Xbox has stepped in to publish PHYSINT, the action-espionage title from KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, after PlayStation Studios cancelled the project. The expanded partnership also covers film and television, taking the Xbox-Kojima relationship well beyond their existing work on OD.
Hideo Kojima confirmed on 10 September 2026 that his studio received cancellation notice from PlayStation Studios in mid-June 2026. He described it as unexpected.
PHYSINT had been in development under a PlayStation partnership.
Kojima said the studio spent three months searching for a new publisher before landing on Xbox. The announcement marks the second active project between KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS and Xbox, following OD.
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PlayStation steps back, Xbox steps in
PlayStation issued a statement framing its exit as a considered decision.
“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to step away from collaborating with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on its project PHYSINT,” the statement read.
It added that the relationship with Kojima and his studio “remains strong after three decades” and pointed to future collaboration.
Kojima’s own account of events sits in direct tension with that framing.
“In mid-June of this year, we unexpectedly received notice from PlayStation Studios that they would cancel the PHYSINT project,” he wrote on X.
He described the project as important both personally and to the studio, and said the team searched “tirelessly” across many fields before settling on Xbox.
KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS posted separately to confirm the move. According to the studio’s statement, Xbox “understands and shares our bold creative vision.”
What the Xbox deal covers
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed the partnership in a post on Xbox Wire. “Creators have choices about where and how they bring their ideas to life,” Sharma said.
“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.”
The scope of the deal goes further than just PHYSINT. According to the Xbox Wire announcement, the partnership will extend beyond games, with XBOX and KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS collaborating across film and television to bring new stories to broader audiences.
Kojima described the agreement as an expansion of their existing relationship. “This expands our relationship with XBOX beyond OD,” he said.
“As we move forward with the development of PHYSINT, we remain committed to redefining the action-espionage genre for players around the world.”
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PHYSINT is still in development
Kojima confirmed that development of PHYSINT is ongoing. The title is described as a genre-defining action-espionage game, and KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS has positioned it as a project central to the studio’s identity.
No release date or platform specifics were announced alongside the publishing deal. The partnership with Xbox also covers OD, the studio’s horror title, which does not yet have a launch date.
Kojima put the studio’s position plainly: “Determined to keep the project alive, we have spent the last three months searching tirelessly for a new partner.”
