Following the success of a similar service it previously ran alongside Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Konami has decided to launch a dedicated online league for its PlayStation Portable stealth instalment, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.

Created by Online Game Services, the official league will be hosted at mpoleague.com. Players will be able to participate in official tournaments or even create their own, if they so wish. They will also be able to form clans, recruit players, and discuss tactics prior to battle on the website's community forums.

The official competitions are currently being planned for June and October, while Konami comments that it is looking to repeat the response gathered through the official Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence competitions - which caused quite a stir amongst fans of the long-running franchise.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops' online mode already affects a player's performance in the game's single-player campaign; the player can recruit and trade soldiers from beaten opponents, or vice-versa. Additionally, certain multiplayer options result in recruits being removed permanently from one's single-player roster.