This weekend, Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa came to London’s Oxford Street to conduct a signing and launch the Metal Gear 25th Anniversary T-Shirt range and we were there to check it out.

Set inside the flagship Uniqlo store, hundreds of Metal Gear fans queued up in the Saturday morning sunlight. At half eight we were ferried inside the store where, half an hour later, Hideo and Yoji made their appearance. It was here that we also got a surprise.

In Hideo’s opening speech he said how during the year there would be more merchandise to celebrate the anniversary and that he would be returning to tour and sign in September. Why would Konami pay out to do a second round of touring, when the shirts were already released?

His previous signings were to coincide with the release of a new title – MGS4 and Peace Walker, so with Kojima touring once again towards the end of the year, could it imply that Metal Gear Rising Revengeance will be released at that time?

It’s been said before that the title would be aiming for a release towards the end of this year and with its current marketing, it’s building up to a big information blast at E3. Either way though, Hideo shall return in September if you missed this time around.

After the opening speeches they took to their desk and the piles of people started going up to get their wares signed and shake the hands of the two. Many awesome cosplays and rare items were on show and it was an awesome atmosphere to be in with so many fans, all of them knowing they were going to meet someone – in many cases for the first time – that they had long respected.

Much thanks to Hideo, Yoji, the Konami team and the Uniqlo staff for hosting yet another successful and awesome morning! We’ll see you there again later this year!