The Metal Gear Solid franchise may be coming to pachinko, if a new trademark filed by Konami Parlor Entertainment (KPE) is any indication.

As first spotted by Kotaku , Konami has filed a "Big Boss" trademark in specific relation to video games and board games, as well as smartphone games, medal games, slot machines, and pachinko machines. The following image was included in the trademark filing.

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It's important to note that KPE's new trademark doesn't confirm the company will be making Metal Gear pachinko machines; however, it does seem likely given Konami's profitability in this particular market.While recent reports suggest Konami is stepping away from big budget console games , the Japanese publisher insists it's still committed to console game development. In fact, Konami community manager Graham Day went so far as to say the Metal Gear Solid franchise can continue without Hideo Kojima.

Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter