Physint: Xbox Takes on Kojima’s New Game After His Departure from Sony
The action-espionage project remains in development; three cast members have already been confirmed, but platforms and a release date have yet to be announced.
Physint, Hideo Kojima’s new action-espionage project, will be published by Xbox. Kojima Productions confirmed the partnership in a statement released on September 10, 2026, expanding a collaboration that already includes the horror game OD. Statement from Kojima Productions.
The change comes after Sony ended its involvement in the project. According to The Verge, Kojima stated that the studio received an unexpected cancellation notice in June and spent the following three months searching for a new publisher. Sony described the decision as difficult and stated that its relationship with the studio remains strong. The Verge.
Despite the change in partner, it is not yet possible to confirm that Physint will be exclusive to Xbox consoles. The official announcement confirms the publishing deal but does not specify platforms, a Game Pass release, or a launch date. Xbox Wire.
What do we already know about Physint?
Physint marks Kojima’s return to the action-espionage genre. In September 2025, the director explained that the project was still in the conceptual phase, with him personally working on the ideas and characters. That statement described the production status at that time, but did not imply that he would be developing the entire game by himself. GamesRadar+.
During the “Beyond the Strand” event, held on September 23, 2025, to celebrate Kojima Productions’ 10th anniversary, three cast members were introduced: Charlee Fraser, Ma Dong-seok—also known as Don Lee—and Minami Hamabe. The studio also revealed promotional artwork for the project. Kojima Productions.
Motion capture and possible story details
In his message from early 2026, Kojima listed casting, scanning, and performance capture recordings among the preparations planned for Physint that year. GamesRadar+.
In April, a report by MP1st, picked up by GamesRadar+, pointed to a possible casting call linked to the project, under the codename “Shimmer.” Mari Ueda, founder of Pivot Motion and a contributor to Death Stranding 2, was reportedly involved in the process.
The report described a scene on a hijacked bus, featuring a mother holding a newborn, two male passengers, five teenagers, and a villain with a German accent. These details remain unconfirmed by Kojima Productions. The mentioned plan for recordings in June also does not prove that they actually took place. GamesRadar+.
A spiritual successor to Metal Gear?
The espionage theme and Kojima’s involvement bring Physint closer to the legacy of Metal Gear, prompting comparisons to a possible spiritual successor. This term describes an expectation regarding the project; it does not indicate a continuation of the franchise. PC Gamer.
For now, Kojima Productions’ stated goal is to redefine the action-espionage genre. Details on how this ambition will manifest in the gameplay experience are still pending further announcements. Kojima Productions.
As confirmed earlier through our official channels, 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… pic.twitter.com/rQqhxAnb7N
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) September 10, 2026
