Hideo Kojima has apparently gone on-record and confirmed that not only is Metal Gear Solid 5 happening, series hero Solid Snake is also still alive and kicking... even though he was supposed to die at the end of MGS4.

Pause for breath. Obviously, this is massive news. But perhaps not surprising considering Platinum Games has been hard at work on Metal Gear Solid Rising: Revengeance, leaving Kojima pretty much free to work on the next numbered instalment in gaming's premiere stealth series. Just think how many cut-scenes he could have made in all that time!

The source is reportedly the July edition of a French Magazine called IG, which does not appear to have been scanned or published on the internet. However, a spokesperson for the mag has responded to our sister site CVG to confirm that the quotes are real. So let's have a look at exactly what Kojima has said, through a translator:

"There will be a Metal Gear Solid 5 with the new FOX Engine

"Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance never claimed to be a Metal Gear Solid. This is not a game about our beloved Solid Snake. It is a spinoff that tries something different. We have not yet finished with Solid Snake, despite the fact that I wanted to let him die at the end of Guns of the Patriots.

"About Metal Gear Solid 5, I can tell you two things. There will be much question of infiltration, espionage, and convincing people to give you 'a favour' like in the last Metal Gear Solid.

"I liked the idea of social interactions in Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but we will see. And if I say more, the female ninja public relations officer, who is behind the door, I will be carved up into pieces. So it's better that we meet again when the time comes to talk about Metal Gear Solid 5."

So it looks like Konami diverted the gun muzzle from Snake's mouth to a few centimetres past his cheek. You're too valuable, son. Still, the FOX Engine, eh? That's the new engine that's supposedly going to run Kojima's games on the next generation of consoles, render see-through underwear and also make multi-platform games easier to produce than ever before.

So... MGS5 on PS4 and Xbox 720, starring Solid Snake? We didn't really need this article to have a guess at that, but hey - it all lends weight.

Sources: CVG, MCV