Kojima Productions has issued a statement addressing reports surrounding the publishing switch of its upcoming espionage game, Physint, from PlayStation to Xbox. Studio head Hideo Kojima claims that Sony informed him directly that they could no longer fund the game's development, a decision that reportedly came as a shock.
According to an interview with IGN, Kojima stated that Sony communicated their decision via a Zoom call in June, citing an inability to fund Physint's development. Kojima expressed his surprise, stating, "I couldn’t quite process what they had said." He acknowledged the current industry climate, with many studios closing and titles being canceled, but believed Physint was secure.
Initially, only a few key personnel within Kojima Productions were aware of Sony's decision. Kojima explained that this information was withheld from the wider staff to avoid causing alarm while the studio sought a new publishing partner. He also mentioned that some staff members were temporarily moved to work on the Xbox-published horror game OD, expressing concern that this might lead to developers leaving the studio. However, he asserted that no one resigned.
Kojima Productions also released a formal statement responding to claims made in a Bloomberg report. This report alleged that factors such as exceeded budgets, missed deadlines, and lower-than-expected sales for the Death Stranding franchise contributed to Sony's decision. The studio urged skepticism regarding these claims, emphasizing that they did not originate from official or on-the-record sources.
"Make no mistake, this was a serious situation for the studio with a range of potentially significant implications," Kojima Productions stated. "While we recognise that the article may have caused alarm, we want to reassure you all, for the record: that the studio is in a healthy, profitable state, development for Physint continues to move forward with Xbox, and our relationship with PlayStation remains strong."
Kojima himself stated that Sony did not reach out to clarify the reasons for canceling Physint's funding after the initial Zoom call. Despite the circumstances, he maintained that he is "not fighting" or "in a dispute" with Sony. The studio's statement reiterated that Physint's development is progressing with Xbox, and they aim to reassure fans, creative partners, and colleagues about the studio's stability.