Metal Gear Solid 4 Confirmed for Next-Gen

Kojima takes a step back from Snake's adventures.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is out in Europe on Friday and to give the occasion the attention it deserves, Hideo Kojima, director of Konami's Metal Gear Solid series, is in Europe promoting the game. Kojima's first stop was in Berlin, where the affable creator not only showed off his new game, but also spoke briefly about Metal Gear Solid 4.

As you'd expect, given the timing and the glut of hardware in the offing, Metal Gear Solid 4 will debut on an as-yet-unspecified next-generation console. Given the series' tight affiliation with Sony over the past seven years, the PlayStation 3 seems the obvious choice, but there has been no confirmation either way.

Apparently, Metal Gear Solid 4 will also be the start of a new series starring main character Solid Snake. Kojima has confirmed, though, that he will not be directly in charge of the new game. Rather, Kojima named Kenichiro Imaizumi as the series' new director.

Imaizumi has been with Konami for several years now and has worked on some of the company's top games of the last decade, including Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, Silent Hill and now Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

Imaizumi was on hand in Berlin and said that this first course of action is to make sure that the series makes the transition to the next generation with the style and flair the series has become known for.

Metal Gear fans in the London area should also note that Hideo Kojima will be stopping over at the HMV on Oxford Street on Wednesday, 9 March, between 5pm and 6pm.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games