Hideo Kojima’s next espionage action game, Physint, will no longer be published by PlayStation. After Sony cancelled its involvement, Xbox has stepped in as the project’s new publishing partner.
The change emerged through a rapid series of public announcements. PlayStation said it had decided to stop collaborating with Kojima Productions on Physint, while stressing that it still admired Kojima’s vision and that its broader relationship with the developer remained strong.
PlayStation said it had made the “difficult decision” to step away from its collaboration with Kojima Productions on Physint.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced the new arrangement shortly afterwards, describing Physint and Kojima Productions’ existing horror project OD as major projects being developed with Xbox in Japan. OD has continued despite Microsoft’s recent cuts across its gaming division.
Kojima then provided more detail about the handover. He said PlayStation Studios unexpectedly notified Kojima Productions in mid-June 2026 that it intended to cancel Physint. The creator described the game as personally important and significant to his studio.
Over the following three months, Kojima Productions searched for another partner, consulting people across several industries and negotiating with potential publishers. The studio ultimately found a shared vision with Xbox and chose to continue the project with Microsoft’s gaming division. Kojima wrote on X that the partnership would allow Physint to remain alive.
Xbox’s announcement also pointed beyond game publishing. Sharma said Xbox and Kojima Productions would collaborate across film and television, with the aim of bringing new stories to wider audiences. That broader entertainment strategy fits with Xbox’s stated ambition to reach one billion daily users across its services and content.
A separate report claimed Microsoft had been presenting a $300 million licensing package involving adaptations of franchises including The Elder Scrolls and Diablo. The report provides context for Xbox’s interest in expanding game properties into film and television, although no specific film or television adaptation of Physint was announced.
Physint was first revealed during a PlayStation showcase in January 2024, before Death Stranding 2 had been released. Details about its gameplay, launch timing and platforms have remained limited.
The original reveal was presented as a major collaboration. PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst appeared with Kojima before a drone camera pulled back to show that the segment was being recorded on the studio lot at Columbia Pictures in Hollywood.
Hulst said at the reveal that Kojima would lead a new adventure and reinvent the espionage action genre, with PlayStation promising support through Sony’s latest technology. That arrangement has now ended, leaving Xbox responsible for publishing the still-mysterious project.
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