Saterabyū Tsūshin?) (which covered the Satellaview), Famitsū Sister (ファミ通Sister?) (which covered bishōjo games), Famitsū DC (ファミ通DC?) (which covered the Dreamcast) and Virtual Boy Tsūshin (バーチャルボーイ通信 Bācharu Bōi Tsūshin?) (which covered the Virtual Boy, only one issue was ever published). It was first published in 1986 under the title of Famicom Tsushin (as it was originally focused on news relating to the Family Computer Nintendo system, known outside Japan as the Nintendo Entertainment System). One of its mascots was Necky the Fox.

Relationship to the Metal Gear series
Aside from doing coverage on the Metal Gear series prior to release, Famitsu itself was also used in two Metal Gear games: The first, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus, featured a Special Camo Soldier utilizing the Famitsu logos as both a passcode soldier and, initially, as a special download from TGS 2007 at a Konami Booth. The second time featured Weekly Famitsu as an actual magazine item in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, as part of a product placement gimmick conceptualized by series creator Hideo Kojima as a joke. The magazine was replaced in the international versions with the Solid Magazine.