Snake, back in the day.

Konami have announced that their classic PlayStation and PC title, Metal Gear Solid (the first one, for those playing at home) will see re-release on the PlayStation Network in the very near future, with a date of June 18 for American audiences (and is likely to follow in European and PAL regions). The game will be playable on the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Portable, and will be available for US$9.99.

The game, which was first released in the late 1990s, introduced an all new generation of gamers to Solid Snake and the Metal Gear franchise, with (at the time) breathtaking visuals, believable, memorable characters, and an intense stealth / action gameplay experience.

Metal Gear Solid is set in south Alaska, where the special forces unit FOXHOUND has captured a nuclear weapons facility, threatening to launch a nuclear missile if their demands are not met. Solid Snake must infiltrate and dispose of the Foxhound threat.

Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment briefly mentioned the rich history of the Metal Gear series as the announcement was made, which was accompanied by news that in the US, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots would be joining the "Greatest Hits" range:

Since it's debut in 1987, the Metal Gear franchise has stood the test of time and continues to break new standards in story-telling and gameplay. These two releases are a perfect way to bridge the original game that created this genre with the latest masterpiece that brought it to an all-new level.

First, there was news of Final Fantasy VII getting a re-release, and now, with Metal Gear Solid being re-released, Sony, and some of the other major third party publishers involved in re-releasing these games must be making PlayStation 3 and PSP owners very, very, happy.