Hideo Kojima’s new spy action game is suddenly called PHYSINT replaced Publisher. Sony Interactive Entertainment exited the project, and Xbox Game Studios became Kojima Productions’ new partner and will publish the project. Kojima himself confirmed that development of the game is ongoing.
According to Kojima, PlayStation Studios informed Kojima Productions of its decision to cancel the project as early as mid-June. The studio has not concluded development and will be looking for a new partner for the next three months. As a result, both parties agreed on Xbox because, as the famous game designer pointed out, the two companies shared a vision for the future of the project.
“As we previously confirmed through official channels, in mid-June of this year, we unexpectedly received notification of the cancellation of the PHYSINT project by PlayStation Studios. PHYSINT is an important project to me personally and to Kojima Productions. After deciding to save the project at all costs, we have been working tirelessly for the past three months to find a new partner. By seeking advice at all costs, talking to people at Xbox found a partner who shared our vision.
In a statement, Sony called it a “difficult decision” to pull out of the project, stressing that it still highly values Hideo Kojima’s vision. The company also expressed its intention to maintain its relationship with the developer and looks forward to further collaboration with him and his studio.
For Xbox, this is the second large-scale project to cooperate with Kojima Productions after OD. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said the company is excited for the opportunity to work on PHYSINT and supports Hideo Kojima’s commitment to challenging traditional notions of the genre. Kojima noted that the partnership with Xbox now extends beyond OD and PHYSINT. The two parties also plan to cooperate in the fields of film and television.
