Summary
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer shared a small update onKojima Productionsuntitled Xbox console exclusive, all the while insisting that Hideo Kojima and his team need time out of the public eye to realize their creative vision. This bit of insight into the ongoing project arrived weeks after asizable Xbox marketing team visited Kojima Productions, inspiring hope among the fandom that some announcement is on the horizon.
The mysterious title was originally confirmed at the June 2022 Xbox Games Showcase. On that occasion,Kojima revealed that his first-ever Xbox exclusive will leverage cloud technologyin order to deliver a one-of-a-kind interactive experience. The famous game designer and his team remained mum on the project ever since, leaving fans to ponder what that vague description could entail.
RELATED:Next Xbox Console Release Window Leaks
During a recent interview with Japanese outlet Game Watch, Spencer provided a succinct status update on the mysterious game, revealing that he’s scheduled to visit Kojima Productions during the final week of September. “I think the project is going well,” the executive opined, in addition to labeling this prolonged period of radio silence as a necessary part of the creative process. Elaborating on that point, Spencer said that providingKojima Productionswith enough time and freedom to experiment with its novel ideas “out of the spotlight” is crucial to supporting the company in realizing its vision for the game.
Microsoft hence doesn’t intend to urge the studio to take the stage and share more details about the project with the public until it’s ready to do so on its own, the executive concluded. Based on those comments, it is not a huge stretch to assume that the game is nowhere near completion. For reference,Death Strandingspent around four years in development, and that’s without trying to push the envelope at the intersection of gaming and technology like this Xbox project promises to do.
Spencer’s update on Kojima Productions' ongoing development effort underlines Microsoft’s hands-off approach to both third-party collaborations and first-party studio management. Since starting its massive content push following the 2017 launch of Xbox Game Pass, the company only intervened in development in order to dictate target platforms or postpone releases. Bethesda can attest to both of those practices, asSpencer himself confirmed while explaining the decision to delayStarfieldand pull it from PlayStation.
As for the project at hand, one industry insider previously reported thatKojima Productions' Xbox exclusive is a horror experience calledOverdose.The Nice Guysstar Margaret Qualley is also said to be part of the game’s cast, as per the same source.
MORE:Kojima Productions' 80s and 90s Games Explained
