Hideo Kojima's Espionage Game Physint Changes Hands From PlayStation to Xbox After Sony Backs Out of Project

Sony has dropped Hideo Kojima's in-development tactical espionage project, Physint. The game will instead be published by Xbox, Microsoft and Kojima Productions have announced. The project was revealed by PlayStation and Kojima in 2024 and promised the return of the Metal Gear Solid creator to the "action-espionage" genre.

Physint does not have a release date, but it is in development at Kojima Productions alongside OD, Kojima's Xbox-backed horror title. Now both games will be published by Xbox Game Studios.

Sony said it decided to step away from the project after “careful consideration.”

“We continue to have great admiration for Hideo Kojima's vision for the game,” the PlayStation parent said in a statement.

“Our relationship remains strong after three decades of industry-leading, genre-defining creative cooperation, and we look forward to continued close collaboration with Hideo Kojima and his award-winning independent studio in the future.”

Sony Was Set to Cancel Physint

Kojima's statement on matter, however, is more damning. According to him, Physint was at the brink of cancellation and was only saved after Kojima Productions found a funding partner in Xbox after a three-month search.

“As confirmed earlier through our official channels, in mid-June of this year, we unexpectedly received notice from PlayStation Studios that they would cancel the PHYSINT project,” the Kojima Productions head said in a post on X.

“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. Please rest assured that development of PHYSINT, our genre-defining action-espionage title, is ongoing and will continue moving forward.”

Xbox to Publish Physint and OD

With Sony out of the picture, Kojima Productions and Xbox are expanding their partnership. Xbox Game Studios is now set to publish two upcoming titles from the independent studio: OD and Physint.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma called it a “big moment” for the company.

“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. His ambition to challenge conventions reflects the kind of creativity we want to support at XBOX,” Sharma said in a statement.

Xbox also said its partnership with Kojima Productions would extend beyond games, with the companies collaborating on new stories for film and television.