# Kojima Productions and PlayStation partnership dissolution > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/kojima-productions-and-playstation-partnership-dissolution > Updated: 2026-09-12T07:29:31.000Z. Sources: 130. Developments: 3. PlayStation Studios has faced scrutiny regarding its creative direction and the cancellation of major projects. Critics have suggested the studio’s single-player narrative output has become a “homogeneous mass” following repetitive design templates established by titles such as Uncharted, The Last of Us, and God of War, with recent concerns raised following the reception of Insomniac’s Wolverine. Amidst this criticism, Hideo Kojima reported that he received unexpected notice from PlayStation in mid-June 2026 to cancel the development of Physint, an action-espionage game. Sony Interactive Entertainment described the decision to end the collaboration as a “difficult one,” maintaining that relations remain good. However, reports suggest the split was driven by rising development budgets, missed milestones, and concerns regarding long-term profitability. Sony was also reportedly hesitant to invest heavily in a title that would not remain a permanent PlayStation exclusive, with some reports citing the commercial performance of the Death Stranding series as a contributing factor. Following a three-month search for a new partner, Kojima Productions secured an agreement with Xbox to continue development of Physint. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma described the partnership as a “great moment for Xbox,” noting that the collaboration will extend to transmedia projects in film and television, as well as the horror title OD. While platform details for Physint have not been finalized, internal reports suggest Microsoft may aim for a simultaneous launch on Xbox and PC. The transition to Microsoft may impact technical development, as Kojima Productions may lose access to Sony’s proprietary Decima Engine. While the studio’s other project, OD, is already being developed on Unreal Engine 5, uncertainties remain regarding whether Physint will switch to a different technology to mitigate increased development costs and timelines. ## Claims - Xbox will now publish the upcoming Kojima Productions game Physint. (corroborated by 50 sources) - PlayStation Studios has ended its collaboration with Kojima Productions on the project Physint. (corroborated by 45 sources) - Hideo Kojima stated that PlayStation Studios unexpectedly notified Kojima Productions in mid-June that they would cancel the Physint project. (corroborated by 39 sources) - The partnership between Kojima Productions and Xbox extends to the game OD and transmedia projects in film and television. (corroborated by 36 sources) - Physint is an action-espionage game intended as a spiritual successor to the Metal Gear franchise. (corroborated by 30 sources) - Kojima Productions spent approximately three months seeking a new partner to continue the development of Physint. (corroborated by 14 sources) - Reports suggest Sony's decision was influenced by rising budgets, missed deadlines, and the commercial performance of Death Stranding. (corroborated by 9 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-12: Physint moves to Xbox after Sony cancels development funding Physint, Hideo Kojima’s upcoming action-espionage game, has moved from Sony to Xbox after PlayStation cancelled its funding due to budget and exclusivity concerns. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/physint-moves-to-xbox-after-sony-withdraws-from-kojima-project ### 2026-09-11: PlayStation Studios faces creative scrutiny and project cancellation PlayStation Studios faces scrutiny over repetitive game design following the reported cancellation of Hideo Kojima’s Physint project. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/playstation-studios-faces-creative-scrutiny-and-project-cancellation ### 2026-09-10: Xbox to publish Physint after PlayStation cancels Kojima project Xbox has taken over the publishing and funding of Hideo Kojima's Physint after PlayStation Studios unexpectedly cancelled its collaboration due to budget concerns, delays, and commercial performance issues. 120 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/xbox-secures-publishing-rights-for-kojima-productions-physint --- Cite as: Kojima Productions and PlayStation partnership dissolution. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/kojima-productions-and-playstation-partnership-dissolution