‘Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain’ Release Date, Gameplay & Trailer: Announcement Due This Month? Sequel Reportedly Finished!

Breathe -- the agonizing wait for "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" will soon be over. According to GamingBolt, a Kojima Productions rep has already confirmed that the sequel's launch will be revealed soon, in fact, the wait will just be "a little longer."

That's certainly better than hearing next year, right?

The outlet took note of the rep's remarks (via Game*Spark), "I know you've all been eagerly await for word on releasing timing. I think we should be able to announce that soon, so look forward to that. It's only a little longer."

Recently, JunkerHQNet has responded to a fan, who asked whether "The Phantom Pain" is indeed in its final phase of development. The source said, "Kojima is adjusting the game with its various parts in place. Difficulty adjustment and final debugging are still to come... Summer is a good bet."

With adjustments and "final debugging" underway, GamingBolt is convinced that voice acting, assets finalization and gameplay mechanics "are already in place."

Simply put, it appears that the game is finished, but not technically quite so -- perhaps it's safe to say that "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" is in final polishing. But the real question is: how long is it going to take? How long is "a little longer?"

For the uninitiated, "The Phantom Pain" chronicles the story of Snake, a one-eyed, legendary mercenary aided by a prosthetic arm. The game's plot is heavily referred to Soviet occupation in Afghanistan.

Kazuhira Miller, Snake's former partner, is now held captive by the Soviet forces. This becomes an opportunity for the latter to show the world that he has survived. Vengeance, simply, is in his hand.

Interestingly, the sequel's title may be attributed to Snake's lost arm. As told by the Mayo Clinic, "phantom pain" refers to a sensation of pain from a body part that's no longer present. Think of diabetic patients whose legs had been amputated.

According to the health outlet, physicians once thought that the phenomenon is linked to psychiatric issues. However, it has been proven that this type of pain is real, arising from triggers within the brain and spinal cord.

Medical information aside, GamingBolt predicted that the game's launch date may be announced at the end of this month, while a worldwide release finally happens in June. As noted on IGN, the game will arrive for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC.

For more information about the upcoming Konami title, head over here.

What do you want to see in "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain?" Sound off in the comments section.