PHYSINT still does not have a confirmed game engine, with Hideo Kojima continuing to weigh his options after KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS’ expanded partnership with Xbox. Decima, the engine used for the Death Stranding games, remains possible but has not been selected. The project’s initial game and plot concepts are complete, while production on its 3D models is underway.
During an IGN interview, Kojima was asked whether the project’s development changes would require the studio to move away from Decima. His answer was brief and clear: “I really haven’t decided about the engine.”
Kojima said Xbox will provide “a lot of technological support” and described seeing Microsoft labs where teams were experimenting with new technology. He wants to use anything that can benefit PHYSINT, but he did not name a final engine or identify a specific Xbox technology planned for the game.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Kojima also explained how he learned that Sony would stop backing PHYSINT. The decision reached him during a Zoom call in June 2026, and he said, “I was just shocked and surprised. I didn’t have any anger or sadness. I was just thinking, ‘What should I do?’ It’s a big problem for us, and I couldn’t tell staff at the time.”
The expanded publishing partnership gives KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS access to additional technical support, but it does not settle the engine question. For now, Decima is a possibility rather than a confirmed part of PHYSINT.
Decima remains the obvious point of comparison because it powers both Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Nothing announced so far confirms that the engine will be used for PHYSINT, and the studio has not said that it is unavailable after Sony’s departure.
Other parts of the project are further along. Kojima has already confirmed Bill Skarsgård as the lead of PHYSINT, with the announcement arriving on September 17. The presentation did not include a release window.
📢XBOX Tokyo Game Show 2026 Broadcast Update
Bill Skarsgård is confirmed as the lead role in PHYSINT. New poster also revealed featuring Bill Skarsgård and Charlee Fraser.#KojimaProductions #PHYSINT #XBOX pic.twitter.com/EptYcrs3BZ
— KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (Eng) (@KojiPro2015_EN) September 17, 2026
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