PlatinumGames Inc. is a Japanese
video game developer
A video game developer is a broad term for a software developer specializing in video game development – the process and related disciplines of creating video games. A game developer can range from one person who undertakes all tasks to a large ...
that was founded in October 2007 as result of a merger between two companies, Seeds Inc. and Odd Inc.
Shinji Mikami
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. Starting his career at Capcom in 1990, he has worked on many of the company's most successful games. He directed the first installment of the ''Resident Evil'' series in 1996 and the f ...
,
Atsushi Inaba
is a Japanese video game producer and businessman. He was the former CEO and producer of the Capcom subsidiary Clover Studio, who developed the games ''Viewtiful Joe'', ''Ōkami'', and ''God Hand''. He is currently the head producer at the develo ...
, and
Hideki Kamiya
is a Japanese video game designer and director who is the vice-president of PlatinumGames. He began his career in 1994 with Capcom, where he directed ''Resident Evil 2'' (1998), ''Devil May Cry'' (2001), ''Viewtiful Joe'' (2003), and ''Ōkami' ...
founded Seeds Inc. after the closure of
Capcom
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
's
Clover Studio
was a Japanese video game development studio founded by Capcom. The studio developed the PlayStation 2 port of '' Viewtiful Joe'', both versions of ''Viewtiful Joe 2'' for the GameCube and PlayStation 2, and the PS2 titles ''Ōkami'' and '' God ...
, while Odd Inc. was founded by Tatsuya Minami. A year after the studio was founded, video game publisher
Sega
is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...
announced that it would be publishing four intellectual properties developed by the company: ''
MadWorld
is a beat 'em up hack and slash video game developed by PlatinumGames, published by Sega, produced by Atsushi Inaba, and directed by Shigenori Nishikawa. It was released worldwide for the Wii in March 2009 and in Japan in February 2010. ''MadWor ...
'', ''
Infinite Space
is a 2009 role-playing video game co-developed by Nude Maker and PlatinumGames for the Nintendo DS. It was published by Sega in 2009 in Japan, and 2010 in Western territories. The science fiction storyline, set across the Small and Large ...
'', ''
Bayonetta
is a series of action-adventure games created by Hideki Kamiya and developed by PlatinumGames. The franchise was introduced in 2009 with ''Bayonetta''. Two sequels were released, ''Bayonetta 2'' (2014) and ''Bayonetta 3'' (2022), as well as a s ...
'', and ''
Vanquish''. Their partnership later extended to include ''
Anarchy Reigns
''Anarchy Reigns'', known in Japan as is an open world beat 'em up video game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Sega. It is the spiritual successor to the Wii video game ''MadWorld'' (2009), and was released in Japan on July 5, 2012, in ...
''. Most of these games were met with positive reception. Over the years, PlatinumGames had developed an expertise in action games and one of their key philosophies was that the team would not follow conventional game design concepts.
While PlatinumGames' core goal was to create new and original
intellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...
, the team also accepted several contract works from
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...
on several licensed projects, most of which received mediocre reviews. Since 2013, PlatinumGames had held a close relationship with console manufacturer
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
, which funded several of their original titles, including ''
The Wonderful 101
is an action-adventure game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. The game was directed by Hideki Kamiya and produced by Atsushi Inaba; the pair also worked together on the ''Viewtiful Joe'' series and ''Ōkami''. It ...
'' and ''
Astral Chain
is a 2019 action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Nintendo for Nintendo Switch. It was directed by Takahisa Taura, who was previously lead game designer for '' Nier: Automata'', under supervision b ...
'', and handled licensing between Sega that would allow Platinum to continue the ''
Bayonetta
is a series of action-adventure games created by Hideki Kamiya and developed by PlatinumGames. The franchise was introduced in 2009 with ''Bayonetta''. Two sequels were released, ''Bayonetta 2'' (2014) and ''Bayonetta 3'' (2022), as well as a s ...
'' series. The studio worked on creating new installments in other studios' franchises, with the studio taking major development duties on ''
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance'' for
Konami
, is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company, video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machin ...
, ''
Star Fox Zero
is a 3D rail shooter video game developed by Nintendo and PlatinumGames for the Wii U. It is the sixth installment in the ''Star Fox'' series. Formally announced at E3 2015, the game was released in April 2016 to mixed critical reception, with ...
'' for Nintendo, and ''
Nier: Automata'' for
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
. ''Nier: Automata'', which was both a critical and commercial success, was an important project for PlatinumGames, since it was their first game released after the cancellation of ''
Scalebound
was an action role-playing game developed by PlatinumGames from 2013 until its cancellation in 2017. It was scheduled to be released in 2017 for Xbox One and Windows, but Microsoft Studios announced its cancellation in January 2017. In the game, p ...
'', a project funded by
Microsoft Studios
Xbox Game Studios (previously known as Microsoft Studios, Microsoft Game Studios, and Microsoft Games) is an American video game publisher and part of the Microsoft Gaming division based in Redmond, Washington. It was established in March 2000, ...
.
History
2006–2007: Founding
PlatinumGames was founded by the merger of Seeds Inc. and Odd Inc. in October 2007. Seeds Inc. had been founded by
Shinji Mikami
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. Starting his career at Capcom in 1990, he has worked on many of the company's most successful games. He directed the first installment of the ''Resident Evil'' series in 1996 and the f ...
,
Atsushi Inaba
is a Japanese video game producer and businessman. He was the former CEO and producer of the Capcom subsidiary Clover Studio, who developed the games ''Viewtiful Joe'', ''Ōkami'', and ''God Hand''. He is currently the head producer at the develo ...
, and
Hideki Kamiya
is a Japanese video game designer and director who is the vice-president of PlatinumGames. He began his career in 1994 with Capcom, where he directed ''Resident Evil 2'' (1998), ''Devil May Cry'' (2001), ''Viewtiful Joe'' (2003), and ''Ōkami' ...
on August 1, 2006.
Prior to establishing the company, the three worked for
Capcom
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
, and were key members of the Osaka-based
Clover Studio
was a Japanese video game development studio founded by Capcom. The studio developed the PlayStation 2 port of '' Viewtiful Joe'', both versions of ''Viewtiful Joe 2'' for the GameCube and PlayStation 2, and the PS2 titles ''Ōkami'' and '' God ...
, which specialized in making new and creative intellectual properties. They worked closely together developing popular Capcom franchises including ''
Resident Evil
''Resident Evil'', known in Japan as is a Japanese horror game series and media franchise created by Capcom. It consists of survival horror, third-person shooter and first-person shooter games, with players typically surviving in environments ...
'', ''
Devil May Cry
is a series of action-adventure games created by Hideki Kamiya. It is primarily developed and published by Capcom. The series centers on the demon hunter Dante and his efforts to thwart various demon invasions of Earth. Its gameplay consists o ...
'', ''
Viewtiful Joe
is a side scrolling beat 'em up video game franchise created by Japanese game designer Hideki Kamiya. It is primarily developed and published by Capcom and its subsidiary Clover Studio.
Games
''Viewtiful Joe'' (2003)
The first game in the ...
'' and ''
Ōkami
is an action-adventure video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. It was released for PlayStation 2 in 2006 in Japan and North America, and in 2007 in Europe and Australia. After the closure of Clover Studio a few months a ...
''. Most of these titles received critical acclaim, but under-performed commercially, leading to Capcom's decision to close the studio. Prior to the closure, the three founders had already left the studio to form their own company in mid-2006. In January 2006, the company expanded to 51 employees, including more former Capcom employees such as Masami Ueda, composer for the early ''Resident Evil'' games, and Mari Shimazaki, ''Ōkami''s artist. Yusuke Hashimoto and Kenji Saito, who would eventually become PlatinumGames' directors, joined during its establishment period. The new company revealed its existence by launching its website in February 2007.
Odd Ltd. was founded by Tatsuya Minami in February 2006, and later renamed Odd Inc. in July 2007.
Like the founders of Clover Studio, Minami worked at Capcom prior to founding his own studio. He joined Capcom and for 20 years was involved in titles such as ''
Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts
''Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts'', known in Japan as , is a platform video game developed and published by Capcom for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991. As the third game in the ''Ghosts 'n Goblins'' series and the first not to be released ...
'' and the ''
Mega Man
''Mega Man'', known as in Japan, is a Japanese science fiction video game franchise created by Capcom, starring a series of robot characters each known by the moniker "Mega Man (character), Mega Man". Mega Man (video game), The original game w ...
'' franchise. However, he decided to leave as he became tired of making sequels.
Minami became the studio's head and focused on the company's management and administration, while Mikami, Inaba and Kamiya remained in the positions of
director
Director may refer to:
Literature
* ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine
* ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker
* ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty
Music
* Director (band), an Irish rock band
* ''Di ...
or producer.
2008–2012: Partnership with Sega
The company had not revealed anything about upcoming projects for a year, until 2008, when
Sega
is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...
announced that it would be publishing four PlatinumGames' titles.
According to Minami, the titles were unique and creative, and it was courageous of Sega to publish these risky titles. Minami added further that the partnership with Sega allowed them to bring these titles to Western markets. The four games included ''
MadWorld
is a beat 'em up hack and slash video game developed by PlatinumGames, published by Sega, produced by Atsushi Inaba, and directed by Shigenori Nishikawa. It was released worldwide for the Wii in March 2009 and in Japan in February 2010. ''MadWor ...
'', ''
Infinite Space
is a 2009 role-playing video game co-developed by Nude Maker and PlatinumGames for the Nintendo DS. It was published by Sega in 2009 in Japan, and 2010 in Western territories. The science fiction storyline, set across the Small and Large ...
'', ''
Bayonetta
is a series of action-adventure games created by Hideki Kamiya and developed by PlatinumGames. The franchise was introduced in 2009 with ''Bayonetta''. Two sequels were released, ''Bayonetta 2'' (2014) and ''Bayonetta 3'' (2022), as well as a s ...
'' and ''
Vanquish''.
Each was released in 2009. All the
intellectual properties
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...
created by PlatinumGames as part of the partnership are owned by Sega.
''
MadWorld
is a beat 'em up hack and slash video game developed by PlatinumGames, published by Sega, produced by Atsushi Inaba, and directed by Shigenori Nishikawa. It was released worldwide for the Wii in March 2009 and in Japan in February 2010. ''MadWor ...
'' was the first game to be released. Produced by Inaba, the game was designed to appeal to a western audience and had a unique art style inspired by that of ''
Sin City
''Sin City'' is a series of neo-noir comics by American comic book writer-artist Frank Miller. The first story originally appeared in ''Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special'' (April 1991), and continued in ''Dark Horse Presents'' #51 ...
''. The original story was written by
Yasumi Matsuno
is a Japanese video game designer. Matsuno was first introduced to video games in arcades while waiting for the train, and first played ''Space Invaders'' and ''Xevious'' there. He attended Hosei University for foreign policy but dropped out, ...
, who had previously worked on
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
's ''
Ogre Battle
, sometimes referred to as , is a series of five tactical role-playing and real-time strategy video games developed by Quest Corporation and is currently owned by Square Enix through Square's acquisition of Quest. There are five original games i ...
'' and ''
Final Fantasy Tactics
is a 1997 tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square (video game company), Square for the PlayStation (console), PlayStation video game console. Released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998 by Sony ...
'', while PlatinumGames and Sega jointly localized the title for the West. The team created the game with a vision of bringing a unique game to the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
. While the game received positive reviews, it was a commercial failure, despite Sega's heavy marketing.
Though the game was a commercial failure, Sega felt that sales were "encouraging", and said that they would continue to make mature games for the Wii. They released the ''Welcome To Violence'' pack, which bundles ''MadWorld'' with ''
House of the Dead: Overkill'', and ''
The Conduit
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'', each of which were commercial failures. In 2010, Sega announced that they would cease publishing mature video games for the Wii, citing the disappointing sales of ''MadWorld'' as a contributing factor. However, PlatinumGames announced several days later that they would like to do a sequel to the game.
The company's second game was ''
Infinite Space
is a 2009 role-playing video game co-developed by Nude Maker and PlatinumGames for the Nintendo DS. It was published by Sega in 2009 in Japan, and 2010 in Western territories. The science fiction storyline, set across the Small and Large ...
''. Announced as ''Infinite Line'', it is a
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
with
real-time strategy
Real-time strategy (RTS) is a Video game genre, subgenre of strategy video games that do not progress incrementally in turn-based game, turns, but allow all players to play simultaneously, in "real time". By contrast, in Turn-based strategy, turn ...
, and
space simulation
Astronaut training describes the complex process of preparing astronauts in regions around the world for their space missions before, during and after the flight, which includes medical tests, physical training, extra-vehicular activity (EVA) trai ...
elements. Inspired by the works of
Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 191719 March 2008) was an English science-fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host.
He co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film '' 2001: A Spac ...
and
Greg Egan
Greg Egan (born 20 August 1961) is an Australian science fiction writer and amateur mathematician, best known for his works of hard science fiction. Egan has won multiple awards including the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, the Hugo Award, an ...
, PlatinumGames collaborated closely with
Nude Maker
is a Japanese video game developer based in Tokyo, Japan. The company is composed mostly of ex-Human Entertainment members, including Hifumi Kono, who directed the first two titles in the ''Clock Tower'' series of horror games. Nude Maker has bee ...
while developing the game. Produced by Inaba, the title was released in June 2009 in Japan, and its localized release for western territories was in March 2010. The game was a moderate success in Japan, but sales of the game in the West were unsatisfactory. PlatinumGames blamed Sega for not producing enough copies of the game, as the game "sold out instantly".
The third game is ''
Bayonetta
is a series of action-adventure games created by Hideki Kamiya and developed by PlatinumGames. The franchise was introduced in 2009 with ''Bayonetta''. Two sequels were released, ''Bayonetta 2'' (2014) and ''Bayonetta 3'' (2022), as well as a s ...
'', an
action game
An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, and platform gam ...
"evolved" from the ''Devil May Cry'' series. The title was directed by Kamiya, who originally pitched several "casual" projects for the studio before starting the development of ''Bayonetta''. The game features an original story, with inspirations drawn from
Scandinavian mythology
Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...
, while the design of the
titular character
The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
was based on Kamiya's own vision of an "ideal woman". The development team was credited as "Team Little Angels", as opposed to ''Devil May Cry''s "Team Little Devils". The game received critical acclaim on its release, with critics praising its action as "genre-topping", as well as its characters and innovation.
However, according to Inaba, the team had set an overly high standard for themselves and became extremely frustrated by the end of the project's development. Inaba added that the game's development "nearly broke" PlatinumGames.
The team's morale was restored after hearing players' positive opinions of the game.
In addition, Inaba called the PlayStation 3 version of the game the company's "biggest failure", as the team did not have sufficient skills to develop that version of the game. More than 1.35 million units of the game were shipped, but according to Minami, the company was disappointed with its sales, despite it being one of the most commercially successful games produced by the company.
An animated film based on the game, called ''
Bayonetta: Bloody Fate'', was later released by
Gonzo
Gonzo may refer to:
People
* Gonzo (nickname), a list of people with the nickname
* Radislav Jovanov Gonzo (born 1964), Croatian music video director Radislav Jovanov, also known as Gonzo
* Matthias Röhr (born 1962), German musician whose stage ...
.
The Sega-PlatinumGames original partnership announcement teased a mysterious fourth game from Mikami.
The title was later revealed to be ''
Vanquish''. The team drew inspiration from ''
Casshern
''Casshan'', also known in Japan as , is an anime series created by Tatsunoko Productions founder Tatsuo Yoshida in 1973.
The ''Casshern'' franchise also includes a 1993 original video animation titled '' Casshan: Robot Hunter'', and a 2004 ...
'' when creating the game's visuals. Mikami decided the game's
third-person perspective
Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to deliver information to the a ...
through
trial and error
Trial and error is a fundamental method of problem-solving characterized by repeated, varied attempts which are continued until success, or until the practicer stops trying.
According to W.H. Thorpe, the term was devised by C. Lloyd Morgan (1 ...
, and hoped that with it, the team could increase its gameplay pace. It was originally designed to be an
open world game, but this idea was later abandoned and the game's direction shifted to become linear. On its release, the game was positively reviewed, with critics calling it innovative for introducing new elements into the shooter genre. Sega added that the company was encouraged by the game's first and second-day sales. After its release, Mikami left PlatinumGames and formed a new company,
Tango Gameworks
Tango Gameworks is a Japanese video game developer based in Tokyo. Founded in March 2010 by Shinji Mikami, previously of Capcom, the company was acquired by ZeniMax Media in October that year after suffering financial issues. Tango developed ...
. According to Minami, Mikami "always wanted to be his own man, and his own developer".
In late 2010, PlatinumGames revealed that it was in discussions with Sega to extend their partnership. Inaba added that Sega is a publisher which allows the team to have much creative control over their games. In 2011, PlatinumGames announced that they had extended their partnership with a new title called ''
Max Anarchy
''Anarchy Reigns'', known in Japan as is an open world beat 'em up video game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Sega. It is the spiritual successor to the Wii video game '' MadWorld'' (2009), and was released in Japan on July 5, 2012, ...
''. The game was released in western territories as ''
Anarchy Reigns
''Anarchy Reigns'', known in Japan as is an open world beat 'em up video game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Sega. It is the spiritual successor to the Wii video game ''MadWorld'' (2009), and was released in Japan on July 5, 2012, in ...
'' in 2013. The game serves as a sequel to ''MadWorld'', but it does not feature the ''Sin City'' graphic style, though players assume control of ''MadWorld''s protagonist Jack Cayman for most parts of the game. The game received mixed reviews on its release, and it was a commercial failure. ''Anarchy Reigns'' is the last game developed by PlatinumGames to be published by Sega.
2013–present: Licensed properties and exclusive games
In 2011,
Hideo Kojima
is a Japanese video game designer, director, producer and writer. He is regarded as an auteur of video games. He developed a strong passion for action/adventure cinema and literature during his childhood and adolescence. In 1986, he was hired ...
and his studio
Kojima Productions
Kojima Productions Co., Ltd. is a Japanese Video game developer, video game development studio founded in 2015 by video game designer Hideo Kojima, creator of the ''Metal Gear'' series. It is the spiritual successor to a production team inside K ...
were working on a new ''
Metal Gear
is a series of techno-thriller stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Developed and published by Konami, the first game, ''Metal Gear'', was released in 1987 for MSX home computers. The player often takes control of a special forces operativ ...
'' game focused on one of its main characters
Raiden, a ninja equipped with swords. Unable to continue working on the game, Kojima contacted Minami to ask PlatinumGames to work on it. According to Kojima, PlatinumGames was the only studio capable of working on an
action game
An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, and platform gam ...
with sword-based combat.
The team added
stealth elements to the game finding its system too boring and straightforward. Directed by Kenji Saito, the game, titled ''
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance'', was released in 2013 and received generally positive reviews from critics, and was a commercial success. It also became the company's first licensed title.
![Wii U Console and Gamepad](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Wii_U_Console_and_Gamepad.png)
The same year also saw the release of PlatinumGames' second game, ''
The Wonderful 101
is an action-adventure game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. The game was directed by Hideki Kamiya and produced by Atsushi Inaba; the pair also worked together on the ''Viewtiful Joe'' series and ''Ōkami''. It ...
'' for the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
. While Kamiya was the game's director, Minami offered creative advice. According to Kamiya, inspiration was drawn from classic ''
tokusatsu
is a Japanese term for live action film or television drama that makes heavy use of practical special effects. ''Tokusatsu'' entertainment mainly refers to science fiction, War film, war, fantasy, or Horror film, horror media featuring such te ...
'' series like ''
Super Sentai
is a Japanese superhero team metaseries and media franchise consisting of television series and films produced by Toei Company, and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi ("Sentai" is the Japanese word for "task force" or "fighting squadron"). The sho ...
'', and that the game was designed to appeal to all types of audiences. The game was originally planned for the Wii, and was set to feature classic
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
characters. However, as the team found that it was difficult to use these characters creatively, the game was put on hold temporarily. Its development was restarted later, with 50 original characters being featured in the final game. Nintendo provided feedback during the game's development hoping that it would reach a larger audience.
The game received critical acclaim. It was considered one of the best games in the Wii U library, and was voted one of community's Nintendo favorites. However, the game underperformed in Japan, and was outsold by ''
Pikmin 3
''Pikmin 3'' is a real-time strategy and puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U video game console. It is the sequel to the GameCube games ''Pikmin'' (2001) and ''Pikmin 2'' (2004), and was released in Japan on July ...
'', which had already been released before the launch of ''The Wonderful 101''.
VG247
''VG247'' is a video game blog published in the United Kingdom, founded in February 2008 by industry veteran Patrick Garratt. In 2009, CNET ranked it as the third best gaming blog in the world.
History
Founded in collaboration on 1 February 2 ...
attributed the game's failure to the low sales of the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
.
Their partnership continued with 2014's ''
Bayonetta 2
is a 2014 action-adventure game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Nintendo. It is the sequel to the 2009 game ''Bayonetta'', and was directed by Yusuke Hashimoto and produced by Atsushi Inaba, Akiko Kuroda, and Hitoshi Yamagami, unde ...
'', which sparked controversy for being a Wii U exclusive when its predecessor is a multi-platform title. According to
executive producer
Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
Atsushi Inaba, the company worked with Sega to create the game's sequel. It was later cancelled in the middle of the game's development until Nintendo offered to work with the company to revive it and fund the project.
Sega only served as the game's advisor.
Inaba added that Nintendo did not actively interfere with the game's development, and compared its role to that of an observer. Kamiya, who originally did not expect a sequel to the game,
served as the game's supervisor. Replacing Kamiya as the game's director is Yusuke Hashimoto. Hashimoto focused on refining the original's combat, and extending the game's
replay value
Replay may refer to:
* Replay (sports), a replayed match between two sport teams Technology
* Game replay, a recording of a game session.
* Instant replay, in motion pictures and television, a showing again of part of a film
* Replay Professional, ...
.
''Bayonetta 2'' received critical acclaim on its launch, with several gaming publications awarding the game a perfect score. Though Nintendo did not comment on the game's sales, the title sold only 38,828 copies in Japan in its first week of release, faring much worse than the original. It became the seventh best-selling retail game in the UK in its first week of release, but sales declined significantly in the second week.
The company gradually developed more and more licensed titles based on existing properties. Their partners grant them creative freedom while creating these games' gameplay. Their first licensed title is ''
The Legend of Korra
''The Legend of Korra'' (abbreviated as TLOK), also known as ''Avatar: The Legend of Korra'' or simply ''Korra'', is an American anime-influenced animated television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelode ...
'' (2014), based on
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
's
animated series of the same name. Published by
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...
, the game's story was written by Tim Hedrick, the show writer. The game received a mixed reception when it was launched.
Following ''The Legend of Korra'' is ''
Transformers: Devastation'', based on
Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of ...
's ''Transformers: Generations''. Directed by Saito, the game was designed to look and feel different from previous ''Transformers'' games. The title received favorable reviews when it was released in 2015. The third licensed title, ''
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan'' was released in May 2016. According to game designer Eiro Shirahama, the team watched the ''TMNT'' animated series and also played the old ''TMNT'' games for the
Super Famicom
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Euro ...
while working on the game so as to understand the universe and the characters. The game garnered mixed reception when it was released.
In 2013, Kamiya revealed that he would like to have an opportunity to continue PlatinumGames' partnership with Nintendo, creating new properties or working on extending the universe of their existing franchises such as ''
Star Fox
is an arcade style rail shooter and third person action-adventure video game series created by Shigeru Miyamoto, produced and published by Nintendo. The games follow the Star Fox combat team of anthropomorphic animals, led by chief protagoni ...
''.
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
who produced ''
Star Fox Zero
is a 3D rail shooter video game developed by Nintendo and PlatinumGames for the Wii U. It is the sixth installment in the ''Star Fox'' series. Formally announced at E3 2015, the game was released in April 2016 to mixed critical reception, with ...
'' expressed his desire to work with external developers so that the project can have a shorter development cycle. The team was asked to serve as the game's co-developer after Nintendo saw the Arwing stage of ''
Bayonetta 2
is a 2014 action-adventure game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Nintendo. It is the sequel to the 2009 game ''Bayonetta'', and was directed by Yusuke Hashimoto and produced by Atsushi Inaba, Akiko Kuroda, and Hitoshi Yamagami, unde ...
''. ''Zero'', along with its spin-off
tower defense
Tower defense (TD) is a subgenre of strategy games where the goal is to defend a player's territories or possessions by obstructing the enemy attackers or by stopping enemies from reaching the exits, usually achieved by placing defensive struc ...
game ''
Star Fox Guard
is a tower defense video game co-developed by Nintendo and PlatinumGames for the Wii U. The game was bundled as a separate disc for the first print edition of ''Star Fox Zero'' during its release in April 2016, and as a digital download code on ...
'', was released in April 2016 to mixed reception.
By the end of March 2016, Minami stepped down from his position as president and CEO, with executive producer Kenichi Sato succeeding him.
In August 2016, PlatinumGames was revealed to be in a collaboration with
Cygames
is a Japanese video game development studio established in 2011 by CyberAgent. Mobile and E-commerce company DeNA acquired a 24% stake in the studio in 2012, and Nintendo acquired another 5% stake in 2018, leaving CyberAgent with 69% of the share ...
in the development of the action role-playing game ''
Granblue Fantasy: Relink'', but in February 2019 it was announced that PlatinumGames would no longer be involved in the project, leaving Cygames to handle the rest of development.
In 2017, Kamiya and his team were working on ''
Scalebound
was an action role-playing game developed by PlatinumGames from 2013 until its cancellation in 2017. It was scheduled to be released in 2017 for Xbox One and Windows, but Microsoft Studios announced its cancellation in January 2017. In the game, p ...
'' for
Microsoft Studios
Xbox Game Studios (previously known as Microsoft Studios, Microsoft Game Studios, and Microsoft Games) is an American video game publisher and part of the Microsoft Gaming division based in Redmond, Washington. It was established in March 2000, ...
until it was cancelled in January 2017. Shortly after the cancellation, creative producer Jean-Pierre Kellams left the company, while Kamiya stopped working as a director, continuing his work at PlatinumGames as
vice president
A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...
. The studio collaborated with
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
and released ''
Nier: Automata'' for
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
and
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
in 2017, with an
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
version being released in 2018. Directed by ''Nier'' creator
Yoko Taro
is a Japanese video game director and scenario writer. Starting his career at the now-defunct game company Cavia, his best-known work was on the action role-playing video game series ''Drakengard'', and its spin-offs, ''Nier'' and '' Nier: Aut ...
, the game received critical acclaim and more than 2 million copies were sold. According to Kamiya, Taro "saved" PlatinumGames after the cancellation of ''Scalebound''. The positive reception of ''Nier Automata'' had sparked public interest in Platinum's work once again. In May of the same year, Inaba announced the company was working on a new
intellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...
. At
The Game Awards 2017
The Game Awards 2017 was an award show that honored the best video games of 2017, and took place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on December 7, 2017. The event was hosted by Geoff Keighley, and was live streamed around the world across ...
, ''Bayonetta 3'' was revealed, which will be released for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
. It was also announced that ports of the first two ''Bayonetta'' games would be released for the same platform two months later. At the ceremony, ''Nier: Automata'' also won in the Best Score/Music category.
In April 2018, the company announced a partnership with
DeNA
Dena (in Luri and fa, ) is the name for a sub-range within the Zagros Mountains, Iran. Mount Dena, with length and average width, is situated on the boundary of the Isfahan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Provin ...
for an action game that explores Japanese folklore for
Android
Android may refer to:
Science and technology
* Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human
* Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system
** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...
and
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
devices, titled ''
World of Demons''. Its development began in 2015 with 30 employees attached to it, including staff who had worked on ''Star Fox Zero'' and ''Bayonetta 2'', was
soft launch
A soft launch, also known as a soft opening, is a preview release of a product or service to a limited audience prior to the general public. Soft-launching a product is sometimes used to gather data or customer feedback, prior to making it widely ...
ed in some countries in 2018, but was pulled from storefronts the following year. Platinum then released ''World of Demons'' for
Apple Arcade
Apple Arcade is a video game subscription service offered by Apple Inc. It is available through a dedicated tab of the App Store on devices running iOS 13, tvOS 13, iPadOS 13, and macOS Catalina or later. The service launched on September 19 ...
on April 2, 2021. Another game, ''
Astral Chain
is a 2019 action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by PlatinumGames and published by Nintendo for Nintendo Switch. It was directed by Takahisa Taura, who was previously lead game designer for '' Nier: Automata'', under supervision b ...
'', was released for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
on August 30, 2019.
In 2019, PlatinumGames studio head Atsushi Inaba revealed that the studio was working on two new unannounced intellectual properties owned by the studio, one of which he described as "truly unlike anything else."
Tencent Holdings
Tencent Holdings Ltd. () is a Chinese multinational technology and entertainment conglomerate and holding company headquartered in Shenzhen. It is one of the highest grossing multimedia companies in the world based on revenue. It is also the w ...
supplied capital investment into Platinum in January 2020, which will allow the studio to self-publish its future titles. Platinum's CEO Kenichi Sato stated that the Tencent investment changed no aspect of Platinum's ownership and they remain an independent developer.
On February 3, 2020, PlatinumGames launched a website titled "Platinum 4", revolving around four announcements,
which included:
* The launch of a
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...
campaign for a remastered port of ''The Wonderful 101'' on modern platforms. This is PlatinumGames' first self-published title, although they have stated Tencent's investment has no part in its development.
* A new game with the working title ''Project G.G.'', described as the final game of Kamiya's self-titled "hero" trilogy following ''Viewtiful Joe'' and ''The Wonderful 101''. Kamiya said while ''Viewtiful Joe'' was about one man transforming into a hero, and ''The Wonderful 101'' was about a team transforming into heroes, ''Project G.G.'' involves a similar concept around a giant hero.
* The opening of PlatinumGames Tokyo, a new studio for about 100 staff to support live service games for the company. Heading the studio include staff that had formerly worked on ''
FIFA Mobile
''FIFA Mobile'' is an association football Simulation video game, simulation video game developed by EA Mobile and EA Canada and published by EA Sports for iOS and Android (operating system), Android. It was released on 11 October 2016 as a replac ...
''.
* A new game titled ''Sol Cresta'', in collaboration with
Hamster Corporation
is a Japanese video game publisher, with office located in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan. The game division of Toshiba-EMI Limited spun off Hamster Corporation in November 1999.
On the Japanese PlayStation Store, more than 200 titles are distribut ...
, originally announced as an April Fools' joke in 2020 was then confirmed a year later to be releasing as a digital-only title for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows in 2021 as the first entry of Platinum's “Neo-Classic Arcade” series.
In addition to these announcements, the research and development side of Platinum had been developing a new in-house
game engine
A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games and generally includes relevant libraries and support programs. The "engine" terminology is similar to the term "software engine" used in the software i ...
named PlatinumEngine to power its new titles. Chief technology officer Wataru Ohmori said that the need for a custom engine over other existing solutions like Unreal or Unity was needed to give them better customization and control over their games, and to improve their performance. He said, "We came to the frightening realization that if we don’t make our work more efficient, we’re simply not going to be able to keep making the games that we want to make as technology and expectations grow." For example, Bayonetta 3, one of title using the engine.
On January 13, 2022, former CEO Kenichi Sato stepped down from the position after five years and eight months in the role, with studio head and co-founder Atsushi Inaba succeeding him in the role.
On November 1, 2022, Platinum announced the opening of a third studio: PlatinumGames FUKUOKA.
Philosophy
According to Inaba, the core goal of the company is to make new and original
intellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...
, and that taking risks is a crucial part of
video game development
Video game development (or gamedev) is the process of developing a video game. The effort is undertaken by a developer, ranging from a single person to an international team dispersed across the globe. Development of traditional commercial PC a ...
. However, the company also worked on licensed titles later, as the team considered creating original titles "difficult", sometimes too risky, with sales that were unsatisfactory for the team. According to Minami, working on both licensed properties and original games provides the company with stability. Despite having a new focus, PlatinumGames retains their original vision of making games and the team hopes to become one of "the three top game studios in the world".
While PlatinumGames is a Japanese development company, the development team also attempts to add elements to their games that will attract a large global audience. Minami says that the company is keen to work with both Japanese and Western publishers.
According to Inaba, the company values the idea of "change", and that "the people who are not looking for constant change are not necessarily welcome in what I think the company should be".
According to Minami, PlatinumGames only made games that the development team were passionate about. Inaba described the studio as "loud", as every one on the development team is allowed to express their opinions on their projects and their visions will not be compromised. The studio also invites employees who are not involved in game design, such as artists and programmers, to provide creative input to their projects.
Saito added that every game that company developed has a "Platinum taste". While the company developed an expertise in action games, Saito claimed that the studio learned from every project and will apply this knowledge to their new games and genres.
The company also hopes to innovate by introducing new elements in both original titles or licensed games. According to PlatinumGames, a good action game should be "passive" and feature a "unique selling point"; replay value that allows players to hone their skills; a strong leading character; and should not follow conventional design philosophy.
Games developed
Related games
References
External links
*
{{Portal bar, Companies, Japan, Video games
Amusement companies of Japan
Companies based in Osaka Prefecture
Japanese companies established in 2007
Privately held companies of Japan
Tencent
Video game companies established in 2007
Video game companies of Japan
Video game development companies