PlayStation hits the self-sabotage button again, cutting ties with Kojima Productions as Xbox takes over and I think there's more than one reason why

Date:
Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:07:36 +0000

Description:
PlayStation steps away from its collaboration with Kojima Productions as Xbox swoops in with a new partnership, and it's another bad move from Sony.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter PlayStation cuts ties with Kojima Productions for upcoming Physint game Hideo Kojima states PlayStation tried to cancel Physint , so he decided to look for a new partnership Xbox
and Kojima Productions now have a partnership for Physint and future
projects, including OD Sony dented its reputation in the gaming industry with its announcement that it would be ending the production of physical game
discs and the trend of controversial decisions is still going strong.

PlayStation has cut ties with Kojima Productions for its upcoming game, Physint , and Xbox has swooped in as a replacement in a new partnership with Hideo Kojima's video game and film production studio. In a statement on X , PlayStation says: "After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to step away from collaborating with Kojima Productions on its project, Physint. We continue to have great admiration for Hideo Kojima's vision for the game." Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

From that statement alone, it's not exactly clear why the split has occurred. However, Hideo Kojima took to X to weigh in on the matter himself, stating: "We unexpectedly received notice from PlayStation Studios that they would cancel the Physint project," which is PlayStation in form, at least based on its cancellations of multiple projects from its first-party studios.

" Physint is an important project both to me personally and to Kojima Productions. Determined to keep the project alive, we have spent the last three months searching tirelessly for a new partner. We found Xbox, a partner with whom we share a common vision for the future, and we have decided to
team up with them once again." You may like Hideo Kojima describes Sony's decision to end physical games as 'scary', warns that you 'won't own the
data' 'There's a server somewhere, and you only have the right to turn on
the tap' Game ownership is at risk, and Xbox veteran has unsurprisingly slammed Sony The end of physical game copies is coming, and retailers are not happy

Unsurprisingly, Xbox is more than happy to partner with the critically acclaimed developer, as its CEO, Asha Sharma, says: "We're honored that Kojima-san has chosen Xbox to work with Kojima Productions on Physint . His ambition to challenge conventions reflects the kind of creativity we want to support at Xbox." Sony's Physint cancellation attempt hints at bigger
concerns (Image credit: Xbox / Kojima Productions) Fortunately, Physint is in fine condition, with development still underway, as Kojima confirmed, calling it Kojima Productions' "genre-defining action-espionage title", which many have lauded as the next Metal Gear -style franchise since Kojima left Konami in 2015. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

However, the bigger question remains: is the split between the companies solely due to the PlayStation's Physint cancellation attempt? Considering Kojima's stance against a digital-only future, which Sony has greenlit for games, it's hard to imagine that this didn't play a role in the partnership's collapse.

Kojima highlighted his sadness about Sony's decision to end the production of physical PlayStation game discs, considering the loss of ownership, which he described as a company suddenly stating, "You can turn on the tap for a certain amount of money each month."

That points towards fears of subscription services and how media will only be accessible by using them, and easy access to favorite movies and games will cease to exist.

It's not hard to imagine Kojima getting cold feet about launching Physint on PlayStation as an exclusive, without any physical game discs, as it directly highlights his fears of an all-digital future. It may not have been the
direct factor behind the separation, but the timing (a few months after
Sony's disc-axing announcement) certainly doesn't appear to be coincidental either.

Whether the blowback from this new decision will push Sony to reverse course is to be seen, but if Kojima's pushback on an all-digital future has anything to do with the disbanding, it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see other developers eventually do the same. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-hits-the-self-sabotag e-button-again-cutting-ties-with-kojima-productions-as-xbox-takes-over-and-i-t hink-theres-more-than-one-reason-why


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)