Ex-Bayonetta Origins Director Joins Sony's Housemarque

Summary

• The director of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, Abebe Tinari, has left PlatinumGames to take up a lead game designer role at Returnal developer Housemarque.
• PlatinumGames has experienced several high-profile departures recently, causing concern about the studio's future direction.
• Housemarque has been developing a new IP since the release of Returnal in 2021.

The director of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, Abebe Tinari, has departed PlatinumGames to join Returnal developer Housemarque. This move comes during a period of uncertainty for PlatinumGames, exacerbated by the exit of key developers like Tinari, who played a pivotal role in the creative direction of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon.

In September 2023, PlatinumGames faced a significant blow when Hideki Kamiya, a prominent developer and the creator of the Bayonetta series, announced his departure from the studio. Kamiya cited a misalignment between his vision and the studio's direction as his reason for leaving. A year later, at The Game Awards 2024, Kamiya was revealed to be leading the development of an Okami sequel at a revived Clover Studio, sparking further concerns about PlatinumGames' future.

Following the announcement of Kamiya's new project, rumors emerged about other top developers leaving PlatinumGames, with some erasing mentions of the studio from their social media profiles. Among them was Abebe Tinari, who confirmed his departure from Japan to Helsinki, Finland. Tinari's LinkedIn profile disclosed his new position as a lead game designer at Housemarque.

Bayonetta Origins Director Now Working on Housemarque's New IP

Housemarque's latest release was the critically acclaimed roguelike shooter Returnal in May 2021, after which the studio was acquired by PlayStation. Since then, Housemarque has been diligently working on a new IP, and it's highly probable that Tinari will contribute to this project. While an official announcement for Housemarque's next game is not expected until at least 2026, anticipation is building among fans.

As for PlatinumGames, the impact of these high-profile exits on future projects remains unclear. The studio recently announced a year-long celebration for the 15th anniversary of Bayonetta, hinting at the possibility of a new entry in the series. Additionally, PlatinumGames has been developing a new IP called Project GG since 2020, which was under the direction of Hideki Kamiya. With Kamiya's departure, the progress and direction of Project GG are now uncertain.