Sony reportedly cut off Hideo Kojima's Physint for deadline and budget concerns
A new report offers anonymous insights into the split between the company and the developer.
Sony reportedly severed ties with developer Hideo Kojima's studio, Kojima Productions, citing financial and time-related issues, according to a Bloomberg report. The rift, which saw Kojima later aligning with rival Xbox, was driven by budgeting constraints, missed deadlines, and concerns over exclusivity, a common theme in high-profile separations.
Bloomberg's anonymous sources suggest Sony was the one to initiate the split, with the developer's latest game, Physint, a major factor in the decision. This project reportedly suffered from missed deadlines and was already losing money, potentially explaining the surprising move given Kojima's earlier claims that the game would be released in 5 to 6 years.
The decision not to fund Physint also came as PlayStation stood firm on its stance against releasing single-player games on PC, potentially leaving Kojima's next release out of the profit loop on these platforms. Sony's focus on PC publishing for Physint, however, was noted by insiders, who revealed plans for the studio to partner with Xbox for both console and PC releases, a move that likely swayed Kojima’s decision.
Additionally, Bloomberg hints at other potential reasons behind Sony's move, suggesting that Kojima's previous console exclusives, Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2, did not meet PlayStation's revenue expectations. This comes as Sony navigates a "memory crunch" due to AI demands, contributing to hardware shortages and rising prices, and pushing the company to explore new ways to maximize profits.
This follows Sony's controversial decision to stop producing new game discs for PlayStation in 2028, though existing titles will still be available. The company has faced challenges with several high-profile projects, including the canceled The Last Of Us Online and a live-service God Of War game, with Firewalk Studios, a studio Sony acquired in 2023, eventually disbanding after a poorly-performing live-service shooter.
This split with Kojima could serve as a wake-up call for Sony, prompting the company to regroup and focus on its own growth as Kojima embarks on new ventures with Xbox.
Written by urgent.news from The A.V. Club's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
