Key Takeaways
- Xbox will publish Hideo Kojima’s Physint after Sony ended its involvement.
- Kojima Productions says development continues despite the publishing switch.
- Physint is expected to blend interactive gameplay with movie-style storytelling.
Microsoft says Hideo Kojima’s Physint will now be published by Xbox after Sony ended its involvement, keeping development of the action-espionage game alive.
Xbox takes over publishing for Physint
Xbox will publish Physint, a project Kojima has described as a new action-espionage game that blends interactive gameplay with movie-style storytelling. The move expands the partnership between Xbox and Kojima Productions, which already includes the horror game OD.
Kojima said Sony notified the studio in mid-June that it would cancel the project. He said Kojima Productions spent the following three months seeking a new partner before reaching an agreement with Xbox.
“As we move forward with the development of Physint, we remain committed to redefining the action-espionage genre for players around the world,” Kojima said.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said Kojima’s decision reflects the kind of creative work Microsoft wants to support as it rebuilds its gaming business, part of a broader wave of major tech-sector bets this year, including Anthropic’s push toward a blockbuster IPO.
“We’re honored that Kojima-san has chosen Xbox to work with Kojima Productions on Physint,” Sharma said. “His ambition to challenge conventions reflects the kind of creativity we want to support at Xbox.”
Sony ends collaboration after three decades
Sony confirmed that it is stepping away from the project while maintaining that its broader relationship with Kojima remains strong.
“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to step away from collaborating with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on its project PHYSINT,” PlayStation said in a statement.
Sony said it continues to have “great admiration” for Kojima’s vision and looks forward to working with him and his independent studio in the future.
The decision marks a major change from the original arrangement. Physint was announced during PlayStation’s 2024 State of Play broadcast, when PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst said Sony would fully support Kojima Productions with its technology.
Kojima and Hulst ended that announcement by revealing a Columbia Pictures sign featuring the Physint name. Columbia Pictures is owned by Sony Group through Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Physint remains years from release
Physint is still a working title, and Kojima Productions has revealed limited details about the game. Kojima previously said the project would combine a game with cinematic elements, describing it as “an interactive game, but the look, story, theme, cast, acting, fashion, sound” would reach a level he compared with a movie.
Kojima said in 2025 that development was beginning, with the director working on concepts, characters and casting. The technology behind the project was described as more advanced than that used for Death Stranding and OD.
The game is expected to be several years away. Kojima said last year that Physint could still be five to six years from release.
Three actors have been confirmed for the project: Charlee Fraser, Don Lee and Minami Hamabe. Their roles have not been disclosed.
Kojima Productions has not announced which game engine it is using for Physint. This week, fans also speculated that actor Robert Pattinson could appear in the game, though the supplied information does not confirm his involvement.
OD is expected to release before Physint. Xbox will publish both projects as part of its expanded partnership with Kojima Productions, according to a report from GameSpot.
