Sometimes, the origins of a property can be just as fascinating as the property itself. Because while something can be successful on its own, or turn out to be something really legendary, most don’t start out that way. Or, more accurately, most don’t start out KNOWING they’ll be “great.” An excellent example can be found with PlatinumGames. They’re a developer who is known for making unique titles and hoping they come out as good as they feel they are and will sell well. But when they revealed Bayonetta Origins last year just months after dropping their million-seller title Bayonetta 3, many had wondered if they had gone too far.
But as it turned out, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon was a lovely game that put a fun twist on the established lore and gameplay and was beloved by critics and gamers alike (read our review!). But given the grand shift from things, how did the team get the idea for the title?
Hideki Kamiya himself answered that in a chat with Famitsu, where he said it was the ideas of both Platinum and a suggestion from Nintendo that set things in motion:
“It all began when talking with Nintendo about Bayonetta 3. When it came time to release Bayonetta 3, we talked about the idea of planning to add a little something extra. Lots of ideas were thrown around, and Nintendo suggested something along the lines of ‘a Bayonetta prequel minigame’. Not wanting to pass up the opportunity, Inaba requested, “If we are going to do this, let’s make a full project, and not a minigame”. And with that it began.”
Nintendo was there via a representative in the interview and they noted how they were fine with the fully-fledged game idea as it might bring in people who hadn’t played the main trilogy into the franchise. Where Platinum goes next with the Umbra Witch is anyone’s guess.