Despite the many, many instances where Hideo Kojima promised he was finished with the Metal Gear Solid series, he’s always returned to it one more time, and it looks like the pattern will continue. Konami has confirmed to Shacknews that Kojima will “continue working on Metal Gear Solid games,” following comments from Metal Gear Solid: Rising’s producer that suggest Kojima may be planning to make a new MGS already.

The comments of interest came during an E3 2010 roundtable discussion last week, when Rising producer Shigenobu Matsuyama was asked where this new game fits into the MGS series. “I’ve been asked a lot, ‘Is this going to be a side-story or spin-off to the MGS series?’” Matsyama responded through a translator, “but what I’m positioning is that there will be a Hideo Kojima game that is MGS, but what we are planning as Kojima Productions is have this Raiden Rising as almost as a standard so that there’s an MGS and the Rising going back-and-forth in the future.”

It’s hard to tell exactly what Matsuyama meant due to the awkward wording of the translation, but it sure sounds like he’s saying Kojima plans to make a new MGS game, and seemingly that’ll it come in-between entries in the Rising franchise (which also, incidentally, seems to suggest Kojima Productions is positioning Rising as its own franchise that’ll get its own sequels).

When Shacknews contacted Konami for clarification, that’s when they issued a terse comment saying that “Hideo Kojima will continue working on Metal Gear Solid games.” Although that didn’t really clarify Matsuyama’s comments much, at least it does confirm Kojima isn’t really finished with MGS after all.

There’s been a lot of hints and speculation about what Kojima’s next game will be, but the latest rumor has it we’ll find out for sure at Tokyo Game Show in September.

Konami released the first details today behind the two special PSP packs they’ll be shipping in Japan alongside Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, which is due out March 18 over there.

The “Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Premium Package” combines a copy of the game with a PSP (3000 model) done up in skull-pattern camouflage, inspired by the logo of Snake’s Militaires Sans Frontieres guerrilla group. You also get a carrying pouch and handy cleaning cloth in the deal, all for the price of 26,980 yen.

If that’s not hoitie-toitie enough for you, there’s a limited-edition version of the same set available for 36,980 yen exclusively on konamistyle.jp, Konami’s shopping site in Japan. That box, only 1,974 of which are being offered for sale, also includes a strap, an original PSP stand, dog tags, and other unspecified goodies.

MGS: Peace Walker is hitting stores May 25 in the US.