Sad, but true: the tactical espionage franchise that kept lots of gamers literally stuck to their PlayStations is retiring, MGS creator Hideo Kojima announced, during Sony’s E3 conference.

Jack Tretton of SCEA did confirm however that the last installment in the franchise, Metal Gear Solid: Guns of Patriots will be a PlayStation 3 exclusive, shattering rumors that MGS 4 could be a cross-platform title.

A new MGS: GoP HD trailer hit the PlayStation Network this week and although we cannot say much from it about the outcome of Solid Snake’s adventures, Kojima promised that Guns of Patriots will decipher and unfold all the mysteries of the series.

Kojima explained that MGS 4 will stay true to the stealth-action genre, but it will also take players into the battlefield, and he promised that he’ll be putting all his effort and experience into the title.

The game is scheduled for an early 2008 worldwide release.