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The gaming industry's rumor mill works around the clock, and the most recent rumors surrounding the legendary Hideo Kojima seem to have sent it into hyperdrive.
There is absolutely no question about the legendary status of Hideo Kojima and the excellent studio - Kojima Productions.
The beloved and iconic game-maker has had a track record of putting out revolutionary titles that have shaped the industry. The PlayStation brand benefited a ton from Kojima Productions' seminal Death Stranding back in 2018. But now rumors are circulating that Kojima Productions is in talks with Microsoft.
Xbox has been defensive this last console generation, but it seems like the Xbox Game Pass and massive acquisitions (Bethesda) have put it back into the fight.
Rumors surface of Kojima reportedly in talks with Xbox for the studio's next game
According to video game journalist Jeff Grub, Kojima is reportedly in talks with Xbox regarding the publishing rights of the studio's next game. Grub had this to say when commenting on the possibility of a deal between the studio and Xbox:
"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."
Sony has had a strong relationship with the legendary Japanese game-maker and his studio. It will be quite a shock to see Kojima jump ship to Xbox.
There is absolutely no doubt that acquiring the publishing rights to Kojima's next game might be the extra boost Xbox has been looking for.
In February, many gamers and fans pointed to the LUDENS statue on Phil Spencer's shelf during a live stream as Xbox's way of hinting at a potential deal.
Japan has historically been PlayStation's stomping ground. But Kojima Productions could certainly help Xbox make headway into that particular region. At this point, these are just rumors, with neither party having made a statement.
