Xbox and Hideo Kojima have reportedly entered what appears to be the final stages of negotiations for a partnership to create the prolific developer's next game. Although Kojima has close relations with PlayStation, it appears the company won't be pursuing a partnership with him on his next game, and he will instead make his first Xbox-exclusive title.
Some conspiracy theories suggest Abandoned is the work of Kojima, which doesn't seem to be true. There are still many people on the internet holding out hope, but it's not looking very likely. That said, Kojima may be looking to make a horror game for his next project, as he had reportedly been trying to develop one for Google Stadia using its unique cloud-based technology. Due to the tumultuous nature of Stadia, however, the project fell apart. However, it may be one of the reasons he's seemingly circling Xbox for his next project.
According to GamesBeat, Kojima and Xbox have signed a letter of intent which signals the intention of working out publishing details for his next game. Xbox and Kojima have been talking for months, with Xbox head Phil Spencer even hinting at the deal multiple times. Microsoft has reportedly begun preparing for whatever Kojima will need for his game, including hiring ex-Google Stadia staff to help make Kojima's cloud-based episodic horror game come to fruition, but further details are unknown. The report from GamesBeat also notes that it doesn't seem like Kojima will be restricted from working with other publishers, as he's still working on Death Stranding: Director's Cut.
This could be an important move for Microsoft. Xbox historically sells well in the West but fails to make a big impression in Asian territories. In recent years, Spencer has often emphasized the company's need to do better in Japan (via VGC). With an effort being made to court Kojima, one of the most famous Japanese game developers, the tides could change.
Either way, it appears that Hideo Kojima will be making something incredibly unique thanks to emerging technologies developed by the top minds at Xbox. It's likely the gaming auteur will work closely with those developing the cloud tech to really unlock all kinds of new creative potential, which should result in something incredibly interesting, especially after what he was able to achieve with P.T.
Source: GamesBeat