Bayonet 3 voice actress Jennifer Hale has the developer’s “full backing” even though it thanks the series’ “contributors” amid a debate over paying the game’s actors.
A statement from PlatinumGames by Twitter tries to draw a line under the recent controversy, while supporting Bayonetta’s new voice.
“At PlatinumGames, we express our deepest gratitude to everyone who helped create the Bayonetta series over the years, and to the community that served as its foundation,” he said. “We wholeheartedly support Jennifer Hale as the new Bayonetta and align ourselves with everything in her statement.”
A message from PlatinumGames pic.twitter.com/5ym1JxtBBn
– PlatinumGames Inc. (@platinumgames) October 21, 2022
The controversy began when original voice actress Hellena Taylor hinted that she would not return earlier in the year. Known as the voice of Bayonetta, Taylor was beloved by fans of the show, and when Jennifer Hale was cast in the role insteadthe replacement was not exactly received with enthusiasm.
“I understand some fans’ concerns about the voice change at this point in the series, but Jennifer’s performance was way beyond what we could have imagined,” Platinum Games said at the time. “I’m confident his portrayal of Bayonetta will exceed our fans’ expectations.”
These concerns were amplified when Taylor claimed he was only offered $4,000 to returnbut this is where it all gets a little messy.
“The Bayonetta franchise made about $450 million, and that’s not including merchandise,” Taylor said. “As an actor, I trained for a total of seven and a half years – three years at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art Lambda with vocal coach Barbara Berkery, and four and a half years with the legendary Larry Moss in Los Angeles. Angeles. And what did they think it was worth? What did they offer to pay me? The final offer to do the whole game as a buyout, lump sum, was US$4,000.
Taylor then called on Bayonetta fans to boycott the game, and although Hale was unable to comment on the situation, she responded:
“As a long-time member of the acting community, I support every actor’s right to be well paid and have consistently defended it for years,” she said, adding that she was not “not free to talk about this situation”, but that she hopes that “everyone involved can resolve their differences in a friendly and respectful way”.
The situation becomes further complicated as a report appears to confirm that Taylor actually offered himself $15,000 for his comeback – a significant salary increase for Bayonetta 2. Despite this, Platinum Games is clearly trying to draw a line under all of this and called on fans not to disrespect Hale or “other contributors” to the series.
“We ask that people refrain from making any other comments that disrespect Jennifer or any of the other contributors to the series,” they said.
Bayonet 3 is set to release on October 28, 2022.
Want to know more about Bayonetta? Discover our Bayonetta 3 hands-on preview as good as what comes with each of the different editions of Bayonetta 3.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment reporter and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
