XBOX Wants to Find the Next Kojima Amid Studio Closure & Layoffs Rumors

There is a lot going on with XBOX right now. In between reports of layoffs, ongoing restructuring rumors, uncertainty surrounding multiple first-party studios, and a business reset might be taking shape behind the scenes. That’s what makes XBOX’s latest comments about creativity and game development particularly interesting.

XBOX says it wants to find the next Kojima

In a recent interview discussing OD with Entertainment Weekly, the upcoming project from Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions, XBOX president Asha Sharma outlined the kind of future she wants to build for the platform (via IGN). The timing, however, has sparked plenty of discussion across the gaming community.

Sharma pointed to OD as an example of the type of ambitious project XBOX wants to support moving forward. “We need to make sure our platform is sufficiently open so more creators and developers can come on board and be successful,” Sharma said. She added, “The next Kojima is yet to be known.”

The comments came while discussing XBOX’s partnership with Kojima Productions and the unique nature of OD, a project that reportedly struggled to find support elsewhere before landing at XBOX.

The challenge isn’t necessarily what Sharma said. It’s when she said it. Reports over recent weeks have suggested that XBOX is preparing significant organizational changes, with multiple teams and studios facing uncertainty. While Microsoft has yet to publicly detail the full scope of any plans, speculation surrounding potential closures and layoffs has dominated industry conversations following the XBOX Games Showcase 2026.