Physint: Xbox deal lower than $400 million according to new reports
New reports say Microsoft’s Physint deal is well below earlier budget rumors, with broader rights also being discussed.
- Earlier online reports claimed a budget of around $400 million, but later reports say that figure is unconfirmed and likely much higher than the real deal value.
- Kojima reportedly said Microsoft is not just funding a game, but is also thinking about film, anime, and a new IP.
What happened
IGN reported that Microsoft/Xbox secured the deal for Hideo Kojima’s Physint for an amount that is said to be significantly lower than what Xbox typically spends developing a premium game. The publication ties that claim to a profile of Asha Sharma in The New York Times, which suggests Xbox may have paid less than expected for a full-price AAA successor in the spirit of Metal Gear Solid. The provided sources do not name a final contract value, so this remains reported information rather than an officially confirmed figure.
The reporting also places the deal in the context of earlier rumors about a budget of roughly $400 million. According to the later reports, that amount has not been confirmed and the final deal value is likely lower. The available text notes that the earlier estimate circulated online, but it does not include any document or statement from Microsoft, Kojima Productions, or Sony confirming that number.
Kojima is also said to have stated that Microsoft is not only putting money into a game, but is also thinking about film, anime, and building a new IP. That lines up with outside reporting describing the Kojima Productions and Xbox partnership as broader than console publishing alone. In that context, possible film and TV adaptations are also mentioned, but again the provided information does not include a formal contract text or a public rights agreement.
The same reporting says Kojima reportedly re-pitched the project after Sony had previously canceled or halted the PlayStation-exclusive version. That detail also remains dependent on reporting. The available sources do say Sony stepped away from the project or ended development, but they do not provide primary documentation on the exact reason, date, or legal form of that change. As a result, it is still unclear whether this was a formal cancellation, an end to an exclusivity deal, or a restructuring of publishing rights.
One extra uncertainty concerns the reference to Asha Sharma. The provided text names her as part of the New York Times profile, but the open questions explicitly note that identifying her as Microsoft’s new CEO may be incorrect. That makes the source reference relevant, but also something that should be verified before being treated as hard factual context.
Timeline
2026-09-10: Outside reporting says Xbox has taken over publishing rights for Hideo Kojima’s Physint from Sony, and that the partnership may expand into film and TV adaptations. The same reporting also says Sony had previously stopped the project.
2026-09-27: GAME-scanner publishes earlier coverage of the $400 million budget rumor and whether that figure is accurate, contrasting the online estimate with later signs that the amount was likely too high.
2026-09-30: IGN reports that Microsoft’s deal for Physint is substantially below what Xbox would usually spend on a premium game, citing a New York Times profile and Kojima’s comments about film, anime, and a new IP.
Background
Physint is being described in the sources as a major Kojima project now linked to Microsoft/Xbox. The available information suggests the agreement may go beyond game publishing, with possible rights or plans for film and anime adaptations. At the same time, the provided text does not include primary documents or an official contract value. It is therefore important to separate what is being suggested in reports from what has actually been confirmed by the parties involved.
The outside context points to the Kojima Productions and Xbox collaboration possibly being expanded into cinema and television. One of the provided external reports explicitly says the partnership could extend to film and TV adaptations, while another says Sony’s publishing rights moved to Xbox. Both reports support the idea that Physint is being treated as more than just a game, but it remains unclear whether those expansions are already contractually locked in or are still part of ongoing discussions.
Sony’s role is also not fully explained in the available information. The sources say Sony may have canceled the project or that PlayStation Studios ended development, but without an official statement or date. That makes it impossible to tell whether Sony formally shut the project down or whether this was a shift in platform and publishing rights. For a news story, that distinction matters because it determines whether the change was a business deal, a cancellation, or a project restart.
The budget discussion is also still unresolved. The earlier estimate of around $400 million circulated online, but the later IGN report questions that figure and does not confirm it. At this point, the safest wording is that multiple reports point to a major deal, but the exact amount remains unknown. The same applies to whether the deal covers only the game or also additional rights for film, television, or anime.
Related GAME-scanner articles
Sources
- IGN: Microsoft's deal for Hideo Kojima's Physint 'substantially below' what Xbox would typically spend to develop a premium game
- The New York Times profile of Asha Sharma, as cited by IGN
- Outside reporting on the transfer of publishing rights and possible adaptation rights for Physint