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Xbox is reportedly paying only a fraction of the heavily discussed figures surrounding Hideo Kojima's upcoming espionage game, Physint. Multiple outlets clarified over the weekend that the actual amount Microsoft is paying is significantly lower than the previously rumored budget of around 400 million dollars, which was originally connected to Kojima's pitch to Sony.
The 400 million dollar figure originated from Christopher Dring of The Game Business, who mentioned in a podcast that Xbox secured Kojima for the project with an estimated budget range between 300 million and 600 million dollars. Dring later retracted this claim, explaining that Xbox is likely paying substantially less than what Kojima initially requested from Sony. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier described Microsoft's negotiated amount as markedly smaller, while Windows Central's Jez Corden called it a mere fraction, though no specific monetary figures were disclosed by the journalists.
Physint, developed by Kojima Productions as an action espionage game and spiritual successor to the Metal Gear Solid series, was originally a PlayStation project before Sony reportedly withdrew funding after it exceeded budgets and missed deadlines. The reported Xbox agreement also secures film and television licensing rights for Physint, alongside improved terms for Kojima's separate project, OD. Meanwhile, Physint's final platform availability remains unconfirmed, with Kojima stating that any such announcement will come at a later time.
