One of Hideo Kojima’s upcoming projects, built on Unreal Engine 5, is getting hands-on assistance from the Redmond giant.

Last month, Kojima’s enigmatic OD stepped into the light with a haunting trailer starring Sophia Lillis during Kojima Productions’ 10th-anniversary event. Pitched as an anthology-style horror experience involving filmmakers such as Jordan Peele, OD is a collaboration between the Japanese auteur and Xbox—one that Microsoft will publish and, Phil Spencer says, support beyond mere funding.

Speaking to Famitsu, Spencer explained that Xbox Game Studios is contributing to both gameplay and technical pillars of OD. The level of support varies by project, he noted; in this case, Xbox is assisting Kojima Productions with Unreal Engine 5 implementation, drawing on internal expertise. Spencer added that Kojima told him he wants to craft a genuinely terrifying game, and the Microsoft Gaming CEO said he’s pleased with progress so far, praising the high quality of the anniversary trailer.

There’s still no firm launch window for OD, as development was delayed by the Screen Actors Guild strike in 2023. Even so, Spencer emphasized that both teams are working closely and full-steam ahead, despite the lack of a specific date. Xbox has faced criticism for a light touch on some first-party development efforts, and AMD engineers have also called out perceived gaps in technical support.

All the more reason, then, that Microsoft’s visible involvement with OD matters—especially from the publisher that first acquired ZeniMax Media (Bethesda) and later absorbed Activision Blizzard King. After OD, the celebrated creator is set to continue with the non–Metal Gear Solid project Physint.

Source: Tech4Gamers, Famitsu