Xbox Steps In to Publish Kojima Productions' Physint Following Sony Exit

Microsoft's Xbox division has secured the publishing rights to *Physint*, the next major interactive project from director Hideo Kojima, following an abrupt exit by original backer Sony Interactive Entertainment.

According to a report from GamesIndustry.biz, independent developer Kojima Productions "unexpectedly received notice from PlayStation Studios that they would cancel the Physint project" in mid-June.

Rather than shelving development, Kojima Productions moved quickly to salvage the title, reaching an agreement with Xbox to finance and distribute the production going forward.

## Shifting Platform Priorities

The sudden handover highlights diverging strategic calculations across console publishers. Sony has increasingly reevaluated its first-party pipeline amid broader interactive sector belt-tightening. In contrast, Microsoft remains keen to opportunistically capture marquee creative projects to strengthen its portfolio.

The rupture is particularly striking given Kojima's deep historical ties to PlayStation, which previously backed both *Death Stranding* and its upcoming sequel. However, the designer had already begun diversifying his platform relationships, having announced horror title *OD* in partnership with Xbox Game Studios.

Neither Microsoft nor Kojima Productions have disclosed the revised financial terms or confirmed a target release window for *Physint* under its new publisher.