Bayonetta Creator Expects Series to Continue Without Him

Bayonetta creator Hideki Kamiya expects there to be more games in the series without him. The Bayonetta franchise is one of the most beloved action series out there in gaming. PlatinumGames as a whole produces some really fantastic action games such as Metal Gear Rising, Vanquish, and a handful of others. They're really great at making visceral gameplay that is both flashy and engaging, but also bundling it all into a rich story and world with characters that are larger than life. That's part of why the Bayonetta games were so successful, they have punchy gameplay but also a very distinct story and characters.

Last year, Bayonetta 3 was finally released and fans were delighted to see the story continue. The game was received incredibly well and seemed to be a strong commercial hit too, serving as one of the Nintendo Switch's most mature exclusives and a big title for the 2022 holiday season. Unfortunately, creator Hideki Kamiya left PlatinumGames earlier this year and fans are worried about what will happen to the franchises he worked on. The director expects the studio to continue the franchises without him. That said, it likely won't be within his vision as Kamiya expected the franchise to include nine games. 

"As I explained earlier, I worked on Bayonetta 1, 2, 3 and Origins," he said. "I've talked about this in various interviews, that the Bayonetta series would consist of a total of nine episodes, and that I wanted to grow the franchise as the Bayonetta 'Saga', but it seems like I may have to take the full saga to the grave with me It's a shame. It's not like I own the Bayonetta IP, but I suppose those who do will probably keep it going."

What that looks like and how it will work is all to be determined. Bayonetta 4 has already been confirmed and with Nintendo seemingly working on a Nintendo Switch successor, it seems like something we can probably expect on that console. Only time will tell what comes of Bayonetta, but it seems like it will live on beyond Kamiya. It is unfortunate we will never probably get to see the intended conclusion, but nine games is a lot and who knows how long that would have taken if it took thirteen years to get the first three plus a spin-off. Granted, it's not even totally clear if the spin-off was part of that nine game plan!

[H/T VGC]