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 join Housemarque as a lead game designer.
• Recent departures of key developers from PlatinumGames, including Hideki Kamiya, have raised concerns about the studio's future direction.
• Housemarque has been developing a new IP since the release of Returnal in 2021.

Abebe Tinari, the director of Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, has departed PlatinumGames to take on a lead game designer role at Housemarque, the developers behind Returnal. This move comes at a time when PlatinumGames is experiencing significant changes, with several key developers leaving the studio, adding to the uncertainty about its future.

In September 2023, Hideki Kamiya, a prominent figure at PlatinumGames and the creator of the Bayonetta series, announced his exit from the studio. He 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 a sequel to Capcom's Okami at a revived Clover Studio, sparking further concerns about PlatinumGames' future.

Following Kamiya's announcement, rumors circulated that other top developers had also left PlatinumGames, evidenced by their removal of studio references from social media. Among these was Abebe Tinari, who moved to Helsinki, Finland, and joined Housemarque. Tinari's new role at Housemarque, as confirmed by his LinkedIn profile, suggests he will contribute to the studio's new IP, which has been in development since the release of Returnal in May 2021. Housemarque, now owned by PlayStation, is expected to unveil this new game possibly in 2026.

Meanwhile, PlatinumGames is navigating its own path forward. The studio recently announced plans for a year-long celebration of the Bayonetta series' 15th anniversary, which may include the announcement of a new installment. Additionally, PlatinumGames has been working on a new IP called Project GG since 2020, originally led by Hideki Kamiya. With Kamiya's departure, the progress and future of Project GG remain uncertain.