Physint: Xbox reportedly pays far less than $400 million
In brief
- New reporting on Kojima Productions’ Physint casts doubt on the earlier $400 million claim, with sources saying Xbox pays far less.
- Christopher Dring, Jason Schreier and Jez Corden all say Xbox/Microsoft is paying much less than that amount, though no exact figure has been confirmed.
- Physint is being described as an action-stealth title from Kojima Productions, intended as a spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid.
What happened
The discussion around Physint initially centered on a figure of around $400 million. Christopher Dring of The Game Business said on a podcast that Xbox was signing Kojima for a project often referred to as Physint, with a budget around that amount.
That reading was later softened by several sources. Dring later wrote on X/Twitter that Xbox is probably paying “quite a bit less” than the amount Kojima had allegedly previously mentioned to Sony. Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier then reported that his sources were talking about a figure “significantly less” than $400 million.
Windows Central’s Jez Corden also said Xbox is paying only a “fraction” of the $400 million figure. So while the reporting still points to a much lower amount, no confirmed replacement budget has been named.
Physint itself is being described in the same reporting as a Kojima Productions project in the action and espionage genre, with clear references to the Metal Gear lineage. The game was originally announced as a PlayStation project, while some reports say Sony negotiated for months before funding was pulled after the project went over budget and missed deadlines.
Timeline
Friday: Christopher Dring says on a podcast that Xbox is signing Kojima for a project often referred to as Physint, with a budget around $400 million.
After that: Dring clarifies on X/Twitter that Xbox is likely paying much less than the amount Kojima had allegedly mentioned to Sony.
After that: Jason Schreier reports that his sources say the amount is significantly lower than $400 million.
After that: Jez Corden says Xbox is paying only a fraction of the reported amount.
Over the weekend: multiple outlets report that the earlier $400 million figure for Physint has been walked back.
Background
Physint is being described in available reporting as a stealth and action espionage title from Kojima Productions. The game is explicitly linked to the legacy of Metal Gear Solid, which explains the comparisons to Kojima’s earlier projects.
The open questions remain the same: what the actual budget or publishing deal is, whether Sony formally walked away and under what terms, and what the current development and platform plans for Physint look like.
Sources
- Eurogamer: reporting on the walked-back $400 million claim around Physint.
- The Game Business / Christopher Dring: podcast remark about a budget around $400 million.
- Bloomberg / Jason Schreier: report that the amount is significantly lower than $400 million.
- Windows Central / Jez Corden: remark that Xbox is paying only a fraction of the reported amount.
Sources
Tweet van @Chris_DringTweet van @Chris_DringA reported $400 million budget for Hideo Kojima's Physint has already been walked back over the weekend, with multiple outlets now saying Xbox is paying nowhere near that figure for Hideo Kojima's stealth game.