The true budget for Hideo Kojima’s Physint is still unknown.

After a recent claim suggested that Hideo Kojima’s upcoming title, Physint, might have a staggering budget of around $400 million, speculation about its financial backing has run rampant. While the actual budget remains unclear, reports from industry insiders indicate that the figure is likely inflated.

During The Game Business Show on September 24, Christopher Dring mentioned the $400 million budget, coinciding with Xbox’s recent publishing deal for Physint, which came amid significant layoffs and studio restructuring. Reactions to this claim have varied widely.

Other journalists quickly refuted the $400 million estimate. On ResetEra, Jason Schreier noted that he is generally cautious about citing specific figures without solid documentation or multiple reliable sources. He revealed that someone at Xbox, who has direct knowledge of the deal, informed him that the actual cost was “significantly less.” Windows Central corroborated this, with sources indicating that Physint’s budget was “far lower” and just a “fraction” of the rumored amount.

Dring later revised his statement on X, referencing a previous article where he mentioned hearing estimates ranging from $300 million to $600 million during the Tokyo Game Show. He admitted uncertainty about whether Xbox actually paid that much. It seems the $400 million figure was more of an industry rumor rather than an official number confirmed by The Game Business.

Video game budgets often remain shrouded in mystery, as major companies typically keep this information under wraps. Kojima Productions has specifically advised against trusting any budget figures that aren’t sourced from official channels. It’s likely that the true budget for Physint will remain undisclosed, especially this far ahead of its release.

The conversation surrounding Physint’s budget highlights the significant investment Xbox is making in this title, especially while cutting back on other studios and developers. This situation underscores the rising costs of AAA gaming and Xbox’s strategy of banking on major intellectual properties and top-tier developers for future success. Whatever the actual expenditure on Physint, it reflects a shift away from investing in studios like Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Undead Labs, Ninja Theory, and Arkane Studios.

As for the game itself, it stands as the closest experience we’ll have to a new Metal Gear title under Kojima’s direction.