PlayStation has officially withdrawn from the Physint project. Kojima Productions confirmed the news in an official statement on social media. Xbox immediately took over the game's publishing without much delay.
Timeline of the Physint Cancellation
Physint was first announced at the January 2024 State of Play. Hideo Kojima described the game as a next-generation action-espionage project. He developed Physint based on his three decades of experience in the stealth genre.
Sony positions Physint as the spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid. This collaboration even involves Columbia Pictures. PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst appeared on stage alongside Kojima during the announcement.
According to Kojima, PlayStation Studios sent notice of the cancellation in mid-June 2026 without prior warning. Kojima Productions then spent three months searching for a new partner. On September 9, 2026, PlayStation announced via X that it was withdrawing from the collaboration.
Kojima responded the next day. He explained the full timeline and confirmed a new agreement with Xbox. Kojima Productions confirmed that development of Physint would continue under the new publisher.
Strong Reaction from PlayStation Fans
This announcement sparked a wave of criticism on social media. Many PlayStation fans questioned Sony’s priorities in funding game projects. They Comparing Physint Cancellations with a massive investment in Sony for failed live-service games like Concord.
Fans also brought up a series of previous controversial decisions by Sony. Discussions on X highlighted some of the main complaints fans have had about PlayStation’s recent direction:
- Major investments in live-service games that were ultimately canceled, including Concord
- The closure of veteran studios such as Bluepoint Games
- Plan to discontinue physical releases of PlayStation games starting in 2028
- Price increases for consoles and additional accessories
One viral post highlighted the location of Kojima Productions’ office, which is right across the street from Sony’s office in Japan. Netizens found this location ironic, given that the relationship between the two parties had just soured. The post received thousands of interactions within hours.
Some fans have even cited this decision as a reason to switch to Xbox. Negative sentiment toward PlayStation has grown stronger amid a string of controversies throughout the year.
Impact on Competition Between PlayStation and Xbox
Xbox now holds the publishing rights to two major Kojima Productions projects at once. In addition to *Physint*, Xbox has already been working on the horror game *OD* with the same studio. The *Physint* deal reportedly also includes the development of story content for film and television.
The casting process for Physint is reportedly already underway. Performance capture sessions are scheduled to begin this year. Xbox has not yet officially announced a release date for Physint.
Physint’s move has added pressure to PlayStation’s reputation as the home of high-end single-player games. Many had considered Physint a key project for the next generation of PlayStation, although Sony never officially confirmed this. Physint’s status on PlayStation is now unclear, while its release on Xbox and PC has already been confirmed to become the leading platform.
Some observers suspect that the sales performance of *Death Stranding 2* played a role in Sony’s decision. However, PlayStation has not yet provided an official explanation for the cancellation of *Physint*. This lack of clarity has fueled speculation among fans and the gaming media.
Physint's Current Status Under Xbox Game Studios
Kojima Productions has confirmed that Physint’s creative direction will remain unchanged despite the change in publisher. The development team is said to be continuing with the original vision presented in 2024. Xbox stated that it is proud to continue its collaboration with Kojima outside of the OD project.
As of now, there is no information regarding the release date or additional platforms for Physint. Kojima Productions has only confirmed that the game’s development is proceeding without any significant setbacks. The public is still waiting for further details about this project in the coming months.
