Gaming giant Hideo Kojima is reportedly in talks with Xbox to publish his next game. Kojima, known for his work on games like Metal Gear Solid and the canceled Silent Hills, partnered with PlayStation shortly after he left his long-time home at Konami. The two partnered to make Death Stranding, but Kojima remained independent and even got to publish the game on PC after about 9 months of PS4 exclusivity. It seems that Kojima is not beholden to Sony, however, if reliable sources are to be believed.
Rumblings of a Hideo Kojima and Xbox partnership began earlier this year after Head of Xbox Phil Spencer appeared on a broadcast. The executive is well-known for hiding teases in the background of his office and fans were keen to notice a pretty noteworthy new addition. A statue of Ludens, the mascot of Kojima Productions, was sitting on Phil Spencer's shelf. Of course, he could just be a fan, but it was so prominently displayed that many fans began to speculate. Now, it seems that the tease may really have been intentional.
Reputable journalist Jeff Grub of Venture Beat reported that Hideo Kojima is talking to Microsoft about publishing his next game. Grubb also confirmed that Kojima is also not behind the upcoming PS5 survival horror game, Abandoned, which many fans believed to be another P.T.-like marketing campaign for his next game. It's unclear whether the two parties have come to an agreement yet or if the talks are ongoing, but Phil Spencer's statue was apparently an intentional tease at what's to come.
If Microsoft has closed a deal with Hideo Kojima, it seems likely they'll want to announce it sooner rather than later at the risk of more details leaking. Hideo Kojima is expected to announce his next game soon, according to those who work with him, so it's just a matter of time before this rumor is confirmed or debunked. Microsoft is expected to have a gaming event in the next few weeks and also has another one slated for the summer, though it's unclear if that's linked to their confirmed E3 appearance.
Microsoft scooping up a Hideo Kojima game would be a massive get. Not only would this help Xbox strengthen its efforts with Japanese-made titles, but it could give players something really fresh and exciting. Kojima was reportedly working on a Google Stadia exclusive game before Google backed out on the project, which seemed to disappoint the legendary developer given his ambitions. Whether or not Hideo Kojima revives that project or makes something entirely new with Xbox remains to be seen.
Source: Venture Beat