After Sony ditched 'Physint', legendary game developer Hideo Kojima addresses internet speculation around the split, hinting at the advanced tech Xbox is providing instead

Hideo Kojima in a black blazer and t-shirt stands in a white room next to a person wearing a futuristic white armored suit holding a black flag.
Hideo Kojima ready to announce the lead actor for his next game, Physint. (Image credit: Kojima Productions | Microsoft)

Over the weekend, legendary game designer Hideo Kojima was interviewed by The Washington Post and IGN regarding behind-the-scenes details of one of his studio's upcoming Xbox Series X|S titles, Physint.

The first interview at The Washington Post revealed that Sony tried to cancel Physint during a Zoom call with Hideo Kojima. The man was shockingly surprised at Sony's decision; Hideo Kojima then commented, "I didn’t have any anger or sadness. I was just thinking, ‘What should I do?’ It’s a big problem for us, and I couldn’t tell staff at the time."

Additionally, Kojima took this time to release a statement (which has also been released on Kojima Productions' official X account) regarding speculation people are making about Sony trying to pull the plug on Physint:

Normally, we would not comment on unsubstantiated speculation on the internet, but these aspersions around our relationship with PlayStation, the commercial performance of the DEATH STRANDING franchise, and the broader production planning and investment for PHYSINT, have reached beyond the studio and have touched our fans, our creative partners, and colleagues we have worked alongside with for three decades. None of the claims written came from any official or on-the-record source and as such we encourage you to take them with a dose of scepticism.

Hideo Kojima, The Washington Post, 9/20/2026

He then reassures worried fans that Kojima Productions is in a healthy, profitable state, that development for Physint is progressing with Xbox's backing, and that its relationship with PlayStation remains strong.

In an interview with IGN, he revealed that ever since partnering with Xbox on Physint, Microsoft has given Kojima Productions access to so much new technology and tech support that he jokingly remarked: “There are so many Doc Browns from Back to the Future here!”

He's clearly very excited to get to grips with this new tech, work with Xbox, and figure out what engine he'll decide to use for Physint, something he apparently hasn't chosen yet. Whatever engine Hideo Kojima's new stealth-action game will use, you can be sure we'll report on it as we keep a close eye on Physint's development, as well as Kojima Productions' other upcoming Xbox title, OD, which has survived Xbox's 'big reset'.


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Alexander Cope
Staff Writer - Deals/Gaming News

Alexander Cope is a gaming veteran with over 35 years of experience who primarily covers Xbox and PC gaming news and spotlights discounts on the best laptops, peripherals, and other electronics. He's also a diehard fan of JRPGs, action games, beat em’ ups, and Capcom’s Monster Hunter series

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