Executives from PlatinumGames stated in an interview that they believe the hiring of former Nintendo licensing GM Takao Yamane will help them create a stronger relationship with their long-time publishing partner. The hiring of Yamane comes as the Japanese studio deals with the high-profile failure of their live service game Babylon’s Fall and prepares for the upcoming release of Bayonetta 3 on the Nintendo Switch.
PlatinumGames was founded in 2007 by former employees of Capcom and Clover Studios and has developed a reputation for creating titles with unique gameplay and a heavy dose of visual style, such as 2017’s acclaimed action-RPG Nier: Automata. PlatinumGames has a long history of releasing their sometimes bizarre but always creative titles on Nintendo hardware, including cult classics like the ultra-stylized bloody Wii brawler Mad World and the frenetic and cartoonish The Wonderful 101. Ahead of the release of the highly anticipated Bayonetta 3, PlatinumGames has also released a physical copy of the original Bayonetta on the Nintendo Switch.
In an interview on the gaming news site VGC, PlatinumGames’ new vice president and CBO Takao Yamane sat down with the company’s CEO and vice president Atsushi Inaba and Hideki Kamiya to discuss the company’s future, including their goal of developing a stronger relationship with Nintendo. Yamane comes to PlatinumGames after working for Nintendo in a variety of roles for over 20 years, serving most recently as their licensing GM and managing director of sales and planning. In the interview, Yamane expressed his love for PlatinumGames and his excitement for their upcoming roster of releases, explaining how his sales and marketing experience at Nintendo can help PlatinumGames grow intelligently as they move to self-publish more of their titles.
PlatinumGames CEO Atsushi Inaba also expressed his interest in developing stronger ties with Nintendo during the interview and cited their productive working relationship on releases such as the upcoming Nintendo Switch exclusive Bayonetta 3, which recently revealed a list of new characters joining the fast-paced action franchise in the new entry to the series. In addition to discussing PlatinumGames’ plans to develop closer ties with Nintendo in the coming years, the interview also touched on plans to release more titles on Microsoft’s Xbox as well as whether the company would try its hand at live service games again after the failure of Babylon’s Fall.
PlatinumGames’ plans to grow its relationship with Nintendo will likely be welcome news to Switch fans who enjoy the studio’s distinctive titles and could help ensure that the company has a thriving market to sell to as it moves to develop and publish more of its own IP. As companies like Microsoft reportedly prepare to acquire more Japanese developers to gain a competitive edge in an increasingly consolidated gaming landscape, a stronger alliance with Nintendo could help PlatinumGames hold onto its unique role as an innovative rebel in the gaming industry instead of being beholden to the whims of publishing partners.
Source: VGC