Hideo Kojima, the legendary game designer behind Snatcher, Metal Gear, and Death Stranding, is reportedly in discussions with Microsoft about publishing his next highly anticipated game. This is according to sources with VentureBeat, which noted that Xbox head Phil Spencer has evidently been placing Kojima Productions’ icon and mascot, Luden, on his shelves for everyone to see during his broadcasts for legitimate reasons that go beyond simple fandom. In the event that Microsoft does manage to secure a deal, Hideo Kojima’s upcoming title would likely be exclusive to Xbox and PC and launch on Xbox Game Pass on day one. VentureBeat has clarified that Hideo Kojima has nothing to do with Blue Box Games’ new cinematic horror survival shooter, Abandoned.
[…] the biggest piece of evidence I have that Abandoned is not a Kojima joint is that Kojima is in talks with Microsoft about publishing his next game, according to a source familiar with the matter. And yes, that statue on Phil Spencer’s shelf was referencing a potential deal with the legendary developer. I cannot confirm if Xbox closed the deal yet, but my understanding is that Kojima is the focus of a Microsoft plan to leverage Japanese talent.
Sources: VentureBeat, VGC