Kojima Productions has released a statement saying the studio “is in a healthy, profitable state,” in direct response to reports that its latest project, Physint, is in trouble. The news comes after Bloomberg reported that Sony was dropping the game, and that Hideo Kojima’s latest title would instead come to Xbox.
The statement also says the studio’s “relationship with PlayStation remains strong.” That is a notable claim, given the circumstances. Sony dropped the project, and the partnership has now shifted to Xbox, yet the studio is saying the relationship with PlayStation remains intact.
The Physint decision
Bloomberg reported that Sony’s decision to drop Physint was driven by a number of factors. These include missed deadlines, budget and profitability concerns, and its timed exclusivity. The game was originally announced as a PlayStation exclusive, but the partnership has now shifted to Xbox.
Kojima Productions has not disputed the specific reasons Bloomberg cited. Instead, it has responded with a broad statement about the health of the studio.
What Kojima said about the studio
In an interview with IGN, Kojima spoke about his concerns for the future of Kojima Productions. He noted that the broader video game industry has seen a number of studios close, and many titles canceled.
“I know there’s a lot of news in the game industry that many studios are closing down, many titles are canceled, and I understand the situation in the industry as a whole.”
He then admitted that the situation had shaken his confidence in the studio’s own stability. “But I thought Physint was okay. That Physint was safe. So I was surprised,” he said.
He went further, describing a real fear about what losing one contract might mean. “If we lose one contract, I thought I might have to cut all the people working on Physint, right? Or our studio could end up collapsing because we’ll run out of cashflow.”
That is a striking admission from the creator of the studio. It suggests that the financial pressure was real enough to make him worry about the survival of the company he runs.
The statement and its timing
The studio’s response came after the Bloomberg report and after Kojima’s own interview. It uses social media to make its case, saying that despite reports about disappointing sales of Death Stranding and its sequel, and the loss of funding from Sony, the studio remains in a healthy and profitable state.
The statement also addresses the relationship with PlayStation directly. It says that relationship “remains strong.”
The timing of the statement is notable. It appears to be a direct response to the reporting that came before it, and it is delivered in the same channels where that reporting was shared.
What the statement actually says
The statement makes two central claims:
- The studio is in a healthy, profitable state.
- The relationship with PlayStation remains strong.
The first claim directly contradicts the narrative that Kojima Productions is in trouble. The second claim addresses the fallout from the Physint decision, suggesting that the loss of the Sony deal has not damaged the long-term partnership.
The statement does not address the specific reasons Bloomberg gave for Sony’s decision. It also does not address the reported missed deadlines or profitability concerns. It simply asserts the health of the studio.
A statement worth reading
The studio has not released a detailed financial report to back up its claims. It has not addressed the sales figures for Death Stranding or its sequel, nor has it explained what “healthy, profitable state” means in concrete terms.
The statement is brief and broad. It asserts a position without providing the evidence that would support it.
What this means for fans
For fans of Kojima’s work, the statement offers some reassurance. The studio is saying it is not in crisis, and it is saying its relationship with PlayStation remains intact.
For investors and industry watchers, the statement raises questions. If the studio is healthy and profitable, why did Sony drop the Physint deal? And why did Kojima himself admit to fearing the studio’s collapse?
The answers to those questions are not in the statement. They are not in the Bloomberg report either, beyond the general factors cited.
A company’s right to say what it wants
Kojima Productions is entitled to present its own view of its financial state. It is entitled to say its relationship with PlayStation remains strong, even as a deal falls through.
That does not mean the statement settles anything. It is a statement of position, not a statement of fact.
What we know for sure
We know that Sony has dropped Physint. We know that the game is now coming to Xbox. We know that Kojima Productions has said it is healthy and profitable. We know that Kojima himself has admitted to serious concerns about the studio’s future.
We do not know how the studio is actually doing financially. We do not know what the relationship with PlayStation actually means in practice. We do not know what the future holds for Physint or for Kojima Productions.
The lesson here
The lesson from this story is simple. Companies say things for reasons, and those reasons are not always the same as the facts.
Kojima Productions has said it is healthy. It has also said its relationship with PlayStation remains strong. It has not said why Sony dropped the Physint deal, nor has it explained what the studio’s current financial state actually means.
For now, the company is telling two different stories at once. One is confident. One is worried. Both cannot be true at the same time.
The reader is left to choose which to believe.
See the a run of 28 images at The Verge.
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