Hideo Kojima plans to expand Physint into anime, films, TV and music after Xbox partnership
Hideo Kojima told IGN on September 21, 2026 that his new intellectual property, Physint, will be developed beyond a videogame into anime, films, television and music after Xbox partnered with Kojima Productions following Sony’s decision to stop funding the project.
Kojima said Sony called him to a Zoom meeting in June and informed him they could no longer fund Physint, prompting him to seek a new partner; Xbox subsequently announced a partnership with Kojima Productions and, according to reports, supports the project and will continue to invest. The developer has stated the game is at an advanced stage of planning and the cast has been announced, with Bill Skarsgård set to play the lead role. Xbox now holds the publishing rights for Physint, and Kojima has acknowledged that platform-release decisions will be made by Xbox.
Kojima told IGN he never intended Physint to remain solely a videogame and that, during talks with Xbox, he pitched the property as one that can evolve across multiple entertainment formats. He described his aim as building a universe that can expand through films, TV shows, anime, dramas, comics and music rather than existing only within interactive media.
The arrangement with Xbox gives the platform-holder the authority to determine whether Physint will be exclusive or appear on multiple platforms. When asked specifically about a potential PlayStation release, Kojima replied that the publishing decision “is no longer in his hands” and that Xbox will decide the game’s platform strategy.
Kojima has described Physint as a next-generation espionage action game and the project has been framed in the coverage as a spiritual successor to his established stealth-action approach. Despite the casting and production progress, no plot details or formal synopsis have been released, and Kojima’s comments signal that substantive story information may not arrive quickly.
Kojima has previously spoken about blending gaming and cinema, citing his past work, and the article notes that this crossover was evident in Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2. The announcement of Bill Skarsgård as lead and the publisher arrangement with Xbox are the latest concrete developments disclosed about Physint.
Xbox now holds the publishing rights and will decide whether Physint remains exclusive or is released on PlayStation in the future; Kojima has confirmed his intention for the IP to expand into movies, TV dramas, anime, comics, music and other entertainment formats.
