It's not that we were having doubts that Konami would finally be shelving the Metal Gear Solid series, but it is still reassuring to hear straight from the company that the series will indeed live on in the next-generation of video game consoles.  Specifically, series creator Hideo Kojima himself confirmed at the Metal Gear Solid 3 European launch event that Metal Gear Solid 4 is in the works as a "next-generation title".  However, he also admits that he will not be playing as a large a role in the game development this time around:

"Although Kojima-san was giving away few extra details, he did let slip that the concept of Metal Gear Solid 4 will be "No place to hide". He also quipped that there would be "No place for Hideo". He plans to tack a step back and assume the role of executive producer on MGS 4, meaning he won't be as hands-on with the sequel as he was with Metal Gear Solid 3.

Stepping in as producer on Metal Gear Solid 4 is Ken-Ichiro Imaizumi. "We'll be taking it [MGS 4] to the next-gen and we want to feature a fresh, intriguing storyline and gameplay plus captivating graphics and more features while remaining true to the core of the MGS series - remaining Solid. We hope you'll enjoy," Imaizumi-san told an excited press gathering at Konami's event."