Konami is mulling over the future of the Next Metal Gear Solid franchise, according to a print story on Nikkei noted on Kotaku. No solid plans are in place, and it's not clear whether this would involve series creator Hideo Kojima, who is reportedly on vacation, though rumors have continued to swirl that he will be leaving Konami. The translated quote that started all this refers to how they would need to spend some serious yen to make a new MGS game: "When we start development, a large-scale investment will become necessary." On a related note, a tweet from George Broussard (thanks VG247) reflects a rumor that Konami is closing Kojima's L.A. studio: "BREAKING: Rumor tells me that Konami has shut down the Kojima Productions LA studio, taking with it approx 35 jobs, just before Xmas," and Kotaku notes this tweet with a similar report which may have been the source of George's rumor.