Konami, once a prestigious game maker but now on the back burner from AAA development, apparently has plans to resurrect major franchises such as "Metal Gear Solid," "Castlevania," and "Silent Hill."

This is according to a new report from VGC: In an October 1 broadcast of VGC's "Off the Record" podcast, Andy Robinson stated that "Konami will step up development of premium games" and that "Metal Gear Solid," "Castlevania," and " Silent Hill," he reported, and will include remakes and new titles in series like "Metal Gear Solid," "Castlevania," and "Silent Hill. This news follows a reorganization of the company that appears to be aimed at regaining a foothold in the premium gaming world.

Rumors of a "Metal Gear Solid" remake have been circulating for quite some time, with the assumption that the game would be developed by Bluepoint Games, the company behind the acclaimed "Wanda and the Colossus" and "Demon's Souls" remakes. However, today's reports indicate that it is in fact being handled by Singapore-based studio Virtuos, previously known for porting major titles such as "The Outer Worlds" and "BioShock: The Collection" to the new platform

More surprising than the team's reveal, however, is the possibility that what is actually being developed at this point may not be a new version of the original "Metal Gear Solid". According to one source, it may be "Metal Gear Solid 3" that will be remade. Other sources say that prior to the release of the remake, remastered versions of all or some of the original "Metal Gear Solid" titles will also be released.

Meanwhile, a new Castlevania title, reportedly being developed internally at Konami, would be a complete reimagining of the popular Gothic series. The long-running franchise was rebooted once with 2010's Lords of Shadow, followed by two sequels that were aborted due to lackluster fan response. It is unclear whether the upcoming revival will have any connection to the previous films, but it is unlikely that the story of "Lords of Shadow" will be retold.

As for Silent Hill, rumors of a revival have been rife since the 2012 cancellation of Silent Hills, which was directed by Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima and would have been the ninth in the series. However, sources told VGC that "multiple Silent Hill games are currently in development at various outside development studios," and things are looking promising.

Of course, given the impact each of these franchises has had on the gaming world, it is not surprising that Konami would want to revive them. Metal Gear Solid revolutionized stealth gameplay, Castlevania half-defined the entire Metroidvania genre, and Silent Hill influenced a generation of psychological horror films. These are not just games, but iconic pieces of history that helped shape the industry into what it is today.

Konami plans to announce all of these revivals at an event next year. Time will tell if all goes well.