adminKojima Productions Physint is moving forward with a new partner after PlayStation reportedly decided to end its involvement in the project. Reports point to concerns about the game’s budget, potential profitability, and timed exclusivity, while statements from both companies describe a change in their collaboration.
Image credit: Kojima Productions
Kojima Productions Physint and PlayStation’s reported concerns
Physint was announced in 2024 as an action-espionage game from Kojima Productions. People familiar with the project reportedly said it had missed deadlines and was projected to exceed its budget, even though it was still years from release. No specific budget figure or revised release date was provided.
The reports also linked PlayStation’s decision to the commercial performance of Death Stranding and its sequel, On the Beach, which reportedly fell short of the company’s revenue expectations. According to those accounts, PlayStation was reluctant to commit hundreds of millions of dollars to another Kojima Productions game that would be exclusive to its platform for a limited period.
For readers following the project, it is useful to distinguish these reported reasons from the companies’ public statements. Neither statement provided detailed financial information or a full account of the discussions behind the decision.
Death Stranding’s timed-exclusive release history
The first Death Stranding launched exclusively on PlayStation in November 2019. It later arrived on PC in July 2020 and on Xbox and Amazon Luna in November 2024. Its sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, also began as a timed exclusive: it launched in June 2025 and came to PC in March 2026.
A timed exclusive is available on one platform for a period before appearing elsewhere. That release model can shape when players on different systems can access a game, but the reports about Physint do not specify how long its planned exclusivity period would have been.
Xbox becomes Physint’s new partner
Hideo Kojima said his studio received unexpected notice from PlayStation in mid-June that it would cancel the Physint project. PlayStation separately said it had made the difficult decision to step away from working with Kojima Productions on the game. It also said its relationship with the studio remained strong and that it hoped to continue working closely together in the future.
Kojima Productions has now partnered with Xbox on Physint. The studio is already working with Xbox on OD, its in-development horror title. Sharma said Xbox was honoured that Kojima had chosen the company and described the project’s ambition as the kind of creative work Xbox wants to support.
Kojima said the Physint partnership expands the studio’s relationship with Xbox beyond OD. He also reiterated the team’s aim of developing the action-espionage genre for players around the world.
What the partnership change means
The available information confirms a change in partner, but it does not establish a release date, a final budget, or further details about the game’s platforms. Those details may become clearer through future announcements from Kojima Productions and Xbox.
For now, Kojima Productions Physint is continuing with Xbox after PlayStation stepped away. The reported concerns over cost, profitability, and exclusivity provide context for the shift, while the public statements leave the project’s development plans and timing open.
