The Nintendo Switch has had a healthy lineup of quality games this past year or so, including big hit releases such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Super Mario 3D All-Stars. 2021 has additionally been off to a strong start with titles like Monster Hunter Rise really pushing the envelope in terms of what the console hybrid can do graphically. But even with these top notch games already available to players, there remains a number of upcoming Switch titles lacking significant production updates, one of which being the latest in the Bayonetta series.

Bayonetta 3 was first announced during the Game of the Year Awards in late 2017, with Reggie Fils-Aime taking to the stage to formally reveal the project. Similar to the development of Metroid Prime 4, very little is known about the game outside of the fact that it's confirmed to be in the works. With 3+ years having already passed since Bayonetta 3 was first shown off, many are worried that the game may be running into issues hampering overall development. While nothing is certain until Nintendo states otherwise, it feels like enough time has passed for the developer PlatinumGames to now properly unveil the game to the public.

RELATED: What to Expect from Nintendo at E3 2021

Nintendo's Announcement/Release Pattern

Nintendo Direct 2021 Link Bayonetta 3

Aside from a few exceptions (like the aforementioned Metroid Prime 4), Nintendo generally speaking prefers to keep news and games under wraps until the planned release ranges from a few months to under a year in the future. For example, New Pokemon Snap was announced on June 17, 2020 during a Pokemon Presents showcase, and was ultimately released less than a year afterwards. While fans may be anxious from continued silence, it seems that Nintendo prefers to break its news when it is more confident that a game is already nearing its final stretch of development.

Now, this philosophy of course doesn't line up at all with the current status of Bayonetta 3, but the game was revealed early in the Switch's lifespan, at a time when Nintendo perhaps hadn't settled into its new reveal/release pattern. Fans should also keep in mind that simply because nothing is being said or shown regarding the game doesn't necessarily spell doom and gloom either. According to creative director of the series, Hideki Kamiya, Bayonetta 3 development is going smoothly, and that the developer is also hoping to share updates at some point this year. Little is known for what Nintendo has in store for the second half of 2021, and with E3 on the horizon, some light may finally be shed on this long anticipated game.

Killer App

Bayonetta cover art

Speaking of the second half of 2021, as of now, the release lineup looks pretty barren for the Nintendo Switch. Aside from hopes that Breath of the Wild 2 will be the big game for the Switch this holiday season, not much else is available to even speculate over. However, what is being experienced right now could very well be the calm before a storm, with Nintendo taking advantage of this uncomfortable silence to unleash a barrage of heavy hitters prime for release later this year.

The next generation of gaming is in full swing, with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on store shelves. Nintendo is naturally unable to compete from a pure technical perspective, but it can make up for that with delivering triple-A experiences only available on its console alone. There is a very high chance that because of this, Bayonetta 3 is being positioned as one of the big games on the Switch in the latter half of 2021. Bayonetta 2 was critically acclaimed and considered one of the best action games in the past decade, so expectation for this third game is sure to be very high. Fans of action titles will want to receive that fix, and if this third entry is just as polished as its predecessors, players will jump on it.

Despite these reviews however, the Bayonetta series has never been a runaway sales success with the first two entries. This is something that can change on the Switch with the holiday season. The console/game attachment rate for the Nintendo Switch is mind blowing, with nearly every exclusive title selling extremely well, meaning that Switch owners love consuming new quality content. If Bayonetta 3 is positioned as the must have action game on the console in an otherwise sparse new library of games, players may naturally gravitate towards regardless of interest.

This is something PlatinumGames may be aware of, as well as Nintendo, in order to wait for the best possible moment to ensure the Switch hack 'n slash game achieves all the success it deserves. This is of course all considering the game is nearly done, but with several years already gone by, the Umbra Witch should be good and ready to wreak havoc on her enemies in the very near future.

Bayonetta 3 is confirmed to be in development for the Nintendo Switch.

MORE: Hideki Kamiya Says Fans Should 'Forget About' Bayonetta 3 for Now