Hideo Kojima moves Physint to Xbox, seemingly breaks up with Sony

This announcement comes after Xbox said it would publish the independent developer’s latest first-person horror game, OD, in 2023, which further complicates Kojima’s future with Sony, his publishing partner for Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. (Sony and Kojima announced their partnership after Kojima broke with longtime developer Konami in 2015.) Physint was originally announced as a PlayStation exclusive during Sony’s 2024 State Of Play, where Kojima stood on stage shaking hands with PlayStation Studios honcho/annoying Death Stranding NPC Herman Hulst. As many who’ve had their hearts broken in the past know all too well, some relationships cannot endure complex, hours-devouring video games, as Sony and Kojima’s apparent breakup attests.

As for what Physint is, Kojima remains typically cryptic. “It is an interactive game, but it also a movie at the same time,” he posted after January’s State Of Play. “It is a completely new ‘Action Espionage’ for the next generation. It will be created using cutting-edge technology and the best talents from around the world, both from film and video games. Of course, this is an interactive ‘game,’ but the look, story, theme, cast, acting, fashion, sound, etc. are all at the next level of ‘Digital Entertainment’ that could be called a ‘movie.'” Aside from that, rumors about The Batman star Robert Pattinson potentially joining Physint castmates Charlee Fraser (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Don Lee (Train To Busan, Eternals), and Minami Hamabe (Godzilla Minus One), and the poster below, not much else is known about the project. Kojima has previously estimated that it may still be “5-6 years away.” 

In an attempt to save face during this messy breakup, Sony dashed off a post on the official PlayStation X account, stating that their publishing split with Kojima Productions was totally amicable, and that they’re going to stay friends and maybe even get brunch at some point, though everyone’s very busy.