Following promises of a launch in 2022 without a specific release date, Bayonetta 3 is on the horizon. With just a teaser and gameplay trailer to go off of so far, speculation continues to run wild as to which places it’ll take players, who’ll be joining along for the ride, and what tantalizing new tale will Bayonetta have in store for them.
While there’s still very little extra details, there are some educated guesses to be made that can help unravel the mystery behind Bayonetta 3, and the new hairstyle the infamous Umbra Witch is sporting. By scouring the gameplay trailer and taking a closer look, exciting new details about the game could be potentially hiding in plain sight.
Why Bayonetta’s Hair is Important
Like many memorable video game characters, it was important for PlatinumGames to nail Bayonetta's signature look, earning her a spot among others for iconic video game hair. When initially designing Bayonetta back in 2009, developers confirmed that its teams worked for a full year in order to perfect its lead Umbra Witch, as confirmed by character designer Mari Shimazaki. At the time of the first game’s launch, Shimazaki explained that for Bayonetta, her hair was the source of her power; fashioned not just into her outfit, but also as a means of adornment and protection.
This is why Bayonetta’s hair and outfit change during combat and cutscenes to illustrate how much power she’s using, and which demons she’s summoning. There are plenty of secrets and trivia behind Bayonetta’s hair, but getting the fundamentals down is what will help understand the new changes to her new appearance.
New Hair Means New Powers
If Bayonetta’s power comes from her hair, then a fresh new look for her could be indicative of something more substantial than just keeping up with the latest fashion trends. With the release of a new gameplay trailer, PlatinumGames confirmed that new battle mechanics would be incorporated into Bayonetta 3: Demon Slaves and Demon Masquerade. The new features come as an effort to integrate Infernal Demons into Bayonetta’s moveset, giving the combat a new feel and performance for players.
These new powers, coupled with Bayonetta’s new hair, might suggest she’s grown to develop more refined control of her Contracted Demons and Madama Butterfly. In line with this and going off gameplay footage, it does appear that Bayonetta will be able to summon and control these Demons beyond what’s been seen in previous games. The last time players were able to take control and fight as a titanic Demon came at Bayonetta 2’s climax, basically playing Punch-Out! with Madama Butterfly and the Angel Temperance.
New Hair May Mean New Timelines
Another theory that’s been floated around by fans is that this isn’t the same Bayonetta players have grown to love across the series’ first two games, and suggests that multiple timelines now exist across the Bayonetta universe. The obvious evidence for this is of course Bayonetta’s hairstyle, as she now bears an uncanny resemblance to Cereza from the first Bayonetta, right down to the pigtails and red ribbons.
However, this is where things begin to get complicated, as Cereza was already a younger version of Bayonetta, displaced from time in the events of the first game. Throughout the game, she would treat Bayonetta as her mom and similarly (albeit begrudgingly) Bayonetta would serve as this mother figure in her own brusque way. However, Cereza was returned to her own time by the conclusion of the first game, but fans are speculating that the events Cereza experienced as a young girl has led to her growing up making very different decisions, all motivated by her idolization of Bayonetta.
It’s a theory not without some merit, as Bayonetta's former voice actress will not be returning, confirming that she had not been recast to reprise her role. While this could just be a superficial choice by the developer to take Bayonetta in a new direction, the lack of solid information has left ample room for these theories to take root. Without any further news and the wait still ongoing for confirmation of when Bayonetta 3 will finally be released, speculation is all fans will have until announcements are made.
Bayonetta 3 will release in 2022 for Nintendo Switch.
