SEGA rips our hearts out: Bayonetta 2 is a Wii U exclusive

[CrazyT]

Perhaps it's as simple as Platinum Games simply wanted a better publisher. With Anarchy reigns lately i've had a bad feeling about the partnership between the two. SEGA's probably only part of this because of the IP ownership, otherwise the logo wouldn't have been there. I dunno, just thinking out loud.

[max_cady]

God f***ing damn it! The ONE time I wish Kamiya was making a joke, it turns out to be true. I mean, I don't even... WHY?  This is "Shenmue 2 Xbox Exclusive in the US" type of BS right here.

SEGA tried their best with hardcore Wii titles and it was all for nothing... But what kills me is how does Nintendo get to publish an IP that SEGA owns? I mean, they had no problem giving Mario & Sonic at the Olympics to SEGA, but take Bayonetta away!? AAAAARRRGGHHHHH!

I don't care. I'm not going to buy a PS3 only to play Valkyria Chronicles and both Yakuza games. Bayonetta 2 is not worth a Wii-U.

I seriously need to go clear my head for a while...

[Barry the Nomad]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who blew a fuse today.

"Shenmue 2 Xbox Exclusive in the US" type of BS right here.

Like I've been saying, this is the EXACT same feeling for me. I felt this way when that was announced. Only difference is, with that I learned later that the UK was still getting it and I imported. But for that brief two weeks it was the same feeling of: "if I want to experience the next title in this franchise, I gotta spent $300+?? But it could just as easily be released on a console I already own!"

[max_cady]

@Barry

I was lucky, I only stumbled upon this 25 minutes ago and it's almost 11 pm in Lisbon, so it's lights out for me soon. Hopefuly, I'll feel better tommorrow morning.

I can understand Nintendo trying to get as many exclusives as possible, but... f*** my brain froze again just thinking about this. Seriously, most of the gaming press reacted poorly to Nintendo's Wii-U lineup, what makes 'em think Bayonetta 2 is going to move systems ...at all!?

Call of Duty? Assassin's Creed?

I just pray that someone at SEGA mans up and pulls a "Resident Evil 4" on Nintendo.

[MadeManG74]

I don't care. I'm not going to buy a PS3 only to play Valkyria Chronicles and both Yakuza games. Bayonetta 2 is not worth a Wii-U.

I bought a PS3 to play Valkyria Chronicles and the Yakuza games. It was so, so worth it... The fact that it also had the brilliant uncharted series helped justify the purchase too.

Also I bought it for like, $100 so...

In any event, If Bayonetta 2 is as good as the first, I'll have no problem forking out for the system to play it. It's not like there won't be any other good exclusives on the console either, so I'm sure I'll amass some good titles to play on it in addition to B2 as well.

[max_cady]

Also I bought it for like, $100 so...

Not so lucky, the cheapest 2nd hand PS3 I found was at a local pawn shop and 195 USD. It's just too much for a 6-year old system.

My brain just freezes everytime I read that this is a Nintendo Wii-U exclusive because Nintendo, not SEGA is publishing this.

[Radrappy]

My brain just freezes everytime I read that this is a Nintendo Wii-U exclusive because Nintendo, not SEGA is publishing this.

really makes you wonder what the full story is doesn't it?  I'm sure it'll all bubble to the surface sooner or later. 

[max_cady]

There's some gossip about Nintendo being the one who was ponying up the dough for the Bayonetta sequel, but...

The only other possible scenario is that SEGA pitched Bayonetta 2 to all of the major players: Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony and all but Nintendo were non-chalant about the IP itself. You know, the same reason the Yakuza games never made it to the Xbox 360...

Sorry, guys... brain lock again...

[Barry the Nomad]

Well, not it truly isn't a SEGA game.

Yeah I went there.

[Aki-at]

Great, but we still have no idea what the fiscal relationship between Sega and Pg was.  Also things have changed drastically since this interview.  The past year has not been kind to Sega and Platinum Games is now developing for other companies.  What I'm getting at is Bayonetta 2's cancellation is not far fetched.   

The fiscal pact with PG would unlikely be anything that would cause a game that sold such an amount to be easily overlooked.

SEGA's restructuring only applied to titles that would not sell well. SEGA is avoiding risk. Bayonetta is not a risk. In March 2010 "Aliens vs. Predator (1.69 million), Bayonetta (1.35 million), and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (1.07 million)"

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/mario-sonic-and-profits-in-segas-fiscal-2010/

Should also note, their restructuring occurred in their Western branches, SEGA Japan remains completely intact. Infact workforce has been bulked up there (See SEGA Networks)

[Aki-at]

Well, not it truly isn't a SEGA game.

Yeah I went there.

But Nagoshi and co called her a SEGA allstar last month along with Kazuma, Sonic, Ryo, Sakura and Akira!

[SOUP]

I bought a PS3 to play Valkyria Chronicles and the Yakuza games. It was so, so worth it... The fact that it also had the brilliant uncharted series helped justify the purchase too.

Also I bought it for like, $100 so...

In any event, If Bayonetta 2 is as good as the first, I'll have no problem forking out for the system to play it. It's not like there won't be any other good exclusives on the console either, so I'm sure I'll amass some good titles to play on it in addition to B2 as well.

I'm in the same boat, and completely agree. Hell, I bought a PSP to play Valkyria Chronicles II, and I'm still happy with that call. There are guaranteed to be other exclusive games worth owning the system for in the future, so no sense getting out of shape about it now.

There hasn't been a way to get all of SEGA's great games on a single console since the Dreamcast. We've all had over 10 years to get used to this reality. No need to let it get to you now.

[Chaosmaster8753]

But what kills me is how does Nintendo get to publish an IP that SEGA owns? I mean, they had no problem giving Mario & Sonic at the Olympics to SEGA, but take Bayonetta away!? AAAAARRRGGHHHHH!

This isn't the only game Nintendo doesn't own that they've published. They've also published the likes of the Professor Layton and recent Dragon Quest games in the West, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge, Lego City: Undercover, etc. SEGA probably could still port the game to different systems, but it might depend on if they're interested or not.

[Radrappy]

The fiscal pact with PG would unlikely be anything that would cause a game that sold such an amount to be easily overlooked.

I wouldn't say it got overlooked.  Even if it got canned midway through development, it was still in development.  And even if the sales were good I'm not sure how "safe" of a franchise it is for sega given that without PG, they'd have a difficult time making another installment.   

[Barry the Nomad]

What annoys me about the decision is that unlike something like JSR moving to Xbox for JSRF, which was a step up in terms of graphical power, this feels like a lateral move. Not to mention the Dreamcast was dying, whereas with this the existing consoles are alive and well.  The only real thing Wii U has going for it is the control scheme, and thats the last thing I want implemented into a Bayonetta 2. I'm sure they'll work in a map or use it for the QTEs, but nothing that is going justify the exclusivity.