Kojima: Metal Gear Solid 4 Not His Last?

Konami has told Next-Gen that Metal Gear man Hideo Kojima will “always” be involved with the Metal Gear franchise, despite the game designer’s statements to the contrary.

Metal Gear franchise creator Kojima said at the E3 Media and Business Summit in July that the hotly anticipate PlayStation 3 title Metal Gear Solid 4 would be the last Metal Gear game that he is directly involved with.

But in a recent phone interview, Konami Digital Entertainment’s new marketing VP Anthony Crouts said otherwise.

“I’m sure he’s never going to let go of Metal Gear Solid—trust me. [Snake's] a big character, so as a franchise I think he'll always hold it near and dear to his heart.

”In one capacity or another, he will always be involved in the Metal Gear franchise.”

This wouldn’t be the first time that Kojima has said any one Metal Gear game would be his last. The celebrated developer most recently said the same thing about 2004’s Metal Gear Solid 3.

Kojima has said explicitly that MGS4 will be the last entry in the series, but Crouts insists that Konami will "continue to evaluate" ways to leverage the franchise beyond Metal Gear Solid 4.

The future of Metal Gear's famed protagonist Solid Snake is also in question, as trailers depict a character on the emotional and physical brink.

[Via Next-Gen Biz]