Legendary video game designer Hideo Kojima has publicly described the abrupt end of his decades-long publishing relationship with Sony, saying the company informed him it was walking away from his upcoming stealth-action game “Physint” during a June video call and never offered a reason for the decision.

Speaking to The Washington Post through an interpreter, Kojima said he was “shocked and surprised” by Sony’s decision, which was made public earlier this month. A Sony Interactive Entertainment representative delivered the news during a June video call attended by Kojima, his translator Aki Saito, and Kojima Productions president Shinji Hirano, according to reporting on the meeting. Kojima had been partnered with Sony since leaving Konami and founding his own independent studio more than a decade earlier, making the sudden end of that relationship especially unexpected.

In a separate interview with IGN, Kojima elaborated further on what happened during the call, describing it as Sony’s “final notice” on the project. Asked whether Sony had since offered any explanation for pulling out of “Physint,” Kojima was direct. “No, not at all. They haven’t contacted me ever since,” he said. Kojima acknowledged he did not press Sony extensively for reasons during the call itself, saying his attention shifted immediately to the practical implications for his studio rather than the rationale behind the decision. “I didn’t have any anger or sadness,” Kojima said, describing his reaction to the news. “I was just thinking, ‘What should I do?’ It’s a big problem for us and I couldn’t tell staff at the time…. We’re an independent studio. That means if they can’t fund us, our studio could collapse.”

Kojima Productions had already hired staff specifically to work on “Physint,” a stealth-action game featuring actor Bill Skarsgård that has been positioned as a spiritual successor to Kojima’s earlier “Metal Gear” series. With Sony’s backing suddenly gone, Kojima said his studio spent roughly three months searching for a new publishing partner before ultimately landing at Microsoft’s Xbox division, which was already working with Kojima Productions on a separate horror title, “OD,” developed in collaboration with filmmaker Jordan Peele. Kojima said the decision to go with Xbox came after approaching several potential partners and receiving positive initial responses from multiple companies, with Microsoft’s gaming division ultimately winning out due to the comprehensiveness of its offer.

Despite the abrupt and unexplained end of a professional relationship spanning roughly three decades, one that included the launch of both “Death Stranding” and its sequel, “Death Stranding 2: On the Beach,” as PlayStation exclusive titles, Kojima said he holds no grudge against Sony. He described the situation as amicable rather than adversarial, stressing that the two sides are “not in a dispute,” even as he acknowledged he would have preferred more advance warning before the relationship came to an end.

The split drew additional scrutiny after Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, that Sony’s decision was driven by concerns that “Physint” was falling behind schedule and on pace to significantly exceed its budget, along with concerns that “Death Stranding 2” had missed PlayStation’s internal revenue expectations. Kojima Productions pushed back directly on that account in a written statement issued Sunday, urging readers to treat the Bloomberg report “with a dose of scepticism.” The statement sought to reassure fans and industry observers about the studio’s underlying financial position. “Make no mistake, this was a serious situation for the studio with a range of potentially significant implications,” the studio said. “While we recognise that the article may have caused alarm, we want to reassure you all, for the record: that the studio is in a healthy, profitable state, development for Physint continues to move forward with Xbox, and our relationship with PlayStation remains strong.”

Kojima’s IGN interview was reportedly conducted before Bloomberg’s report on the budget and scheduling concerns was published, meaning his account of the Zoom call itself was not offered as a direct response to those specific allegations. Even so, Kojima has continued to maintain publicly that he does not consider the split with Sony to be adversarial, despite the lack of explanation he says he received.

Whether “Physint” will ultimately be exclusive to Xbox platforms, similar to Kojima Productions’ earlier horror title “OD,” or will also become available on PlayStation systems remains an open question. According to Kojima, that determination now rests with Microsoft rather than with his own studio, given Xbox’s position as the project’s new publishing partner.

The unusual circumstances surrounding the split, an unexplained decision delivered over video call, followed by conflicting public accounts of the underlying reasons, have made the Kojima-Sony breakup one of the more closely watched stories in the video game industry this fall. For Kojima, a designer whose name has become closely associated with PlayStation exclusives dating back to the original “Metal Gear Solid” series, the sudden pivot to a new publishing partner marks a significant shift in a relationship that had, until this year, defined much of his post-Konami career as an independent studio head.

The government borrowed more than expected in August, as persistently higher inflation pushed up overall spending.

Borrowing – the difference between tax receipts and government spending – was £18.3bn in August, almost a fifth higher than the year before, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

It means the government is borrowing more than official forecasters expected, adding to pressure on Chancellor John Healey as he prepares to deliver his first Budget on 28 October.

Inflation rose to its highest rate in five months in August in the UK, driven up by higher petrol and diesel prices.

Although tax receipts were higher in August compared with a year ago, spending on public services, benefits, and other costs grew more as the pace of price rises increased.

The interest the government is paying on its debt rose to £8.8bn, its highest August level since records began in 1997.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warned that spending on debt interest is “a worryingly large share of overall government spending and has been pushed up” since the last official forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

Research economist Nick Ridpath said: “Both higher borrowing costs and higher inflation make life harder for a chancellor who is looking to bring down borrowing and to spend more on government priorities.”

And Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said it is a “dismal backdrop for the autumn Budget, with the government once again borrowing more than expected”.

She said the figures raise the likelihood of many of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s policy ambitions being “reined in or delayed to avoid big tax hikes and/or a backlash in the markets”.

Gregory also warned that, with the economy weakening, the government is likely to continue borrowing more than expected.

Emma Reynolds, chief secretary to the Treasury, said that the UK has “huge potential” for economic growth, but only with “fiscal discipline” from the government.

“At a time when debt interest costs billions of pounds that could otherwise be spent on improving lives, we must always know where the money is coming from to pay for public services,” she said.

She added that the government is committed to its fiscal rules “with a buffer against uncertainty”.

LONDON — Royal commentators say Prince William shows no sign of the jealousy some have attributed to his father, King Charles III, in response to the intense public fascination surrounding Princess Diana decades ago, arguing instead that William appears genuinely pleased by the attention his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, continues to draw more than a decade into their marriage.

The comparison has resurfaced as William and Kate remain among the most closely watched figures in the royal family, with their public appearances continuing to draw significant crowds and media coverage. Several royal experts, speaking separately to Fox News Digital and other outlets, described William’s reaction to that attention as markedly different from accounts of how Charles responded to Diana’s own extraordinary popularity during their marriage.

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard pointed specifically to William’s visible reaction whenever Kate becomes the center of public attention. “Prince William is not only proud, but he is smitten. He watches Princess Catherine and lights up. After more than a decade of marriage and three children, he is still completely enchanted by her,” Chard said. She also highlighted the couple’s ability to balance their public profile with their private family life, describing the strength of their public bond in historical terms. “Few marriages have deepened in public admiration the way theirs has,” Chard said, adding that the couple appears to have found a workable equilibrium between the demands of public life and their desire for privacy.

Christopher Andersen, author of the book “Kate!”, drew a more direct contrast between William’s demeanor and the dynamic long described between his parents. “But rather than be jealous of his wife the way King Charles was jealous of Diana’s popularity, William is more than content to let Kate shine,” Andersen said. “In fact, there are times when he is perfectly happy to bask in her reflected glory.” That characterization echoes long-standing reporting suggesting Charles struggled at points during his marriage to Diana with the scale of attention she commanded relative to his own public profile, a dynamic that has been referenced repeatedly in retrospective coverage of the couple’s relationship in the years since Diana’s death.

Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond offered a similar assessment in comments to The Mirror, framing William’s comfort with Kate’s popularity as a generational departure from his father’s experience. “Luckily, William doesn’t seem to suffer the same jealousy that his father did when Diana was the darling of the crowds,” Bond said.

British royal expert Hilary Fordwich, also speaking to Fox News Digital, described William’s reaction to his wife’s public reception in unambiguously positive terms. “Rather than Prince William being jealous, his delight regarding her success is palpable,” Fordwich said, pointing to specific, observable behavior as evidence of that dynamic. She said William’s admiration is visible through “his adoring glances and his general ease with her popularity.”

Taken together, the experts’ comments paint a consistent picture of a couple whose public dynamic differs meaningfully from the more strained relationship long described between Charles and Diana, at least as it pertains to how each royal husband has responded publicly to his wife’s own popularity and media attention. None of the commentary cited direct, on-the-record statements from William, Kate or Charles themselves addressing the comparison, with the assessment instead reflecting the interpretation of royal commentators observing the couple’s public appearances and body language over time.

The renewed comparison between the two royal marriages comes amid a broader moment of scrutiny for the royal family’s internal dynamics, following the recent publication of excerpts from Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer’s, memoir, “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” which has itself reignited public and media interest in the history of Charles and Diana’s marriage and its aftermath. That renewed attention on the elder generation’s relationship has, in turn, provided a natural point of comparison for commentators assessing how William and Kate have navigated similar pressures within their own marriage.

William and Kate married in 2011 and have three children together: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Since their wedding, the couple has built a public profile characterized by joint royal engagements, a consistent public presentation of partnership, and, according to the experts cited, a dynamic in which William has appeared comfortable ceding public attention to his wife rather than competing for it. That pattern stands in contrast to the more complicated public narrative long associated with Charles and Diana’s own marriage, which unfolded amid significant media scrutiny and ultimately ended in divorce before Diana’s death in a car accident in Paris in 1997.

Neither Kensington Palace nor Buckingham Palace have issued any official comment addressing the specific comparison drawn by the royal commentators, and the assessment remains, as with much royal family analysis, an interpretation offered by outside observers rather than a matter confirmed directly by the family members involved. Even so, the consistency of the characterization across multiple independent commentators, each pointing to similar observed behavior from William during public appearances alongside Kate, has reinforced a broader public narrative that has developed around the couple in the years since their marriage: one in which William’s support for his wife’s public role is frequently cited as a defining feature of how the two present themselves as a royal partnership.

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According to a filing with the exchange, the company said that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the sale of an entire residential tower at its ultra-luxury development, Embassy Terazza, in Juhu to Dinesh Thakkar, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Angel One.

Also Read | Angel One’s founder Dinesh Thakkar strikes Rs 711 cr Juhu luxury tower deal

The company further said that the deal is the largest single residential unit transaction in the country. The residence comprises an entire G+7 storey tower with a RERA carpet area of 63,000 sq ft, and a transaction value of approximately Rs 711 crore.

The ultra-luxury project is part of a five-tower development spread over 2 acres of land with 50 residences and has an estimated Gross Development Value (GDV) of over Rs 3,000 crore. This project, scheduled to be completed by December 2031, is being executed by Embassy Developments under a development management model.

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“Over the last three decades, Embassy has built a deep understanding of what today’s homebuyers value most. We have brought that same philosophy to Mumbai, and in a relatively short period, it has resonated with some of the country’s most discerning buyers,” said Jitendra Virwani, Chairman, Embassy Developments.
“Dinesh Thakkar’s acquisition of an entire tower at Embassy Terazza is a strong endorsement of that vision and the trust the Embassy brand has earned in Mumbai within 18 months of launching in the city,” Virwani further said.Located on Juhu Tara Road, one of Mumbai’s most coveted residential addresses and home to leading business families, industrialists and celebrities, Embassy Terazza is an ultra-luxury low-density development spanning over 2+ acres with approximately 50 residences and has an estimated Gross Development Value (GDV) in excess of Rs 3,000 crore.

The company also said that the design features include one residence per floor across the five towers, offering panoramic sea and city views, thoughtfully planned layouts, lush internal gardens, and curated wellness and lifestyle amenities and this project is being developed by Embassy Developments Limited under a development management model.

“Juhu has always had a special character that very few locations in Mumbai can match. When I started looking for a new home, my focus was on privacy, spaciousness, exceptional sea views and creating a luxurious, iconic sanctuary that would become our family home,” said Dinesh Thakkar, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, Angel One.

“‘Angelus’ is what we have named our new dream home, which is being crafted into reality by the Embassy Group. Embassy Terazza brings together all these aspirations in one project.”

Joining Embassy Citadel in Worli and Embassy Serenity in Alibaug, Embassy Terazza further strengthens EDL’s growing residential footprint across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, alongside its ongoing projects, Embassy Park in Panvel and Embassy One in Thane, the company added.

Also Read | Who is Dinesh Thakkar, Angel One founder bought an entire 63,000-sq-ft Juhu tower for Rs 711 crore in India’s largest luxury home purchase?

Embassy Developments (formerly known as Equinox India Developments Limited) (EDL) is one of India’s largest listed real estate developers, specialising in the development of residential and commercial projects across key urban markets.

Embassy Developments share price movement

The stock of Embassy Developments was down 8.49% in the last one month and nearly 39% in the last one year. The stock was down 24.24% in the last three years and 59.12% in the last five years.

Disclosure: This article has been written by Surbhi Khanna, who is not a SEBI-registered Research Analyst or an investment advisor . Surbhi Khanna does not hold any financial interest in Economic Times as of the date of publication. The views/recommendations mentioned in this article, wherever applicable, are those of the respective SEBI-registered Research Analyst/brokerage and have been reproduced/reported with due attribution. They should not be construed as the views or recommendations of the EconomicTimes Digital or the journalist. Readers are advised to consider the original research report and make their investment decisions based on their own assessment.

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