Xbox to publish Kojima's Physint after PlayStation exit

PlayStation Studios has ended its publishing partnership with Kojima Productions on the espionage game Physint. Xbox has now taken over as the game's publisher, expanding its existing collaboration with the developer.

PlayStation announced the decision via a social media statement, saying it was a difficult choice made after careful consideration. The company expressed continued admiration for Hideo Kojima's vision for the project.

Shortly after, Xbox revealed it had picked up the publishing rights. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma stated the company was honored by Kojima's choice. This deal means Xbox will now support two upcoming Kojima Productions titles: Physint and OD - Knock, which was announced in late 2025.

Kojima's search for a new partner

Studio founder Hideo Kojima explained the situation in his own statement, translated by IGN. He said the search for a new publisher began after PlayStation gave an unexpected notice of cancellation. Kojima stated his team spent three months searching tirelessly to keep the project alive. He said they found in Xbox a partner with a shared vision for the future, leading to the decision to team up once again.

A broader collaboration

The partnership between Xbox and Kojima Productions is set to extend beyond video games. According to the announcement, the collaboration will include film and television projects aimed at bringing new stories to broader audiences. This aligns with Xbox's stated goal of supporting creative visions across multiple media formats.

Context of Xbox's recent moves

This new deal arrives during a period of significant change and cost-cutting at Xbox. The company has enacted mass layoffs at its owned studios, with job cuts expected to total 3,200 by the end of the current fiscal year. It has also canceled several projects and partnerships.

In June, Hitman developer IO Interactive laid off staff after Xbox pulled funding and publishing support for a project codenamed "Project Fantasy." Last year, Romero Games also conducted layoffs after suddenly losing project funding when a company, reportedly Xbox, backed out.

The state of PlayStation relations

Despite ending the Physint deal, PlayStation emphasized that its relationship with Kojima Productions remains strong after three decades of collaboration. The company cited past work on the Death Stranding series and stated it looks forward to continued close collaboration in the future. The espionage game Physint remains in development under its new publisher.