Hideo Kojima made a surprise appearance during the Xbox TGS 2026 Broadcast to express "tremendous confidence" in his new partnership with Xbox and announce that Pennywise actor Bill Skarsgard will star in his upcoming action-espionage game, PHYSINT.
Kojima Delivers PHYSINT's New Lead Actor and an OD - KNOCK Progress Update
Bill Skarsgård Is Officially PHYSINT's Lead
Just as the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 Broadcast appeared to be wrapping up, Hideo Kojima made a surprise appearance with fresh updates on two of his studio's biggest projects: OD - KNOCK and PHYSINT, the action-espionage game he has been developing since 2023. Kojima Productions confirmed that Bill Skarsgård will portray the lead role in PHYSINT, joining previously announced cast members Charlee Fraser, Don Lee, and Minami Hamabe.
Kojima Productions also unveiled a new PHYSINT poster featuring Skarsgård alongside Fraser. The image was photographed by Kojima himself, with the studio revealing that costume fittings, scans, and camera tests with both actors had already taken place earlier this year. Kojima said the work gave him "tremendous confidence in the direction of the project."
"I'm delighted to confirm the lead role for PHYSINT will be Bill Skarsgård," Kojima said in a press release accompanying the announcement. He added that he and Skarsgård are "long-time fans of each other's work" and have decided to embark on the project together.
Skarsgård and Fraser are both making their video game debuts with PHYSINT, bringing actors primarily known for film and television into Kojima Productions' latest action-espionage project. Skarsgård is best known for playing Pennywise in It, It: Chapter Two, and It: Welcome to Derry, while Fraser appeared in Anyone But You and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Their involvement continues Kojima's long-standing tendency to bring high-profile film and television talent into his games. Death Stranding, for example, featured Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, and Margaret Qualley in major roles, with Kojima previously discussing how working with Hollywood actors could become increasingly common in games.
PHYSINT is the third original IP from Kojima Productions, and Kojima has described it as the culmination of his 40-year career as a video game creator. The project is also Kojima's return to the action-espionage genre associated with his Metal Gear work, with Kojima Productions saying the game aims to set a new benchmark for the genre with the support of Xbox.
A New Xbox Deal Follows PlayStation Stepping Away From the Project
PHYSINT was originally announced back at The Game Awards 2023 alongside OD, both developed in partnership with PlayStation. Just a week before this year's Tokyo Game Show, however, PlayStation announced it was stepping away from the game specifically, stating in an official release that the decision followed "careful consideration" while noting its three-decade relationship with Kojima "remains strong" and that it looks forward to future collaboration.
Xbox moved quickly to fill that gap, announcing a new publishing agreement for PHYSINT that expands on its existing partnership with Kojima Productions on OD. Microsoft confirmed that the two companies will also collaborate "across film and television to bring new stories to broader audiences," extending the relationship well beyond a single game. Against that backdrop, Kojima's on-stage enthusiasm reads as a direct vote of confidence in Xbox as PHYSINT's new home, following what he described as this year's momentum on casting, talent scans, and collaborations with outside creators.
Kojima also framed PHYSINT's ambitions in sweeping terms, saying that the project aims to set a new benchmark for the action-espionage genre with the full support of Xbox, using what the studio calls cutting-edge technology and a "stellar cast."
OD - KNOCK Is Back on Schedule After Delays Tied to the SAG Strike
Alongside the PHYSINT news, Kojima gave an update on OD - KNOCK, sharing behind-the-scenes footage from a performance capture session featuring stars Sophia Lillis (It, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) and Hunter Schafer (Euphoria, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes). Performance capture and ADR recording for the project had previously been paused during the SAG-AFTRA strike, but Kojima confirmed that work has resumed and production is now proceeding on schedule. He described OD as "a completely new kind of game that tests the thresholds of fear," adding that the project continues to develop through experimentation and iteration, with more details planned for a later date.
With PHYSINT's cast now taking shape and OD back on track, both of Kojima Productions' next projects appear to be moving forward under Xbox's banner with real momentum, even after a rocky publisher transition just weeks earlier.
Sources:
KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (Eng) - Official Announcement (X)
XBOX - Official Announcement (X)
Tokyo Game Show 2026: Bill Skarsgård Cast as Lead Role in PHYSINT (Xbox Wire)
PlayStation - Official Statement on Stepping Away From PHYSINT (X)
