Well, 2022 is coming to a close, so how about I provide another update from the workings of Konami? In recent years, the producer/publisher has kept their heads low as they have stated they were eager to get back into mainline console game development. Following some modest offerings like Super Bomberman R (which has a sequel planned for 2023), Konami has released solid collections for Castlevania and Contra Collections, and an Arcade Anthology several years ago. 2022 saw the release of the critically acclaimed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga Collection (after some update patches to fix some performance issues).

There is ONE franchise fans have been waiting to hear news from, and that's the Metal Gear series. In a Famitsu article, spotlighting 141 developers from across the industry and their aspirations for 2023, Konami director Noriaki Okamura spoke about following up on the success of Momotaro Densetsu Educational Edition: Education Is Fun (a long-running board game style simulation series that is greatly popular in Japan). His keyword for 2023 is "long awaited".

It doesn't take much deduction to draw where this could be heading, and it has been speculated for a long time that a Metal Gear Solid project has been in the works. With a plethora of Silent Hill projects announced in the works for the near and distant future, that leaves the other dormant Konami franchise with a very sizable franchise that has been hungry and apprehensive something new. Following the firing of Hideo Kojima in 2015, leaving Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain without a conclusive ending, the only other release from the series was the panned Metal Gear Survive, a resource managing survival game that uses recycled assets from Ground Zeroes and the Phantom Pain, in 2019.  

Konami has taken their time with this project, as their cards have been kept close to their deck. Between that, they have some upcoming intriguing works, like a return to the shooter genre with CYGNI: All Guns Blazing, developed by Scottish studio Keelworks, last year's rogue-like GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon, and the announcement that a Suikoden I & II Remaster: The Gate Rune & Dunan Unification..., Konami's focus on acknowledging their dormant works, while diversifying their entertainment ventures, has been rather impressive. The talent behind this Metal Gear project, be it a brand new entry or a remaster of Solid, has quite a bit to prove. 

SOURCE: Famitsu