Game studio Kojima Productions confirmed that it still has a good partnership with PlayStation following the announcement of an Xbox exclusive title at the June 12 Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase. The announcement surprised many fans who had previously associated the studio with PlayStation, in part due to Death Stranding's console exclusivity on Sony's platform.
The assumption that Kojima Productions would be working on Sony-exclusive titles came about partially due to PlayStation's heavy use of Death Stranding in promotional materials that included other work from Sony's first-party studios such as Insomniac and Naughty Dog. In April 2022, rumors circulated that Sony would be acquiring Kojima Productions, however, Hideo Kojima himself had to step in and deny that any buyout would be taking place, reaffirming that the studio would continue to be independent. Kojima's statement should have prepared fans for the likelihood that the studio would partner with other platforms down the line, however, when Kojima announced the studio's partnership with Xbox that would utilize Microsoft's cloud technology to create the game he apparently always wanted to make, PlayStation fans have been vocal about their surprise.
Because of this backlash, the Kojima Productions Twitter account has confirmed that the studio continues to have a "very good" partnership with PlayStation, despite its next game being Xbox. A quoted tweet from the studio echoed Kojima's prior statements that the studio was independent and would be exploring "various possibilities with games, movies, and music through platforms that evolve with time and technology," indicating that it will partner with whichever console or studio is best suited for its projects. In this case with the upcoming Xbox title, the partnership seems to have been made due to the established Xbox XCloud technology on the platform.
Despite the Xbox and Kojima partnership announcement, very little was revealed about the upcoming game itself. No official title was given to the project, and there's been no hint as to what genre it would fall under, but both Kojima and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer seem excited about what they claim is a project unlike anything anyone has experienced before. Many fans are still hoping for a horror game from Kojima after the planned Silent Hills title fell through. A developer on Silent Hills previously revealed Kojima's intent for the game was to appear to haunt players once they'd finished playing by accessing their phone and smart house systems to send chilling texts and calls, and randomly flicker the lights in their homes. Given how the new Xbox exclusive title seems to be heavily focused on cloud-based technology, it's not outside the realms of possibility that Kojima Productions could introduce fourth-wall-breaking horror if the game were in that genre.
Although some fans will always be disappointed by the announcement of any kind of exclusive title, Kojima Productions' intent to work with companies depending on what technology they bring to the table could help push the boundaries on the kinds of games the developer can create, with experimentation that can only help the industry as a whole in the long run. PlayStation fans will likely still be able to experience other upcoming Kojima Productions games with the developer now confirming its Sony relationship remains strong.
Source: Kojima Productions/Twitter