Konami’s Ryan Payton has reiterated that although Metal Gear Solid 4 will be the last game in the series to feature the character of Solid Snake, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of there being another Metal Gear Solid title at some point in the future.
Speaking with MTV’s Multiplayer blog, Payton commented, “I think there’s been some misconceptions that this is the last ‘Metal Gear’,” adding, "This is really just the last chapter of the saga of the Solid Snake story."
However, Payton put to rest any hopes of seeing a surprise return for the gruff hero, stating, "I think he [Kojima] is kind of nervous about it. You can’t continue from this step. You can’t start the next chapter. We really do close up the story."
"[Solid Snake] was a burden [for Kojima] because of all those loose ends," he continued.
"So when you play Metal Gear Solid 4 and when you get to the end, I think you’re going to feel that ‘wow, this is a nice closure.’ All of the weird stuff that’s gone on in the past, it’s all coming to an end. All those weird questions…everything is answered.”
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is due out worldwide exclusively on PlayStation 3 on June 12.