Reports that Hideo Kojima’s Physint cost Xbox around $400 million have been challenged, and the game’s real budget remains unknown. Bloomberg and Windows Central say the deal was worth significantly less, making the original figure appear to have been unverified industry hearsay rather than an official estimate.

The $400 million claim was linked to comments made at The Game Business Show, while later clarifications mentioned unconfirmed estimates ranging from $300 million to $600 million. Game budgets are rarely disclosed, and the controversy reflects concerns about the rising cost of AAA development and Xbox’s decision to invest heavily in major creators and projects while cutting staff and closing studios.