Hideki Kamiya, the creator of Bayonetta and Devil May Cry, has finally revealed why he left PlatinumGames in September 2023, the studio he co-founded in 2006.
In a lengthy interview with IGN, Kamiya explained that “trust” was the big reason for his departure, with his philosophy differing from the studios. He tells IGN,
“I decided to leave because I felt that the direction the company was heading in was different from my beliefs as a developer. Without that element of trust, I couldn’t continue working there, and so I left, so that I could continue working in what I consider to be the right way,”
Kamiya explains further by saying,
“I don’t think of games as products, but rather as works of art. I want to put my artistry into games and deliver games that could only be made by Hideki Kamiya, so that players can enjoy Hideki Kamiya games exactly as they are. I decided to leave the company and forge my own path, to continue making games that reflect the developers who made them.”
Kamiya does note that he had deep discussions with Atsushi Inaba, CEO of PlatinumGames, and despite differing beliefs, the two “were both satisfied with the conclusions we reached.” In the interview he also emphasizes that he didn’t leave Platinum to pursue another project elsewhere, and he had no other plans lined up at his departure.
During his time with PlatinumGames Kamiya served as the director of Bayonetta, Bayonetta 2, and The Wonderful 101. He also worked as a supervisor on Astral Chain and World of Demons, and a supervising director on Bayonetta 3.
Since leaving the company Kamiya has set up his own YouTube channel where he largely answers questions from fans and viewers. He’s also taking part in a talk session at the upcoming Archipel Caravan in Japan, where he’ll have a “casual conversation” with Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, who was also Kamiya’s mentor at Capcom.
It doesn’t look like Kamiya is done with making games, however, as he seems to already have an idea of what he wants to make next.
“I already have a clear idea in mind. I would like to translate this vision in my head into a full proposal as soon as I am able to do so. And of course, I also have an idea of what I can do to make the project a reality. But if you ask me specifically what kind of game it will be, all I can say at this stage is, ‘It’ll be a Hideki Kamiya game’”, says Kamiya.
As to when that might happen, it doesn’t seem likely until Kamiya himself knows it’s the right time.
