Sony Studios has canceled the Physint project, a new espionage game by Hideo Kojima, which will no longer be published by PlayStation Studios. The decision to abandon the project was made by Sony in June. After a three-month period dedicated to finding a new partner, Kojima Productions announced this Thursday (10th) that the title will now be developed in collaboration with Xbox.
Physint, originally presented in 2024, is conceived as a new intellectual property and a 'next-generation action and espionage game.' This project also represented a renewed partnership between Kojima and PlayStation, a relationship that spans approximately three decades. However, according to the developer himself, the initiative to end this collaboration came from Sony.
In a social media statement, Kojima reported receiving the news unexpectedly in mid-June. Consequently, Kojima Productions began searching for another company to prevent the definitive cancellation of the project. Kojima emphasized the importance of Physint both for him personally and for Kojima Productions.
The developer detailed that he spent the last three months searching and negotiating with various companies. This search culminated in Xbox, with whom Kojima Productions already has ongoing work on the horror title OD. Kojima stated that both companies share an aligned vision for the future of Physint and assured that the game's development will proceed.
Sony also confirmed its withdrawal from Physint, although it used different communication than Kojima. In a note, PlayStation Studios declared it had made the 'difficult decision' to 'step away' from the partnership with Kojima Productions. The company did not provide details about the reason for this deliberation.
Despite the change in partnership, PlayStation Studios expressed its continued admiration for Kojima's vision for Physint and stressed that the bond with the developer remains strong after three decades of cooperation. This suggests that the migration of Physint to Xbox does not necessarily imply the end of the relationship between Sony and Kojima Productions.
This change also strengthens the relationship between Kojima Productions and Microsoft. Asha Sharma, head of Xbox, described the agreement as 'a big moment for Xbox' and expressed the company's honor in being selected to work on the project. With this, Kojima will collaborate with Microsoft's gaming division on two titles: OD and now Physint.
There is still little information available about Physint's gameplay. Kojima mentioned that his prior experience in espionage games provides a familiar foundation for the project, but his goal is to avoid repeating elements already explored in the genre. The intention is to incorporate new mechanics and strengthen the connection between video game and cinema languages, including the participation of actors and film industry professionals behind the scenes of the production.
Physint is also noteworthy for marking Kojima's return to the genre that defined much of his professional career. He created Metal Gear and worked on the series for many years before leaving Konami and founding Kojima Productions as an independent studio. However, this time, it is a completely new intellectual property.
There is no set release date for Physint. The change of partners raises questions regarding platforms and possible adjustments to the project timeline, which have not yet been specified by Kojima Productions or Xbox. What is certain is that the game survived PlayStation Studios' decision to abandon production, finding a direct competitor to Sony as the company that will continue its new espionage project.