Hideo Kojima Might Be Unable to Use the Decima Engine for Physint Following PlayStation Split

One of the biggest headlines this week was the end of Kojima Productions' partnership with PlayStation. It was expected that Physint, the next innovative project from the legendary game designer, would be published by PlayStation, but the company declined to provide funding, and now Xbox will serve as the game’s publisher. Despite this turn of events, Physint may undergo significant changes due to the inability to use the Decima game engine.

At least that's what recent reports suggest. According to Forbes, following the split between Hideo Kojima and PlayStation, the developer can no longer use the Decima game engine, which was used to develop Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. This could have significant implications for Physint, given that Kojima previously described his new project as one that breaks down the boundaries between games and movies—a concept that relies, first and foremost, on realistic graphics. Given that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach showcased perhaps the most realistic visuals to date, abandoning Decima could have negative consequences for Physint to the extent that the project’s development and the transition to a new game engine could be significantly delayed.

As for why PlayStation stopped working with Kojima, it’s claimed that Physint’s budget significantly exceeded the company’s expectations, and the underwhelming sales of the Death Stranding series posed additional risks.

Now, Physint—along with another Kojima Productions project, the horror game OD—will be published by Xbox. Incidentally, OD will use Unreal Engine 5, and based on the first footage, the game looks quite impressive and can hardly be called a “typical UE5 game.” It’s highly likely that Physint will also switch to this game engine, though at this point, that’s just speculation.