Xbox is reportedly paying a “fraction” of the $400 million Kojima quoted Sony for Physint, according to new reporting from Windows Central. That figure is significantly lower than the number first floated by Christopher Dring of The Game Business, who said on his podcast on Friday that Xbox was signing Kojima for a project often referred to as Physint with a budget around $400 million.
Dring himself clarified on X/Twitter that Xbox is likely paying “quite a bit less” than the figure Kojima had originally quoted Sony. He originally said he’d heard “everything from $300 million to $600 million, although it’s $400 million that is the figure that is bandied around.” Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier added that his own sources described Microsoft’s negotiated figure as “significantly less than this.”
Windows Central’s Jez Corden went further, saying Xbox is paying only a “fraction” of it, although neither source reported an actual figure.
The Number Behind the Deal
Over the weekend, the $400 million figure began to be questioned, with several news organizations now reporting that Xbox is paying far less than that sum for Kojima’s stealth game. The correction has come from the very reporters who first broke the story.
Dring’s original Friday podcast statement set the stage. Then he clarified himself within hours. Schreier’s Bloomberg report confirmed the direction. Corden’s Windows Central report pushed it further still.
Each account follows the same course — the number keeps falling with each new piece of evidence presented.
How the Figure Got Corrected
On Friday, Dring opened his account of the deal by saying Xbox was bringing Kojima aboard for Physint with a budget near $400 million. The same day, he returned to X/Twitter to correct himself, explaining that the money paid was probably “quite a bit less” than what Kojima had told Sony.
Schreier’s Bloomberg report added weight to the correction. His sources described Microsoft’s negotiated figure as “significantly less than this.” Corden’s Windows Central report then said Xbox is paying only a “fraction” of the $400 million.
Dring gave the figure first, then fixed it himself. Schreier confirmed the direction was right. Corden finished the story.
What Physint Is
Kojima Productions’ action-espionage game Physint was first revealed as a PlayStation project, but Sony abandoned its support when the project went over budget and failed to meet its deadlines. The game is being positioned as the studio’s spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid.
The person behind Metal Gear and Death Stranding, known for his work with Kojima Productions, commented on Sony’s unexpected choice to step away from publishing Physint. That decision came in June. Despite that, he managed to persuade Xbox to take over the Metal Gear successor, continuing both funding and publishing support.
Along with movie and TV licensing rights for Physint, the arrangement covers improved terms for Kojima’s other work-in-progress, the horror game OD.
The Exclusivity Picture
The company has confirmed that two Xbox games will not appear on PlayStation. Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are both exclusive to Xbox, according to recent confirmation from the company.
Some games, however, remain in the works for PS5. Forza Horizon 6 and Fable are still in development for the platform.
Xbox’s Recent Layoffs
Yesterday, we reported that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella praised Xbox’s ongoing “streamlining” under Xbox CEO Asha Sharma just days after another 268 layoffs were announced.
It seems that British studio Ninja Theory is facing a pending shutdown. Among the organisational changes:
- Obsidian has moved under Bethesda’s control
- Playground and Turn 10 have merged
- Undead Labs has gone independent
- Rare, World’s Edge have remained unchanged
- Halo has come under the control of Activision
The Correction’s Meaning
Reporting unfolds in real time across the sequence, with each successive account sharpening the one before it, and the overall direction moves steadily lower.
| Report | Figure Reported | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Dring’s Friday podcast | Around $400 million | First stated |
| Dring’s X/Twitter clarification | Quite a bit less than Kojima quoted Sony | Downward |
| Schreier’s Bloomberg report | Significantly less than $400 million | Downward |
| Corden’s Windows Central report | A fraction of $400 million | Downward |
The adjustment refines the original account without altering the agreement. It only changes the number connected to it.
The Deal Remains In Motion
The $400 million figure was always an estimate. Dring’s original report put it between $300 million and $600 million. The correction narrows that gap.
Sony paid $400 million for Physint, per Kojima’s quote, and Xbox is paying a portion of that amount — that is the established figure.
The correction keeps the project funded. The partnership is intact.
The arrangement keeps Physint alive for Kojima. The title’s former publisher is gone, replaced by Xbox, which has stepped in to take over from Sony.
The arrangement covers movie and TV licensing rights for Physint, alongside better terms for Kojima’s other work-in-progress, the horror game OD.
Kojima’s recent statement that “all of that will be announced at a later time” suggests more details are coming. Until then, the fraction stands.
Source material: “Xbox is reportedly paying a "fraction" of the $400 million Kojima quoted Sony for Physint,” Eurogamer.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.