PlatinumGames, developers behind games such as Bayonetta, Nier, Astral Chain, and other renowned action games, is fed up with dealing with publishers. Last May, the company's CEO discussed PlatinumGames's issues with not being able to control their own IP's, with titles like The Wonderful 101 being stuck on the Nintendo Wii U, or SEGA standing in the way of future entries in franchises like Bayonetta or Vanquish. Platinum planned to change things, and move towards self-publishing their games in the future, following the release of Bayonetta 3, which is currently being published by Nintendo. It looks like the famed developer now has everything they need to self-publish, after receiving a capital investment from Tencent Holdings, a Chinese firm, and the largest gaming company in the world. Previously, they've invested in or owned shares of companies like Epic Games, Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, and Ubisoft. Platinum's CEO, Kenichi Sato, claims that PlatinumGames will remain independent and will continue their current operations as they have in the past, using the partnership in order to break into the self-publishing world, allowing for their games to reach a wider global audience.

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[Xandrid]

I'm not sure how I feel about this.

 

[KingVamp]

As long as that independence stays true. Otherwise, I rather have one of the big three just buy them.

 

[bobmcjr]

"ThIs PaRtNeRsHiP hAs No EfFeCt On ThE iNdEpEnDeNcE oF oUr CoMpAnY, aNd We WiLl CoNtInUe OpErAtIoNs UnDeR OuR cUrReNt CoRpOrAtE sTrUcTuRe."

Tencent, like most companies, wouldn't invest in anything unless they had something to gain. As great as PlatinumGames titles are (or were), I feel they're too small to provide any significant cash flow ROI for Tencent. They don't fit Tencent's MO. Unless they release the details of the investment (and they won't because LOL NDA's/"trade secrets" 4ever), I wouldn't trust the intended sentiment of their statement. It could very easily mean that Tencent currently has no "creative" input on their company and currently things will continue as normal, but not that they will stay that way for very long.

I also wouldn't be surprised if they get coerced to go full Epic Exclusive (not even timed) by Timmy Tencent and friends on further PC games/ports.

 

[KingVamp]

Unfortunately, I could totally see them becoming exclusives on PC.

 

[Deleted User]

RIP Platinum Games. We hardly knew ye.

 

[Xzi]

Goddamnit. I love Platinum, but Tencent is just a shell company for the Chinese government.

As long as that independence stays true. Otherwise, I rather have one of the big three just buy them.

Exactly, at this point Microsoft would've been a much better option and they would've let Platinum keep releasing their games on all platforms.

 

[Paulsar99]

Yay more censorship and mobile like transactions.

 

[xdarkx]

Controlling their own IPs has little to do with their decision. Think the more accurate reason is PlatinumGames wants more money.

 

[chartube12]

I'm not sure how I feel about this.

why? in the 90s publishers only translated and localized games when a developer lack the time n resources to do it themselves. Mainly when bringing games over from west to east and vice-versa. i wish many developers would go back to self publishing and would only seeker others out when there are problems.

 

[grey72]

I'd just rather tencent not get any more powerful than they already are. A company this large is never good news

 

[the_randomizer]

With Tencent's bullshit involvement with Activision-Blizzard, what could possibly go wrong??

Tencent can suck it

 

[Uiaad]

By "self publish" i'm sure they mean self publish exclusively on Epic Games Store :/

 

[DuoForce]

Bayonetta 4 on PC fuck yeah!

 

[Dimensional]

If Tencent is going to use this to pressure more American companies into censorship, then they won't get One Cent or Ten Cents from me.

 

[Deleted User]

I've lost my respect for Platinum games.

 

[Silent_Gunner]

It was at this moment, that Kamiya knew...


...he fucked up.

 

[J-Machine]

cool. add this to the pile of companies I don''t don't bother with anymore.

 

[Hyro-Sama]

I wonder why they didn't get a deal with Nintendo? Maybe they were asking for too much money?

 

[Godofcheese]

F