Rumour has it that Hideo Kojima may spill the beans on Metal Gear Solid 5 at this summer's annual E3 extravaganza.

That rumour comes from PSM3 magazine, read and quoted by PS3 Center.

Wrote the magazine: "MGS maestro Hideo Kojima's got some big announcements for E3 in June: one a quasi-logical step for an existing game, the other... well, we'd be shocked if MGS5 wasn't on the table at some stage. Or under it. In a box."

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was released nearly three years ago, and as yet there's no sign of a direct successor: only action spin-off Metal Gear Solid: Rising, which is tentatively linked to a 2012 launch. However, MGS4 was supposed to be Snake's swansong, his final outing. But the door didn't quite click shut.

What's more, Kojima Productions was spotted hiring staff for a "Next Generation Metal Gear Solid Series Production Staff" earlier this year.

The "quasi-logial step" PSM3 refers to could be a Substance/Subsistence-style expansion for MGS4 - an avenue pursued by Kojima Productions for MGS2 and MGS3.

That "quasi-logical step" could also be a Next Generation Portable version of Metal Gear Solid. Hideo Kojima showed Metal Gear Solid 4 running on NGP during Sony's unveiling of the handheld earlier this year. He also lead development of PSP game Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

Konami told Eurogamer this morning that it doesn't comment on rumour and speculation.

E3 this year takes place on 7th to 9th June. Eurogamer will be there in force.