Kojima and PlayStation announced they would develop the original IP together in 2024, but now it’s going to be
ByJoe Price
September 10, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Hideo Kojima has moved his action-espionage project Physint to Xbox after PlayStation Studios stepped away from the game it announced with Kojima Productions in 2024.
- PlayStation Studios confirmed the split on X, calling it a “difficult decision” while still expressing “great admiration” for Kojima’s vision, prompting a wave of critical fan reactions online.
- Kojima said the notice from PlayStation arrived without warning in mid-June, after which he spent three months searching for a new partner before landing on Xbox.
- The Xbox deal extends beyond the game itself to cover future film and television storytelling, with Physint casting already underway and performance capture set to begin this year.
Xbox has swooped in to save Hideo Kojima’s in-development action-adventure game Physint after PlayStation “unexpectedly” walked away from the project.
In a post shared on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday (Sept. 9) evening, PlayStation confirmed that it would no longer be publishing Physint, an original action-adventure stealth game developed by Kojima Productions.
“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to step away from collaborating with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on its project PHYSINT. We continue to have great admiration for Kojima’s vision for the game,” the statement from PlayStation read.
The brand, which announced the project with Kojima in January 2024, noted that its relationship with Kojima and his development studio “remains strong.” PlayStation previously published Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding and its sequel, which debuted on PlayStation 5 last year. Kojima also had a long association with PlayStation thanks to the Metal Gear Solid <a href="https://comicvibe.com/save-on-apple-watch-series-12-preorders-at-amazon-today/” title=”Save on Apple Watch Series 12 preorders at Amazon today”>series, which he created.
Just minutes after PlayStation announced its decision to walk away from Physint, Xbox published a blog post that revealed they were stepping in to publish the game.
“Creators have choices about where and how they bring their ideas to life. We’re honored that Kojima-san has chosen XBOX to work with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on PHYSINT,” said Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. “His ambition to challenge conventions reflects the kind of creativity we want to support at XBOX.”
Xbox previously announced that they would publish the Kojima Productions game OD, a horror title co-
In a post shared on X, Kojima indicated that PlayStation Studios stepped away from the project in June.
“We unexpectedly received notice from PlayStation Studios that they would cancel the PHYSINT project,” Kojima wrote. “PHYSINT is an important project both to me personally and to KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS. Determined to keep the project alive, we have spent the last three months searching tirelessly for a new partner. In the course of seeking advice and pursuing negotiations with people across many fields, we found in XBOX a partner with whom we share a common vision for the future, and we have decided to team up with them once again.”
The news is another major PR blow for PlayStation, which confirmed earlier this year that it would stop producing discs for its first-party titles starting January 2028.
