Konami Reveals Plan of Developing New “Metal Gear Solid” Game; Will Kojima Still Be Involved?

Game developer Konami is planning to develop a new "Metal Gear Solid" game. The news comes after the company's internal discussion about the new game was reported in the Japanese business publication, Nikkie. It was said that the discussions were posted online by 2ch and translated by Kotaku, a report from Gamespot said on Wednesday.

A company representative who requested anonymity claims that discussion of the new game have begun and Konami is currently reviewing the proposed plans. "When we start development, a large-scale investment will become necessary," the representative said as quoted in the report.

"The rep did not go into detail about whether Hideo Kojima, who is allegedly under a non-compete clause until December, would be involved in the project. Although Konami continues to insist that Kojima is merely on vacation for a while, reports say that Kojima left Konami on Oct. 9, after almost thirty years with the company.  This isn't the first time Konami has said that it's actively pursuing a new Metal Gear game. Back in March, the company said that it was already holding auditions for main staff to lead development," Den Of Geek reported.

In the same report, Konami claimed that it "will continue to develop the game and distribute top-quality content in the Metal Gear series following Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. We greatly anticipate and deeply appreciate your ongoing support for Metal Gear."

"As the next step in the series, Konami has already resolved to develop a new Metal Gear title. We will be conducting auditions for main staff to lead the development. Interested parties are encouraged to contact us via the recruitment page of the Konami official website," Konami said, according to the report.

"At this point, we honestly can't say if Konami is indeed planning on making more MGS games, or if it's sticking to its pachinko business and letting its video game IPs just fade into oblivion. With MGSV shipping five million units, I gather, that's making the decision whether to develop a new MGS game, a tad easier," PlayStation Lifestyle said.