While there's no clear indication from the folks at Kojima Productions as to when we might see Metal Gear Solid 5, a Japanese securities firm seems to have an idea. Yes, Hideo Kojima has said he will inevitably be forced to make Metal Gear Solid 5, but when that might take place seems to depend on a lot of factors, including the release of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

According to Nomura Securities, Kojima's stock interest will jump from neutral to buy in preparation of two strong fiscal years. From 2012 to 2013, Nomura expects Kojima to post a 24% sales increase, and then sometime between 2013 and 2014 they expect the release of Metal Gear Solid 5, which will most assuredly help the stock value to rise.

Unfortunately, aside from being based in the same country as Kojima Productions, Nomura Securities has no substantial evidence to support their claims. Obviously 2014 seems like long enough off to be safe, and for Hideo to get back into his groove, but there are still a couple factors to consider.

For starters there is the question of whether or not Kojima would develop Metal Gear Solid 5 for the PS3 or the PS4. Currently, signs are pointing towards the PS4 being shown off in 2014, which would put its release most likely in 2015. In the interest of appealing to a greater number of gamers it might be smarter to release Metal Gear Solid 5 as a PS4 launch title rather than one of the last PS3 games.

And then there is the Metal Gear brand, and how it might evolve over two years. With so many Metal Gear reboots and offshoots slated to release just in the next year alone, no one can know if the series will still remain relevant or if other stealth action titles like Assassin's Creed and Hitman will steal the spotlight. We would love to see Solid Snake, or some Big Boss clone, star in another Metal Gear, but ideas like that seem too far off to bet your money on.

Do you think we will see the release of Metal Gear Solid 5 in 2014? How do you see the fifth iteration in this particular leg of the franchise playing out?

Source: Nihon Securities Journal (via Andria Sang)