Hideo Kojima Says He Can Make Stealth Games “While Sleeping,” Promises Physint Will “Blur the Lines Between Film and Video Game”
After spending decades reinventing the stealth action genre with Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima is ready to push things somewhere new again.
His next espionage project, Physint, is shaping up to be more than a spiritual successor to Metal Gear. Kojima says he can practically build stealth mechanics effortlessly at this point, which is exactly why he’s looking to amp things up with fresh ideas and cinematic experimentation.
For fans who have been waiting over ten years for a brand new tactical espionage action experience, Physint seems like the next major leap. Konami may be focused on remakes for the foreseeable future, so this is likely the first original stealth game many of us will get to dive into for quite a while, and Kojima seems energized by that challenge.
Speaking with ananweb, in a conversation translated by Genki on X, Kojima joked, "As for ‘PHYSINT’, since it's an espionage game, I can make it even while sleeping."
He then explained why crafting stealth comes so naturally to him. "There is a soldier who infiltrates, if they are spotted by the enemy, they are attacked, when taking out the enemy one by one, you use stealth... No matter how it plays out, it becomes fun and can be easy to make. But, there is also a battle against that."
Kojima hints at his creative restlessness here. Familiar stealth gameplay isn’t enough anymore. With Physint, he wants to shake things up.
"This work will include new gimmicks, and also take on the challenge to blur the lines between film and video games. We're thinking of working with film people, not only in terms of the cast but also staff, but I do wonder how it will turn out.
“Times are changing quickly these days so the social structures and themes that I'm trying to depict in the game might actually come sooner in reality."
Kojima doesn’t describe what “blurring the lines” actually means. Could it involve live action mixed into gameplay the way Alan Wake 2 experimented with its narrative presentation, or will it be something entirely different rooted in the game’s visual direction.
Considering how stunning Death Stranding 2 looks, it wouldn’t be surprising if Physint leans heavily into cinematic realism.
Meanwhile, Kojima is also developing the mysterious horror project OD, which seems to exist in a creative cloud of its own. Even he admits the concept is still evolving. "I can't say exactly what it is yet, nor do I know if it will work out."
Between Physint aiming to redefine how games and cinema intersect and OD exploring new forms of interactive horror, Kojima is once again chasing ideas that most studios wouldn’t dare attempt.