Just days after Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was finally released, the next incarnation is apparently already in talks. Kojima Production's Ryan Payton said that there are misunderstandings concerning the future of the series, as Metal Gear Solid 4 is only the end of the Solid Snake storyline, but by no means the end of the franchise.

Payton told 1UP that there is "still a lot of room for filling in the gaps as far as Big Boss is concerned," even though Snake will not be part of the storyline.

Hideo Kojima himself told Reuters about three weeks ago that MGS will always be around, and whether he will still helm the next installment is unknown, but Kojima would like to sit in as a producer and "let the young staff take control."

The impressive MSG4 game was developed by Kojima Productions and is only available on Sony's Playstation 3 gaming console. The stealth action video game is the seventh in the successful Metal Gear series which is credited with kicking off the stealth gaming genre, in which avoiding direct encounter with the enemy is emphasized over attacking upfront.

The graphics look amazing, and the improved gameplay of the series offering a totally new experience in addition to the many new features, managed to earn the game several very complimentary reviews.

The game is truly a masterpiece which will fully satisfy the series' fans. However, those used to fast-paced 3D shooters will find the game too slow for their taste. Furthermore, Sony counts on Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, released exclusively for its Playstation 3 gaming console, to drive sales of its powerful gaming machine.

The game broke all sales records in Japan with a massive volume of over 450,000 units sold in just seven days and has become the market’s best seller for the PlayStation 3 consoles.