Physint, the next-generation action-espionage game from Hideo Kojima, has changed hands. PlayStation announced on September 9, 2026 that it was stepping away from the project, and within minutes Xbox confirmed it would publish the game instead. Development is continuing under the new partner, with Kojima Productions keeping the same creative direction it pitched back in 2024.
Quick answer: Physint is no longer a PlayStation title. Xbox is now the publisher, the game is still in active development, and there is no release date confirmed.
What happened to Physint and who publishes it now
The change played out as a fast sequence of public statements. PlayStation posted first, saying it had decided to drop the project. Roughly a minute later, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed the game was moving to her company. Kojima then followed with a longer note explaining that the switch was not his first choice, but a rescue after Sony’s withdrawal.
In its own statement, PlayStation wrote on X: “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to step away from collaborating with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on its project PHYSINT. We continue to have great admiration for Hideo Kojima’s vision for the game.” The company added that its relationship with Kojima “remains strong” after three decades of working together.
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Original publisher | Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation) |
| Current publisher | Xbox |
| Developer | Kojima Productions |
| First revealed | January 2024, PlayStation State of Play |
| Cancellation notice | Mid-June 2026, from PlayStation Studios |
| Genre | Action-espionage |
| Release date | Not confirmed |
Why PlayStation walked away in mid-June
Kojima’s account fills in the timeline that PlayStation’s statement left out. He said Kojima Productions received an unexpected cancellation notice from PlayStation Studios in the middle of June 2026, while the game was already in production.
In mid-June of this year, we unexpectedly received notice from PlayStation Studios that they would cancel the PHYSINT project. PHYSINT is an important project both to me personally and to KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS. Determined to keep the project alive, we have spent the last three months searching tirelessly for a new partner.
He explained in his statement on X that after seeking advice and negotiating across many fields, the studio landed on Xbox, “a partner with whom we share a common vision for the future.” He stressed that development of the game is ongoing and will keep moving forward.
PlayStation has not said why it pulled out. Physint was originally shown during a January 2024 State of Play as a collaboration between Kojima Productions, Sony, and Columbia Pictures, with PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst appearing alongside Kojima on the Columbia Pictures lot.
How Xbox’s deal with Kojima Productions expands
Physint is not Xbox’s first project with the studio. Kojima Productions is already building the horror game OD with Xbox Game Studios, so adding Physint means both of Kojima’s announced non-Death Stranding projects now sit with Microsoft.
Sharma framed the move as a creative win. “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,” she said in the Xbox Wire announcement.
The partnership reaches past games. Xbox and Kojima Productions said they will also work together across film and television, aiming to bring the studio’s stories to wider audiences. Kojima described Physint as a title meant “to redefine the action-espionage genre for players around the world.”
What is still unknown about Physint
Several details remain open. One is the engine. Physint’s early work was tied to Sony’s ecosystem, and the Decima Engine used on Death Stranding is built by Guerrilla Games and owned by Sony. Whether Physint keeps using Decima under the new arrangement has not been confirmed.
The release window is also unclear. The game has no announced date, and earlier guidance pointed to a launch within roughly six years of its reveal. Physint is expected to follow OD, the studio’s other Xbox project.
For now, the practical takeaway is simple. The game that launched as a high-profile PlayStation exclusive is continuing as an Xbox title, with the same developer and the same stated ambition behind it. More information is expected as development progresses.
