Kojima explains the personal experiences behind PHYSINT and his return to action espionage

Towards the end of the new HideoTube special, Hideo Kojima spoke about PHYSINT, the working title of his new action-espionage project, and the personal experiences that led him back to the genre.

He was asked directly whether it was a new Metal Gear. His answer described a new action-espionage game made in cooperation with Sony, aiming for a presentation so close to cinema that someone walking into the room might mistake it for a film. He stressed that it would be a game, while acknowledging that he did not yet know how far the team could take the idea.

Why his priorities changed

Kojima recalled being ill and isolated during the pandemic in 2020, undergoing surgery and reaching a point where he questioned whether he could keep making games. He even wrote a will. The experience made mortality feel immediate.

For the past eight years, fans around the world had continued to ask him for another game in the spirit of Metal Gear. He still wanted to explore new ideas, but that sustained demand helped persuade him to change his priorities and return to action espionage.

Looking ahead to turning 70 in ten years, he said he hoped never to retire. That is an especially moving sentiment after hearing how uncertain his future had felt.

The connection between games and films

Kojima also said he receives Hollywood directing offers but turns them down because of the time they would require away from his company. He recalled Guillermo del Toro encouraging him to keep making games, reassuring him that what he was already creating was cinema in its own way. Kojima said those words helped him profoundly.

For us, that encouragement offers context for how often he talks about games and movies together. PHYSINT is another expression of that ambition, shaped by the experiences he shared in this conversation.

Sources

Kojima Productions — HideoTube special, PHYSINT discussion towards the end

Our original report and commentary