Is It Time to Say Goodbye to 'Metal Gear Solid'? Kojima Productions Shutting Down?

Rumors are circulating that “Metal Gear Solid” may be coming to an end.

BBC reported that the actor who plays the Japanese Solid Snake recently tweeted that Kojima Productions has shut down. The company is headed by creator Hideo Kojima and is the source of all “Metal Gear Solid” games. It was previously announced that Kojima Productions are developing “Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain”, which is set to launch later in 2015. The first “Metal Gear Solid” game was launched in 1987. If the news turns out to be genuine, the fifth installation may be the last ever.

Actor Akio Otsuka, who voiced Solid Snake and several other characters in the franchise, tweeted that Kojima Productions was disbanded. He stated that even if it is the end of the series, “Metal Gear Solid” will remain immortal. His message has been retweeted over 10,000 times.

Otsuka tweeted, “Kojima Productions got dissolved, and due to the team’s hard effort, the game is just about finished. This is no exaggeration, but it’s bound to be a supreme masterpiece! I can’t help it if I want to say, ‘I kept you waiting.’ (lol) Even if this is the last time... MGS lives forever!”

In the past months, there were rumors that Kojima’s relationship with parent company and game publisher Konami has not been ideal. There were a number of situations that caused speculations among fans that there was indeed trouble between Kojima and Konami. Based on the same report by BBC, “Metal Gear Solid 5” artwork on the Konami website giving credit to Kojima as its creator have been removed. A supposed collaboration between Kojima and film director Guillermo del Toro was also cancelled earlier in 2015.

Kojima and Konami has yet to confirm the rumors and whether fans will be seeing Solid Snake in the next installment for the final time.

GameSpot revealed that senior staff at the studio, including Hideo Kojima himself, were working as contractors, and not as permanent employees. Their objective was to finish “The Phantom Pain”. One source at the studio shared that management at the studio would most likely disband and Kojima would leave after they are done with “Metal Gear Solid 5”. The source claimed that the contract will end in December. The insider added that Hideo told staff during a meeting that they have to make a great game for fans.

“Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain” is set to launch on September 1, 2015.