When it comes to action, developer Platinum Games is the go-to brand within that genre. Provided that it’s not their B-team developing a spin-off but hey let’s not dwell on that. Bayonetta might just be one of the finest such examples of pure unadulterated fun from the studio, a righteous and kinetic showcase of speed and grace that still plays beautifully today.
It’s out this month on the Nintendo Switch, alongside its sister sequel Bayonetta 2 which happens to be even better than the first game. Hell, it’s a miracle that Platinum even got to craft that sequel. Bayonetta is effectively two-thirds of an exclusive Nintendo franchise right now, thanks to the Big N stepping in at the 11th hour to rescue the franchise.
There’s a story behind the creation and continuation of Bayonetta, one which Platinum Games big cheese Hideki Kamiya detailed in a series of fascinating tweets:
I’ve got something I want to tell you all. It’s about Bayonetta 3. (1/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
We are a developer that creates games by signing contracts with publishers and receiving funds from them in order to cover development costs. (2/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
For Bayonetta 1, we signed a contract with Sega and received funds from them, then we proposed a design for the game and entered production. All of the rights belong to Sega. (3/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
At the time, our company had only just been established, and we weren’t properly equipped for multiplatform development, so after discussing with Sega, we decided to develop the game exclusively for Xbox 360. (4/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
However, after that, one of Sega’s trading partners ended up making a port for PS3, at Sega’s behest. More recently, they also decided that a Steam version should be developed, which was released last year. Sega owns the rights to all of these versions. (5/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
When we started making Bayonetta 2, we initially received funds from Sega to develop the game for multiple platforms, but the project was halted due to circumstances at Sega. Nintendo then stepped in to continue funding the game, allowing us to finish it. (6/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
As such, the rights belong to Sega and Nintendo. The rights owners decided the game should be made for Wii U. (7/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
Nintendo was also kind enough to fund a port of Bayo 1 for Wii U, and they even allowed us to use the Japanese voice track we created for the Wii U version in the PC version of Bayo 1 as well. (8/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
I am extremely thankful to Nintendo for funding the game, and to Sega for allowing them to use the Bayonetta IP. (9/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
As for Bayonetta 3, it was decided from the start that the game was going to be developed using Nintendo’s funding. Without their help, we would not have been able to kick off this project. (10/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
All of the rights still belong to Sega and Nintendo. The rights owners decided that the game should be made for Switch. (11/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
Game development is a business. Each company has its own circumstances and strategies. Sometimes this means games get made, sometimes it means they get cancelled. (12/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
But I believe that every single person involved is dedicated to delivering the best possible experience. I know that, to me at least, that’s one of the biggest goals when I set to work. (13/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
I cannot express how happy I am that we get to make Bayonetta 3, and we intend to do everything within our power to make it as good as it can be. That’s all we can do, and we consider it our greatest mission. (14/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
It took a while for production of Bayonetta 3 to be okayed, but now that it has kicked off, I hope it will turn into a wonderful encounter for all of you. (15/15)
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) February 13, 2018
Ever since Bayonetta essentially became a Nintendo exclusive, there has been whinging from some fans who can’t handle the idea of the leggy witch not being available on their totally non-kiddy platform of choice. Honestly, why should she be appearing on other systems? As Kamiya pointed out, Nintendo saved Platinum’s magnificent franchise from oblivion, putting up the cash and gambling on Bayonetta being able to provide audiences with something different.
It’s a gamble which has clearly paid off, now that Bayonetta 3 is in development. Anyway, in an industry that is usually cloaked in secrecy, I love insight like this. It’s not just fascinating reading, it makes me appreciate the work that goes into creating interactive experiences that are frankly small miracles in their own right.
If all that talk of witches and hair magic has got you hungry for more action, then don’t forget that Bayonetta 2 drops soon on the Nintendo Switch. From what I’ve seen so far of it, it looks set to be a flawless port.
Last Updated: February 13, 2018
