Bayonetta 3 Gets ESRB Rating, Suggesting Imminent Release Date

Bayonetta 3 has received its ESRB rating, one of the final steps before a game gets released. Bayonetta 3 is one of the most long-awaited games out there, largely because the last game in the series was released in 2014 for Wii U. It was eventually ported over to Nintendo Switch along with the first game, but it has been years since Bayonetta 3 was announced. The game was revealed during The Game Awards in December 2017, meaning it has been about eight years since the last game and just under 5 years since Bayonetta 3 was announced. It didn't help that there has been years of silence with the project, but thankfully, it seems like the game is coming very soon.

According to the game's official Nintendo page, Bayonetta 3 has been rated M for mature by the ESRB, the official ratings board in the United States and Canada. The game was rated M for "violence, blood and gore, partial nudity, [and] strong language]", unfortunately the ESRB has not released its usual web page with in-depth details of why it rated the game the way that it did, but this is a refreshing piece of news. While the rating comes as no surprise to those who have played the series before, this does indicate some Bayonetta news is on the way. Typically, a game only gets its rating when the content of the title is finalized and can be efficiently reviewed by the ESRB. Aside from rare and unusual circumstances, this means a game will only be rated a handful months before it releases. 

It's pretty likely Bayonetta 3 will have a new trailer or news drop soon, as a rating means the game is nearing its release date. Nintendo's fall slate is pretty clear right now and Bayonetta 3 would fit quite nicely in an October or September release date. It's been nearly a year since we got our last look at Bayonetta 3 and rumors have suggested the game will release in October. Only time will tell what Platinum Games and Nintendo opt to do, but it probably won't be long until we find out.

Bayonetta 3 will release exclusively on Nintendo Switch. Are you excited for the game? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

[H/T ResetEra]