For "Metal Gear Solid" fans eagerly awaiting the latest title in the series, Konami and Kojima Productions have put up a timer on their website as a teaser, hinting at a big announcement for the latest "MGS" game, "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain." An alternate timer can also be seen on the international website where readers can click on a phantom cigar. This will hasten the timer countdown, but it will fail and go back to the two-day time. 

The countdown timer draws down to Wednesday, March 4, at 6 a.m. Pacific as its zero hour. 

However, reports surfaced that a NeoGaf user found several IGN video interviews, all of which were already pulled down, that hinted a Sept. 1 release date. Series creator Hideo Kojima reportedly stressed in one of the videos that this will be his final "Metal Gear Solid" game.

"I always say this will be my last Metal Gear, but the games in the series that I've personally produced - Metal on MSX, Metal Gear 2, Metal Gear Solid 1, 2, 3, 4 and Peace Walker - and now Metal Gear Solid 5 constitute a single Metal Gear saga," Kojima was quoted by Eurogamer as saying. "With Metal Gear Solid 5 I'm finally closing the loop on that saga. In that sense, this will be the final Metal Gear Solid. To me, this is the last Metal Gear." 

In September last year, Kojima only hinted at the Tokyo Games Show that "MGS5" is scheduled to ship some time in 2015. He also hinted details about the game in last year's E3 convention, and much of the content has already been shown on the latest game trailer. It reveals that there will be a multiplyer component for the game, featuring a class system, and playable characters such as Venom Snake and Ocelot.

"Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" has been listed by Gamespot as one of the most anticipated games of 2015.