Bayonetta 2 Developers Speak Out Over Wii U Exclusivity
Yesterday we learned that Bayonetta would finally be receiving a sequel, but it would be a Wii U exclusive title. If you read the article you can tell that while I was excited for the news I wasn’t really on board with the exclusivity announcement. Now I may just be apprehensive, but I don’t necessarily think that a Bayonetta game would remain a Bayonetta game that we’ve come to be used to with Nintendo publishing the title.
Platinum Games, the developers behind both the original and the sequel, have responded to the criticism that’s been raised about the game being exclusive to Nintendo’s new system. President Tatsuya Minami explained through the company’s website that the first game helped establish the company as an emerging studio and Bayonetta 2 will be a “true sequel.” He continued, saying, “Bayonetta has fans the world over, and we would never dream of alienating them from participating in the future of Platinum Games. That being said, the console market is in a state of upheaval, so establishing a new game franchise requires a considerable amount of will, determination, and love. Bayonetta is a brand that we want to see become stronger, reaching the hands of more and more gamers, so we have continued to consult with SEGA, the previous game’s publisher, on how we can make sure this takes place. Our answer was a new partnership with Nintendo.”
From seeing what Minami continues to explain, the reason for the exclusivity of the game is simply because they want to get it into the hands of as many gamers as possible. The developer seems to think that by going with Nintendo and the Wii U they can accomplish this. When I think about this, and apply Nintendo’s marketing campaign techniques, I can’t really see how it’s going to work out. Will we be getting Bayonetta 2 commercials that show dads playing the game with their kids? Will there be children interacting with Bayonetta as she uses her hair to gobble up angels? Oh, I know, we’ll get a commercial where Bayonetta teaches us how to count and spell words!
I know I’m going over the top here, but you have to see where I’m coming from. Nintendo is a huge company. They’ve gained a dedicated fanbase of players who want to see first-party titles, but they don’t necessarily flock to the company’s third-party games. In the grand scheme of things this partnership could end up working out, but right now I just can’t see that happening. I mean, it could be a situation where Nintendo wants to work on getting “grown up” titles for their lineup, but still I don’t know. I’ll need to wait and see what sort of marketing deal this game gets and then I’ll make a final judgment.
