While Hideo Kojima went on record to say that Metal Gear Solid 4 would be the last game in the series, MGS4 producer Ryan Peyton believes it to be contrary to what they are cooking up for the series.

Speaking to MTV Multiplayer, Peyton confirmed that the series would live on after the fourth game, but that future games may not include Solid Snake at all, saying that all loose ends would be tied up in the coming game.

“I think there’s been some misconceptions that this is the last ‘Metal Gear,’” said Payton. “This is really just the last chapter of the saga of the Solid Snake story.”

He also talks about the Assassin’s Creed costume in the recently released joke video. It was the result of a collaboration between Jade Raymond and Hideo Kojima, he says, as well as Ubisoft. “It was kind of a last minute thing [and] we were really lucky enough to have Ubisoft be so enthusiastic about this kind of cooperation,” he said. “They worked overtime to get that costume into the game.”

Except for the guys at Kojima Productions, no one knows the exact release date for Metal Gear Solid 4, which has been pegged with a Q2 2008 estimate by Konami, its publisher. However, it seems that the game is in its “last push” according to the weekly Kojima Productions Report podcast. Assistant producer Ryan Payton revealed that the game is now playable from start to finish and is about to enter the testing phase.

Payton also revealed that they will soon release further information on the game, including its release date, packaging content and various game details.

The Leipzig Games Convention has seen a new Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots trailer being released. The event is also host to new information regarding the game: series creator Hideo Kojima has unveiled the “Beauties and the Beasts” theme that runs through the game, revealing four new enemies. These creatures are unique ‘boss’ creatures and are all tied to the series. Scoop:

The characters - Laughing Octopus, Raging Raven, Crying Wolf, and Screaming Mantis - are empowered with special, supernatural abilities and have individual back stories that outline how they have become the beings they are. All were initially good people who, for various reasons linked to events in the Metal Gear Solid series and events they have seen in countless wars, are now altered beyond all recognition both physically and mentally - and are perfect examples of the ‘Beauties and the Beasts’ themes that run throughout MGS4.

Check out the trailer below.

At its 20th anniversary part, Hideo Kojima, creator of the series, took center stage to demonstrate real-time gameplay from Metal Gear Solid 4. The video can be downloaded from FileShack in high-resolution; those who prefer streaming can check out this Shacknews post which includes the video as well as a description of the events in the video. If you’re feeling too lazy to click, then check out the embedded video below:

GamePro sat down with Hideo Kojima, the dude behind the Metal Gear series, and talk about Metal Gear Solid 4. Though Kojima dances around most of the questions, he does offer a few juicy bits. First up is the fact that he wants to develop for PC and Xbox 360:

“Well, yes, I do have strong interest in creating something for the Xbox 360. In the US and Europe, it is selling, and I think it will sell a lot this year as well. I’m a fan of Gears of War as well, it’s very interesting.

Frankly speaking, I want to create something on the PC. It’s a multi-platform [format]. I’ve been regularly studying work on the PC anyways, and I want to provide something as a world-wide platform because of the consequences with timing on the PlayStation platforms, MGS4 is actually for the PS3 only so far.”

The second bit is him talking about online plans for MGS4. Apparently, Sony is yet to outline their online plans to him:

“Well, actually, Sony has not really spoken with us about their online plans. What I have is Metal Gear Online, and I’m always thinking of how we can conduct this plan on the Sony platform.”

He also talks about next-gen space requirement, coding for PS3, weapons in MGS4, as well as this bit on the 2007 release period for the game:

“We don’t know, because the guy who said 2007 was Raiden, and not me. [laughter]“

No more!

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Some new Metal Gear Solid 4 screenshots from the Leipzig Games Convention:

Time for some amazing screenshots from Metal Gear Solid 4: