It appears a new flash site has gone up on Konami’s K.P.’s website. The site is nothing more than the Konami logo fading into the above image with text that reads "A Next Metal Gear Is…" with the symbols referring to..? Kotaku speculates  Since there is an "i" and an upside down "i." Does that first "i" refer to the "iPhone?" Apple’s products appear throughout the last Metal Gear Solid. Better yet, the "i" could refer to the "DSi" or even the "Wii" they think.

One more significant point is the fact the the url for this new site contains "mgst" which could refer to really anything but more likely to what the game is actually called. You’re guess is as good as mine. More to come I’m sure.

A Next Metal Gear Is…

Kotaku reports~

Konami has announced that it’s adding Old Snake and BB Corps to its Japanese cell phone wallpaper service Kisekae Changer. One download will run users ¥525 (US$5.16).

The publicity for MGS4 really must one of the longest PR campaigns (if not longest) for a released title. Guess that’s not a bad thing for those who are really into Metal Gear Solid 4, no?

(source: Kotaku Famitsu)

In one of his final interviews as part of Kojima Productions, Payton looks back at MGS4.

from 1up~

Metal Gear Solid 4 has been out for several months now, and a lot has happened in that time. PlayStation 3 sales were bumped up for a while, the game has gone cheap in some Japanese stores, and one of the game’s most outspoken producers, Ryan Payton, has left Kojima Productions. Before Payton left, though, we were able to nab the following afterthoughts interview about his experience working on MGS4 for EGM.

Check out the full interview below the cut for word on how Payton was threatened by some especially hardcore fans, what parts of MGS4 required the most tweaking, and how satisfied he is with the project as a whole. Just be careful if you haven’t taken the time to finish MGS4 yet, because spoilers abound.

Stay tuned for Friday, when we’ll publish a new video interview with Payton from the Penny Arcade Expo. One of his final Kojima Productions interviews and one of his first after leaving the company, close together for your reading and viewing pleasure.

Click below for the entire interview

Metal Gear Solid 4 Afterthoughts with Ryan Payton

(source: 1up)

Reported earlier today on Kotaku, Ryan Payton has left Kojima Productions. Ryan joined Kojima Productions back in 2005 where his ideas were brought to many Kojima Productions games, as follows:

2005：PSP "METAL GEAR AC!D²" International Coordination
2005：PS2 "METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SUBSISTENCE" International Coordination
2006：DVD "METAL GEAR SAGA VOL. 1" Director
2006：PSP "METAL GEAR SOLID: DIGITAL GRAPHIC NOVEL" International Manager
2006：PSP "METAL GEAR SOLID: PORTABLE OPS" International Manager, Lead Editor, VO Director
2007：NDS "LUNAR KNIGHTS" International Manager
2007: RADIO "THE KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS REPORT " Producer
2007：PS3 "METAL GEAR SOLID 4: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS" Assistant Producer

Ryan Payton was a important ambassador for the Western Development team. Many will miss his podcasts not to mention his advise, talents, and influence he had on recent titles like Metal Gear Solid 4 which were for the better. Ryan’s departure will be a huge loss for KP and team but I really hope the best for him and his family.

Here is the interview he had with Kotaku:

Why did you leave Konami and Kojima Productions?

Back when I joined Kojima Productions in 2005, I hit the ground running and didn’t stop until we shipped Metal Gear Solid 4. Then, for the first time in three years, I wasn’t working on any games and I had a three month vacation ahead of me. I went back home to my family’s place in Washington state and literally three weeks after MGS4 launched we were hit with some pretty heavy news concerning my mom. I don’t think I need to go into details, but all of this has reminded me about how important family is. So this past month I decided to leave Kojima Productions and look to continue my career working closer to my family in North America.

It’s not easy leaving my other family (the MGS team), but with everybody taking time off and not having any other big projects to shift focus to, it feels like this is how it’s supposed to be. It’s fate.

What did you gain from the Kojima Productions experience? How did you change?

Working on MGS: Portable Ops and MGS4 has been a life changing experience. I feel so lucky to have worked with such a talented and passionate team.

As a person, I’ve developed a very critical eye when it comes to game development, which was no doubt inspired by my colleages. On the not-so-bright side, I’ve also developed that fabled Japanese work ethic. Now hearing about friends’ twelve-hour work days sound like a piece of cake to me.

Any memories that standout?

Our midnight launch of MGS4 in Hollywood was something I’ll never forget. There was more than 500 people lined up outside to buy the game and get our autographs. Talking to all of these passionate MGS fans really put it all into persepctive — something you can lose when you’re stuck in a Tokyo office building working on the game for three years.

Is there something that you wish you could’ve done at Kojima Productions, but didn’t?

I’m pretty satisifed with all I’ve accomplished at KP. I set my goals and hit almost every one. The dream has always been to get an original game concept green lit, but that’ll have to wait until I find a new home. The good news is that I’ve got plenty of exciting ideas that I’ve been keeping close to my chest.

It’ll be hard not being involved in MGS5, but I’ve got the utmost confidence that Hideo Kojima, Ken Imaizumi, and our amazing team will put together another blockbuster game. I’ll be cheering from the sidelines.

What’s next?

Word travels fast, so I’ve been getting a lot of great offers lately. But the plan is to take it easy, spend time with my family, and carefully decide where I land next.

This is a big loss for Kojima and his team. And a big gain for whomever hires him! Funny, that.

(source: Kotaku)

Kotaku reports~

"For the Metal Gear Solid fan who wants to wake up in style, Konami has created the "GA-KO Alarm Clock", a full-service recreation of the egg timer made famous in Metal Gear Solid 4. We suppose it could still be used to time your egg frying, but it looks like it feels more appropriate on a nightstand, with its adorable little face and sassy pose.

It’s limited to 2000 pieces — and importer NCSX says the GA-KO is currently sold out — but after peeping the extensive gallery at the retailer, which shows off the Metal Gear-esque packaging, you might want to check back. They say they’re getting more stock next week. Definitely do want."

TOY GA-KO Alarm Clock

(source: Kotaku/NCSX)

MLG Blog reports~

"In case you hadn’t heard, MLG was on hand at this year’s Comic-Con, which was held on July 24-27 in San Diego, California. Our very own Nexy, Ben, and Killa KC teamed up with Konami to bring the attendees of the event a Metal Gear Online tournament. The tournament was well received by the Comic-Con community, and provided for a weekend full of intense Metal Gear action. Now that the dust has settled, Ben sat down to chronicle his experiences at Comic-Con 2008 in this blog. Check it out!"

MLG Blog: MLG at Comic-Con 2008

(source: MLG Blog)

Improving graphics and sound will only go so far, says MGS creator

CVG reports~

"The "next level" of gaming is not yet possible on current-gen hardware, says Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima.

Speaking to BBC’s Click program, Kojima said that improving the visuals and audio in games will only go so far in future console generations.

"We will keep on making games for consoles and the graphics and sound quality will get better and better," he said. "But I think no matter how much we improve the quality, there is only so much we can hear or see.

"The next level will be when we start improving the backgrounds, the things you don’t instantly see but enhance the experience. For example, there are leaves in the background and when you water them they grow. Instead of the backgrounds being pre-programmed, they actually respond to what the player does.

"This is not possible right now but maybe in the future it will be, and that is when we will have entered the next era of gaming," he added.

He’s as technology-obsessed as ever then. Not that we’re complaining; MGS4 is a massively impressive game, and a terrific showcase for the PS3.

Kojima is currently rumoured to be working on a new game based on RPG series Snatcher, with No More Heroes mastermind Suda 51."

(source: CVG)

In an apology on the official MGO website Konami…

"The release of the Expansion Pack "Gene Expansion" on 17th July was marred by major system related problems resulting in great inconveniences for all our customers.

We have been taking numerous corrective measure since the problems initially started, but unfortunately there are no permanent solution we can announce at this present moment. With the problem still going, we felt it would be our obligation to publish a timelined report in to the problems."

So in short were sorry but there is no fix it all in sight anytime soon but we are trying our best to correct things until then. Click on the image above to see the report.

(source: MGO website)

1up chats with Ryan Payton, the ex-videogame journalist turned assistant producer of MGS 4, about his career and everything MGS.

Click on the link below after the snipit for the full interview.

"1UP: When did you first get your foot in the industry’s door?

Ryan Payton, associate producer, Metal Gear Solid 4: When I was at university, I joined a program run by the Japanese government called JET [Japanese Exchange and Teaching Programme]. After I graduated, I had a couple of months before I was going to be shipped off to some unknown location in Japan. At that time, I was already writing for the school newspaper, and being a fan of XBN Magazine, I contacted them directly and asked if they needed a Japanese correspondent.

1UP: How old were you at that time?

RP: I was 22. An XBN editor named Greg Orlando wrote me back and said that he was interested. I sent him a number of articles — videogame reviews for my school newspaper — and he seemed to like my style. My first assignment was to write about where Xbox was in Japan.

Xbox wasn’t successful there, but the magazine work was a great opportunity because it allowed me to meet people in the industry, travel around Japan, and get close to gamers. The Xbox community in Japan was small — Microsoft only moved 500,000 hardware units there — so any time I’d go to a press event, I’d meet the same people. We’d talk about what makes Western games different from Japanese games, what they like about Western videogames. I started writing for Wired, Japan Times, and other Ziff Davis and Future publications."

Kojima Production’s Ryan Payton Interview

(source: 1up)

GameRush reports~

"With the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots upon us, speculation surfaces this morning that Konami may be ready to unveil a new Metal Gear title for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) at this year’s E3.

The rumor comes from Russian site StarSniper, which was down at the time of this writing. However, a member on the PlayStation.com forums dropped some information about the supposed upcoming PSP title.

“The game is titled Metal Gear 3: Revolver Ocelot and it takes place between MGS: Portable Ops and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. It will feature some scenes from the original Metal Gear.”

“The game uses a recruitment system similar to MGS:PO and the main character is Revolver Ocelot, looking similar to both MGS3 and MGS1. Big Boss is not a playable character, but appears sometimes during the cut scenes supervising the construction of outer heaven.”

More details will reportedly be revealed at E3."

(source: GameRush)