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According to Vice, Hideo Kojima’s upcoming horror game OD is expected to survive a major corporate "reset" currently underway at Xbox. While Microsoft has been making headlines for restructuring its first-party studios and adjusting third-party partnerships, the collaboration with Kojima Productions appears to be an exception to these broader cuts.
Impact of Xbox's strategic restructuring
The current shift in strategy at Xbox has already resulted in several high-profile projects losing their primary funding. Reports indicate that Microsoft recently pulled financial backing from IO Interactive’s Project Fantasy RPG and ended a third-party deal for Patrice Desilets’ upcoming title, 1666: Amsterdam. Despite these setbacks, neither of those specific games has been canceled, though they are navigating the fallout of the funding withdrawal.
The situation regarding OD differs due to the unique stature of Hideo Kojima within the industry. Analysts suggest that pulling out of a partnership with one of the world's most recognizable creative minds would result in immense public backlash. This sentiment is bolstered by the history of the project, which many fans view as a spiritual successor to the canceled P.T. title.
Executive support for Kojima Productions
Xbox leadership has publicly signaled confidence in the current selection of partners. CEO Asha Sharma recently highlighted her trust in the internal teams responsible for identifying high-value creative projects. She emphasized the importance of maintaining an open platform for diverse creators to succeed.
- Asha Sharma praised Kojima as one of the industry's top creative minds.
- The company aims to keep the platform open for new developers to join and find success.
- Xbox maintains that it is not reducing overall investment but rather refining which projects receive funding.
"I’ve got great artists and creatives that can pick a great game better than I can, and so I want to give it space... We need to make sure our platform is sufficiently open so more creators and developers can come on board and be successful," — Asha Sharma, Xbox CEO. While the exact release date for OD remains unknown, the project's status as a priority for Microsoft provides a stable path forward during a period of significant corporate transition.