Konami has apparently started discussing plans for a sequel to "Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain."

According to Japan news outlet Nikkei via Kotaku, details regarding the next "Metal Gear" game have been scant. Although, Konami has indicated that it's already planning the game's budget. A representative from the company was quoted saying, "when we start development, a large-scale investment will become necessary."

The statement comes off as no surprise, considering that the Tokyo video game publisher cashed out over $80 million to make "Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain."

It has been a topsy-turvy few months for "Metal Gear Solid" fans as there has been a much speculation surrounding series' creator Hideo Kojima's departure from Konami.

It was on Oct. 9 that Kojima reportedly left his Konami office in Tokyo. Before that, a departure ceremony was held in his honor, per The New Yorker.

According to an unnamed source who was at the event, Konami president Hideki Hayakawa and the company's CEO Sadaaki Kaneyoshi did not attend the ceremony. This wasn't a shocker since both are reportedly at odds with Kojima for his much-publicized decision to leave the company.

Despite the pair's absence, Kojima was joined by his faithful staff and other employees from different studios in the Konami headquarters.

Kojima has been a part of Konami since 1986. He has numerous titles under his belt but none so popular than the "Metal Gear" games. But like all business partnerships, priorities change and ideologies evolve. Some speculate Kojima's departure was not only because of conflicting creative ideas with Konami during the development of "The Phantom Pain," but also due to the shift in global interest from console games to mobile games.

Many fear the next entry in the "Metal Gear" series would fail in comparison to prior titles as a result of Kojima's creative absence. It's too early to say if Konami and Kojima will patch things up in time or if Kojima will be involved only as a consultant. Whatever the case may be, this is surely something Konami needs to address before full development of the next "Metal Gear" title begins.

Just two weeks ago, Konami subtly responded to the controversy by merely implying that Kojima has not left the company and was just on an extended vacation, following the painstaking development of "The Phantom Pain."

"Currently, Kojima and the development team are finished developing Metal Gear Solid V and are taking a long time off from work. Because the development time for console games is so long and fatigues builds up, it's common for employees to take extended periods of time off when development is finished," a representative from Konami told Tokyo Sports as translated by Kotaku.