Hideo Kojima has returned to his personal podcast, "Koji10," with his first update in a year, offering the most detailed look yet at the development of "Physint." Widely seen as a spiritual successor to "Metal Gear Solid," the project has now completed its core story development, while its characters and cast are steadily taking shape. Live-action filming is scheduled to begin in 2027.
Bill Skarsgård, Charlee Fraser and Minami Hamabe have been confirmed for the cast, with all three already completing digital scans. Kojima revealed that he personally approached every actor involved in the project, and roughly 70% of them were already fans of his work. Names have also been finalized for some of the characters.
Rather than simply recreating the gameplay of "Metal Gear Solid," Kojima wants "Physint" to redefine the next generation of action-espionage games. He sees the title as a project commemorating his 40th anniversary in the video game industry. While it will retain the stealth, espionage and cinematic storytelling that have defined his past work, the game will introduce a host of new ideas instead of merely repeating what came before. 
The circumstances surrounding the development of "Physint" have also drawn attention. Initially backed by PlayStation, the project later shifted to Microsoft after that partnership changed. The move puts "Physint" alongside "OD" as one of Kojima Productions’ major long-term projects, though "OD" is expected to arrive first.
As for when "Physint" might actually launch, Kojima said last year that the game could still be five to six years away from completion. Now 63, he once again explained that he approaches every new game with the mindset that it could be his final project, making "Physint" one of the most defining long-term undertakings of this stage of his career.