Xbox will publish Physint, the upcoming action-espionage game from Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, after Sony ended its planned collaboration with Kojima Productions.
The unexpected change was announced by Xbox, PlayStation, Kojima Productions and Kojima in a series of statements. Sony said it had made the “difficult decision to step away from collaborating with Kojima Productions”, while stressing that its relationship with the developer remained strong.
Kojima offered a more detailed account on X, saying Sony had issued an unexpected cancellation notice in June. He said Kojima Productions had spent the following three months “searching tirelessly” for a new publishing partner before choosing Xbox.
He described Xbox as “a partner with whom we share a common vision for the future”. The two companies are already working together on OD, a horror game being developed by Kojima Productions and set to be published by Xbox.
Xbox chief executive Asha Sharma said: “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.”
Physint has been described by Kojima as a “genre-defining action-espionage title”, prompting speculation that it could become a spiritual successor to his Metal Gear series. The game is not expected to be released until at least 2030.
The new agreement is also intended to extend beyond video games, with Xbox saying the companies are exploring projects in film and television. No further details were announced.
Sony published both of Kojima Productions’ previous games, Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Kojima Productions is also developing adaptations of that series, including an animated spin-off called Mosquito and a live-action film from the director of Pig.
OD has yet to receive a release date, although it was announced in 2022 and a first trailer was released last year. It is expected to arrive before Physint.
