It seems that Konami is not ready to pull the plug on the Metal Gear franchise just yet, as the franchise will not end with Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the exclusive PS3 game.
Associate producer of MGS 4, Ryan Payton, has confirmed to MTV that they will continue the Metal Gear franchise after this blockbuster release.
The catch is that even though it will continue, it will do so without Solid Snake as the main character, as he is expected to leave the franchise after this game.
So it has been confirmed that Metal Gear Solid 4 will end the Solid Snake era, but will also apparently launch a brand new era into the Metal Gear franchise.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots will release on PS3 on June 12, 2008.