Being one of Konami's biggest studios, Kojima Productions has some big plans for 2009. What are they up to? What's big man Hideo Kojima working on? And more importantly, are David Hayter and the rest of the gang still willing to work on more Metal Gear games despite some (questionable) psychological trauma?

A couple weeks back, we heard Ryan Payton expressing his thoughts that Japan was no longer the center of video game development. Today we hear how Sony Worldwide Studios big wig Shuhei Yoshida echoes Payton's thoughts, saying that Japan is starting to lag in its video game technology, especially when compared to the speed in which it's progressing in the US and Europe. Despite gaming feats like MGS4 or GT5: Prologue, there doesn't seem to be enough to go by with in game technology in in Japan.

Konami has filed an intriguing new label for their Metal Gear franchise, and it's called "Metal Gear Solid Existence". Time to cast in your bets! Is it a new game? Does it follow events after Guns of the Patriots - or just an enhanced edition much like MGS3: Subsistence? Could it be the title of that MGS feature-length movie they keep talking about?

Ryan Payton has just revealed that he's leaving Kojima Productions. After working on MGS Portable Ops and Metal Gear Solid 4, this guy has clearly made a lasting footprint in the history of video game development. Leaving is always a heartbreaking thing, and though he would have been a shoe-in for development on the so-called MGS5 (which he seems to have already confirmed, to a degree), Payton will be taking it easy for now. Learn more in the full article.

It's quite sad that the Japanese won't be having a launch party in honor of Konami's opus, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, but for those who live in the US, the show must go on. Konami Online's Brandon Laurino announces the schedule of the Metal Gear Solid launch events for three locations, and you can check them out in the full article.

Kojima Studios' Ryan Payton dropped by the NeoGAF Forums to make some clarifications regarding the PlayStation Underground e-newsletter and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops+.

If you missed our report on this, a certain MGS Portable Ops: Infinite War announcement came in with the said newsletter. Ryan Payton clarified that this is not a new title and definitely not the name of the North American version for Portable Ops+.

"What the hell? 'Infinite War' was the codename I gave to the project before 'MPO+' was decided on. Funny how things find their ways to retailers," explained Payton.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops+ is expected to be released in North America on November 13.

If you've received a recent copy of PlayStation Underground's e-newsletter, you might have skimmed over the list pictured above. Speculation or fluke - call it as you may, the newsletter listed four upcoming hotspot-compatible Sony PlayStation Portable games. The list included two SOCOM installments, NBA 09, and something new in the Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops scene: Infinite War.

Seeing as rumors over a new Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops sequel under development was overturned by Kojima Productions' Ryan Payton, there could only be one other viable option to what Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops: Infinite War is. It's probably the North American version of Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops+, of which the original was released less than a month ago in Japan.

Anyway, one would love to think that the use of "Infinite War" for a title with the "Infinity Mission" campaign is more than just a coincidence, but let's wait the details that was promised to confirm MGS fans' hopes. More on this as we get them.

Truckloads of kudos goes to NarooN for showing us the light and pointing us to the PSU e-newsletter.

If you've ever wondered how a company such as Kojima Productions actually works, or even if you're just curious about the day-to-day lives of game-makers in general, then you might want to check out a blog that has recently been started by Ryan Payton.

And who exactly is this Payton guy? Well, he just so happens to be an assistant producer at Kojima Productions, as well as the host for their English podcasts. As an AP, he is also involved with all Kojima projects. A foreigner in Japan, he has set up his blog with the intention of letting the public have a glimpse of life within the walls of the Kojima Productions offices.

Of course, for fans of anything even remotely connected to the Metal Gear Solid franchise, this is a great way to get updates on upcoming titles such as MGS4, and maybe figure out Hideo Kojima's favorite ramen brand along the way.

MGS fans look like they still have a whole lot to look forward to, as revealed in a recent podcast by PlayStation Magazine (different from Official PlayStation Magazine or OPM)">PlayStation Magazine (their FIRST podcast, actually).

This newly-launched podcast series is hosted by Playstation Magazine's Executive director Randy Nelson and Kojima Production's Assistant Producer Ryan Payton. PSM decided to start this new endeavor with a bang by having Ryan clue everyone in on plans for an MGS: Portable Ops sequel as well as the future direction of the MGS series over the course of a 37-minute program.

Though Payton will be as close as we can get to the source for now (which is pretty darned close), we can't help but get giddy over this tasty promise that they're dangling in front of everyone. Now, all we have to wait for would be word from Hideo Kojima himself before we pop the champagne.

To supplement the new info from the interview with Ryan Payton, the associate producer of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, we have here right now a barrage of screenshots courtesy of the friendly guys over at Konami. We have received no less than 35 screenshots of Konami's PSP game.

These screenshots show Portable Ops from pretty much every angle possible. Luckily, the screenshots we have received are all pretty nice for PSP graphics, which just seconds the beauty shown in yesterday's video trailer.

If you think that you can control the patch-wearing hero that is Big Boss, then this game is for you. Portable Ops is coming to the PSP on December 5. Until then, we'll leave you with these wonderful screenshots to tide you over.

Check out the rest of the gallery after the jump!