PlayStation has struggled to move past the controversy surrounding its decision to stop supporting physical video games. Discs aren’t the only thing the company has abandoned recently, as it has now also walked away from the project it was developing with Hideo Kojima.

The game was announced more than 2.5 years ago, and although there had been no major updates since then, everything suggested that development was moving forward. Now, however, we know that wasn’t the case: the same company that enthusiastically announced Kojima’s return to the stealth genre has confirmed that it will no longer be involved with the project.

PlayStation Cancels PHYSINT

Through its social media accounts, PlayStation Studios announced that, after “careful consideration,” it had decided to end its collaboration with Kojima Productions on PHYSINT. The company did not provide additional details about the decision.

Naturally, the news is disappointing for Kojima’s fans, who had been eagerly waiting for the game. It’s also a blow to the industry as a whole, given what Kojima has accomplished throughout his career in the genre. Under these circumstances, it’s easy to assume that the relationship between PlayStation and Kojima isn’t at its best. According to PlayStation, however, its relationship with the Japanese creator “remains strong.”

“We will continue to have great admiration for Hideo Kojima’s vision for the game,” PlayStation said. “(...) and we look forward to continuing to work closely with Hideo Kojima and his award-winning independent studio in the future.”

Hideo Kojima Teams Up With Xbox Once Again to Save PHYSINT

Shortly after PlayStation Studios shared its statement, Kojima did the same, offering more details about what happened through his social media accounts.

According to the renowned creator, he and his team received an “unexpected notification” from Sony in mid-June informing them that it would cancel PHYSINT. Kojima, however, refused to let the project die, as he considers it extremely important to both himself and Kojima Productions.

Kojima then began looking for a partner that could help bring PHYSINT to life, and fortunately, he found one once again in Xbox, a company with which he has strengthened his relationship in recent years.

“Determined to keep the project alive, we spent the last three months tirelessly searching for a new partner. After seeking advice and negotiating with people from various fields, we found in Xbox a partner with whom we share a common vision for the future, so we have decided to collaborate with them once again. We want to assure you that the development of PHYSINT—our action and espionage title designed to define the genre—remains ongoing and will continue moving forward,” Kojima told his followers.

PHYSINT cancelación Hideo Kojima XBOX alianza
XBOX rescatará PHYSINT luego de que PlayStation lo abandonara (imagen: XBOX)

Xbox Reaffirms Its Support for Hideo Kojima

Xbox also released a statement announcing its new partnership with Kojima.

“Creators have choices about where and how to bring their ideas to life. It is an honor that Kojima-san has chosen Xbox to collaborate with Kojima Productions on PHYSINT. His ambition to challenge conventions reflects the kind of creativity we want to support at Xbox,” said Asha Sharma, the brand’s general manager.

According to the announcement, the partnership will not only cover OD and PHYSINT, but will also extend beyond video games through “film collaborations for television or cinema to bring new stories to a larger audience.”