Development studio Konami may have just officially announced that it is working on the next entry to its "Metal Gear Solid" franchise.

However, it is not yet clear how the company will proceed with this project since series creator Hideo Kojima is no longer working with the studio.

There have already been rumors about a possible "Metal Gear Solid VI." Earlier in November, in the midst of the growing conflict between Kojima and Konami, PlayStation Lifestyle reported that the latter is already discussing its plans for a new installment in the series.

Details regarding the plans were not revealed but the site noted that Konami will need a huge investment for the project.

Then, earlier this week, just a couple of days after Kojima's contract with Konami officially expired, the studio posted a new job listing for development staff members who will oversee the next "Metal Gear Solid" title.

As noted by the company, the ideal candidates should have extensive experience working on high-end games. Those who will be accepted for the position will be assigned to work in the company's Tokoy and Los Angeles offices, according to Cinemablend.

Somehow, Konami's search for a new development tea coincides with reports made earlier this week about Kojima partnering with Sony to work on a new PlayStation title. As previously stated, the game creator is planning to set-up his own development studio with the help of former Konami employees.

Given the details of the job listing, it seems Konami is looking to replace the former staff members who are now working for Kojima.

Although some gamers might be happy to see a new "Metal Gear Solid" game, other may not feel to good about it. For one, Kojima is no longer associated with the project. This is a huge factor since after pouring out more than 25 years to develop the franchise, which resulted in the release of more than 10 "Metal Gear Solid" titles, gamers have formed a strong loyalty to Kojima.

Also, it's a bit unclear how Konami will handle the narrative of the next game in the series. After all, the latest entry, "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain," is considered by Kojima as the conclusion of the franchise. The game even has a nuclear disarmament event, which mainly focused on scrapping all nuclear weapons in all bases. And, since the entire series centered on nuclear war and warheads, successfully accomplishing this event would put an end to the franchise's narrative.

But, despite these speculations, it seems gamers will just have to wait for Konami to release more details about the possible "Metal Gear Solid VI."