Yesterday, Hideo Kojima posted on social media announcing that Sony had canceled the espionage action game PHYSINT, which was being developed in collaboration with him. Due to Kojima's significant influence, this news exploded like a bomb within the gaming industry, sparking widespread discussion among players on social mediathe backlash against Sony PlayStation.
Meanwhile, some players are attempting to calmly analyze the reasons behind Sony's decision to part ways with Hideo Kojima.
Twitter user starboi provided the following analysis:
While Death Stranding attracted around 20 million players beyond Sony's ecosystem and generated substantial profits, the situation for Death Stranding 2 has been far less optimistic.
Initial estimates show that Death Stranding 2 sold 1.6 million copies on PS5, only turning a profit after the PC port was released, bringing total sales to approximately 2 million units.
Considering Kojima's influence and the involvement of major stars like Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux, and Elle Fanning, such a top-tier project ultimately ended in failure.
The sequel's 2 million sales pale in comparison to the first game. Death Stranding 1 reached 5 million units sold within the same timeframe—16 months after launch. This may be why Sony decided to cut off funding for PHYSINT. Although Kojima praised his collaboration with Sony, citing artistic freedom and access to resources, the financial reckoning likely raised red flags indicating excessive risk.
Additionally, Rhys Elliott, an analyst at Alinea Analytics, explained that recent failures of titles like Concord (canceled, with over $300 million wasted), Marathon (only 1.8 million units sold), Marvel Rivals (725,000 units sold), and LEGO Horizon Adventures (combined Steam and PS5 sales under 250,000 units) have made Sony more cautious about its project investments.
