Highlights
- Hideki Kamiya, one of the co-founders and well-known developers at PlatinumGames, will be leaving the company on October 12 after nearly 20 years at the helm.
- Kamiya's departure seems amicable, and he expressed his intention to continue creating games in his own unique way.
- The future of the Bayonetta series, which Kamiya created and directed, is uncertain following his departure.
In a recent announcement, PlatinumGames has confirmed that one of its most well-known developers, Hideki Kamiya, will be leaving the company on October 12. Kamiya was one of the three co-founders of PlatinumGames back in 2006, prior to which he worked at Capcom where he directed Resident Evil 2 and Devil May Cry.
During his time at Platinum, Kamiya supervised many beloved titles, with his primary claim to fame being his role in creating and directing development of the Bayonetta series. Kamiya has developed a reputation throughout his career as being a bold and outspoken figure, frequently raising publicity for his games with headline-grabbing statements, such as when he suggested that the newest Bayonetta game would solve Japan's marriage crisis. Some of Kamiya's comments have led to controversy and scandal on occasion, but this has only added to his fame and notoriety.
Now, after nearly 20 years at the helm of PlatinumGames, Hideki Kamiya is set to leave the company on October 12, 2023. This news was announced on Twitter by the studio's official account and shortly thereafter confirmed by a tweet from Kamiya himself. Neither of these posts offer any indication of why Kamiya is leaving the company, although the latter offers slightly more detail. Kamiya stated that the departure "came after a lot of consideration based on my own beliefs," suggesting that he is not being forced out and instead chose to leave Platinum himself. Considering the massive commercial success of Bayonetta 3, it is unlikely that Kamiya's performance as a game director was part of the decision-making process.
Kamiya's confirmation of his departure did not indicate what he will be doing next in his career, but he did make it clear that he was not done making games, saying, "I will continue to create in my Hideki Kamiya way. I hope you'll keep your eyes peeled." It is unclear whether Kamiya intends to start a new company, as he did with PlatinumGames back in 2006, or take on a position at another established studio, but fans will likely find out sooner rather than later. At the moment, it is also uncertain what will happen to future installments of the Bayonetta series, given the departure of the series' creator.
While there has been no reason given for Hideki Kamiya's separation from the company he helped found, all evidence available at present suggests that the split was amicable. Fans of Bayonetta will still no doubt be nervous about the future of the franchise, considering the sharp decline of the Metal Gear series after Hideo Kojima left Konami. Only time will tell what Kamiya does next in his prolific career and what will become of the projects he helped launch in the meantime.