The man just doesn't stop. Honestly, most developers would take a long vacation after shipping a massive sequel, but Hideo Kojima isn't most developers. He’s spent the better part of 2025 jet-setting around the globe to promote Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, which hit shelves back in June. Now that we’re firmly into 2026, you might expect things to quiet down at Kojima Productions.
Nope.
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He just dropped his New Year’s message, and it’s basically a manifesto for what he calls the "Second Phase" of the studio. While everyone is still trying to find every Easter egg in Death Stranding 2, the focus is shifting. He’s hunkering down. No more world tours for a while. Instead, he’s going "grounded" to build the foundation for his most baffling project yet.
I’m talking about Physint.
If you haven’t heard the name, you’ve probably seen the gritty, minimalist poster that surfaced at the "Beyond the Strand" event last year. It’s his grand return to the action-espionage genre—the house that Metal Gear built. But if you think this is just Metal Gear Solid 6 with the serial numbers filed off, you’re looking at it all wrong.
What is Physint, and why is Sony so involved?
Kojima is playing a very interesting game with the industry right now. He’s currently juggling two massive, platform-exclusive projects with the two biggest rivals in the business. On one side, he’s got OD (that terrifying cloud-based horror experiment) cooking with Xbox Game Studios. On the other, he’s got Physint in deep pre-production with Sony Interactive Entertainment.
During his recent updates, Kojima was pretty blunt about his goals for this one. He wants to "blur the lines" between movies and games. We’ve heard that marketing fluff before, right? Every "cinematic" game makes that claim. But with this new Hideo Kojima game, he’s literally bringing in staff from Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures.
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He isn't just making a game with long cutscenes. He's trying to create a "new form of media" that exists somewhere between a theater seat and a DualSense controller.
Physint is a brand-new IP. It’s a tactical espionage game, yes, but it’s being built as a next-generation title. When Kojima says "next-generation" in 2026, he isn't necessarily talking about the PS5. There’s already heavy speculation that this is a "Phase 3" project intended for the eventual PlayStation 6.
The 2026 Roadmap: Casting and Scanning
If you’re waiting for a trailer with gameplay, you should probably settle in for a long winter. Or five. Kojima himself has suggested the game is at least five to six years away.
Right now, 2026 is the year of "Shikomi"—preparation.
The studio is officially starting the casting process this year. We already have a few confirmed names attached to the project, though their roles are under a total blackout.
- Charlee Fraser (who you might recognize from Furiosa)
- Don Lee (the legendary Ma Dong-seok)
- Minami Hamabe
These actors aren't just lending their voices. Kojima’s 2026 plans involve heavy 3D scanning and performance capture. They’re essentially building digital clones of these actors to populate whatever bizarre, high-tech world Physint takes place in.
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The "Avengers" of Horror: What's Happening with OD?
While Physint is the long-term goal, OD is the immediate mystery. Kojima is co-writing this one with Jordan Peele. Yeah, the Get Out and Nope guy. It’s an anthology horror game that explores the concept of "overdosing" on fear.
Kojima mentioned that while his previous games like Metal Gear and Death Stranding used familiar systems, OD is trying to "change the service model from the ground up."
That’s a weird way to describe a game.
It suggests that OD might not be a standard $70 box you buy and finish in a weekend. It sounds more like an ongoing experiment. Unfortunately, the project hit a somber note recently. The legendary Udo Kier, who was a central part of the OD cast, passed away in late 2025. Kojima recently confirmed that Kier hadn't finished his performance capture before he died. Filming is set to resume this year, likely using the data they already have or adjusting the narrative to honor his contribution.
Beyond the Games: The Death Stranding Expansion
You can’t talk about a new Hideo Kojima game without talking about the "media mix." Kojima Productions is no longer just a game studio; it’s a production house.
He’s currently overseeing:
- The live-action Death Stranding film with A24.
- An anime adaptation titled Death Stranding: Isolations, slated for 2027 on Disney+.
- A range of "unique events" to mark his 40th year in the industry.
It’s a lot. Honestly, it’s probably too much for any normal human, but the guy seems to live on black coffee and movie screenings.
Why 2026 is a "Milestone Year"
This year marks exactly 40 years since Kojima entered the industry back in 1986. That was the year he started at Konami and began work on the original Metal Gear for the MSX2.
He’s calling this the "Second Phase" of his independent studio. If the first phase was proving he could survive without Konami, and the second phase was expanding into film and multiple IPs, then the third phase—the one Physint is leading toward—is about total media integration.
He wants to make something that people look at in 20 years and say, "That changed how we define entertainment." It’s ambitious. It’s arguably pretentious. But it’s also why we keep watching his trailers five times in a row.
What you should actually expect
If you’re looking to play a new Hideo Kojima game this year, you’re mostly out of luck. 2026 is a year of development, not releases.
However, you should keep a very close eye on the 10-year studio anniversary event. There are rumors of a "special event" that might finally show off the actual visuals of Physint, or perhaps the first episodic chapter of OD.
For now, the best way to prepare is to:
- Finish the "Post-Game" in Death Stranding 2: Kojima recently noted that 79% of players who finished the story are still playing. There’s likely narrative connective tissue there we haven't fully grasped.
- Watch the "Knock" Teaser: The second teaser for OD dropped late last year. It’s short, but it contains specific hints about the "test of fear" mechanics.
- Track the Casting News: As performance capture begins this month, expect more Hollywood names to be linked to Physint. There’s already heavy (unconfirmed) speculation about Robert Pattinson joining the cast.
Kojima is staying grounded this year to build the future. It’s going to be a quiet year for news, but a massive year for the actual work behind the scenes.
Actionable Insights for Kojima Fans:
Stay updated by following the official Kojima Productions "HideoTube" series, which is expected to return in a monthly format starting this spring. If you're looking for new content to play, keep an eye on the PC release of Death Stranding 2, which is rumored to be targeting a late 2026 window with enhanced features. Finally, if you're a hardware enthusiast, the limited-edition "Ludens" ASUS ROG Flow Z13-KJP laptop announced at CES 2026 is the primary piece of physical merch to watch for this year.