PlatinumGames Addresses The Bayonetta VA Issue, Gives “Full Support To Jennifer Hale”

The gaming industry has been engrossed in quite a debacle lately with the ex-Bayonetta voice actress asking fans to boycott Bayonetta 3 over unfair compensation. After hearing one side of the story, people came out from all corners of the internet and hurled abuse toward PlatinumGames’ way—the game developer in question. 

Hellena Taylor — the formerly prized voice of Bayonetta — claimed that she was offered a fee as meager as $4,000 for voicing a character that lives and breathes inside a $450 million franchise. The individual took to Twitter to explain this very reason that barred her from returning as Bayonetta. 

Her thoughts convinced her that she deserved more, so she retired her voiceover role in favor of Jennifer Hale who is now the current VA of Bayonetta in the upcoming third installment. Hale also posted online, assuring fans that the Bayonetta series isn’t just a one-man army rather it comprises a host of talented developers. 

The Rundown: 

• PlatinumGames — the developer of the Bayonetta series — has taken to Twitter to officially address the whole VA issue.
• The developers say that it offers “full support to Jennifer Hale as the new Bayonetta, and align[s] with everything in her statement.” 
• No proof has been attached regarding Hellena’s claim that she was genuinely offered $4,000 and not a penny more.

In relatively recent times, PlatinumGames has taken to Twitter to address the situation bringing all the fire at the moment. Offering their appreciation to everyone who has worked on the Bayonetta franchise, PlatinumGames supports the new Bayonetta VA and asks the community to comply with human decency. 

A Message from PlatinumGames pic.twitter.com/5ym1JxtBBn

— PlatinumGames Inc. (@platinumgames) October 21, 2022

Things definitely took a wild turn as fans and followers of the franchise started throwing hate toward Jennifer’s way who had seemingly no involvement in this entire scenario. Hale has also claimed that she’s since received a lot of hate from the franchise’s followers, which, in anyone’s opinion, is thoroughly unfair.

Moreover, the scenario escalated even further when rumors started to circulate regarding Hellena’s story, stating that it was dubious. It appears that what we saw on all those Twitter videos was just one side of the whole affair and there was more to it than what meets the eye. 

Bloomberg reporter and popular industry insider Jason Schreier while saying that the “full story is much more complicated” wrote an article claiming to uncover the rest of the truth. According to documentation that was seen and reviewed by Bloomberg, Hellena has missed out on multiple crucial details in her accounts online. 

Bloomberg’s sources and proof of their covered story can’t be revealed out in the open, but since it’s an authentic industry journalism authority, we’ll have to take their word against Hellena’s, at least to see eye to eye with both sides of the situation. 

The ex-Bayonetta VA was offered at least $15,000 for 4-5 four-hour voiceover sessions by PlatinumGames. This amounts to a figure much higher than the initial $4,000 she reported to the world with. However, this is where the dispute sprang up.

Hellena, upon being suggested the $15,000+ payout for reprising her role as the voice of Bayonetta, didn’t want to settle for that amount. Instead, she, reportedly “asked for a six-figure sum as well as residuals on the game.” This, of course, wasn’t any doable, so the developers did what anybody else would—seek a new VA. 

Those are all the main points summed up for you under one article. We have yet to see how things proceed from here on out. Despite everything though, Hellena’s outcry about being underpaid has pushed many other VAs to come forward and share their payout experiences.

Many prominent people came forth, including artists who played good roles in games like Red Dead Redemption 2, and Cyberpunk 2077,  and stated what they were paid. In turn, the community kind of got together as a whole and resonated with Hellena’s claims. 

What’s on your mind regarding the whole Bayonetta clash and the Twitter videos of Hellena Taylor? Drop your thoughts in the comments section. 

• Related Read: Bayonetta 3’s Prologue Plot Surfaced Online.