Gaming
Kojima Productions Just Broke Its Silence on the Physint Bloomberg Report
Kojima Productions has a long standing policy of staying silent on internet speculation. That policy is exactly why its statement on September 20 matters. In a post from its official English account, the studio addressed reporting on Physint's move from PlayStation to Xbox, calling the claims unsubstantiated and urging fans to treat them with a dose of skepticism. The studio emphasized that none of the claims came from official or on the record sources.
The statement was a direct response to a Bloomberg report that Sony dropped Physint because Death Stranding underperformed financially and the new project was missing deadlines and running over budget. Kojima Productions pushed back on every element. The studio remains profitable and healthy, Physint remains in active development with Xbox, and its relationship with PlayStation remains strong. The studio added that the speculation has touched its fans, its creative partners, and colleagues it has worked alongside for three decades.
Hideo Kojima himself spoke with unusual candor in interviews with IGN. He described learning of Sony's decision as a shock, saying the news took time to fully process. He reiterated his affection for Sony, acknowledged the broader industry turbulence, and spoke of the company with clear warmth. On whether Physint will ever come to PlayStation hardware, he gave a non answer, saying that would be a question for Xbox, while noting Xbox's stated stance of delivering to as many gamers as possible. He has yet to decide whether the game will use Guerrilla's Decima engine, saying he is still experimenting with options.
The details that surfaced alongside the statement are where the real story lives. The project is earlier than the headlines suggested. Kojima has written out the plot and the full storyboards, and the studio has started creating 3D models and scanning its cast of actors, including just announced star Bill Skarsgard, who closed out Xbox's Tokyo show this week. Yet the engine choice remains open. Kojima kept the cancellation news from his staff for a short period before coming clean and promising the team he would find funding elsewhere, and talks with third party publishers went nowhere before Xbox stepped in. Microsoft has embraced the partnership publicly, with Xbox leadership leaving a message on the studio's office wall reading to invention and adventure together with Xbox. Bloomberg also reported that Sony had concerns about intellectual property ownership, having fully funded both Death Stranding games while owning none of it. That ownership question is the thread to watch, because it explains more about the split than any budget line ever could.
Quick answers
What is this story about?
Kojima Productions has a long standing policy of staying silent on internet speculation. That policy is exactly why its statement on September 20 matters. In a post from its official English account, the studio addressed reporting on Physint's move from PlayStation to Xbox, calling the claims unsubstantiated and urging fans to treat them with a dose of skepticism. The studio emphasized that none of the claims came from official or on the record sources.
Why does this story matter?
The details that surfaced alongside the statement are where the real story lives. The project is earlier than the headlines suggested. Kojima has written out the plot and the full storyboards, and the studio has started creating 3D models and scanning its cast of actors, including just announced star Bill Skarsgard, who closed out Xbox's Tokyo show this week. Yet the engine choice remains open. Kojima kept the cancellation news from his staff for a short period before coming clean and promising the team he would find funding elsewhere, and talks with third party publishers went nowhere before Xbox stepped in. Microsoft has embraced the partnership publicly, with Xbox leadership leaving a message on the studio's office wall reading to invention and adventure together with Xbox. Bloomberg also reported that Sony had concerns about intellectual property ownership, having fully funded both Death Stranding games while owning none of it. That ownership question is the thread to watch, because it explains more about the split than any budget line ever could.
Sources
- GeeZus Gaming, Hideo Kojima Clarifies on Physint and PlayStation
- Push Square, Kojima on Physint, PS6, and the Engine
New to crypto? Read the crypto glossary, browse frequent questions, read our story, or explore the story archive.