It’s hardly a secret that I have problems with how most game companies operate, the set of greedy money-grabbing, soul-sucking leeches they are. I’ve always been willing to praise when required, but I rarely get the chance. Often I’ll be moaning, and it seems Platinum Games are penny-pinching and treating voice actors like trash, as seen with Bayonetta 3 and the treatment of Hellena Taylor.
What’s the current issue? For a full-fledged sequel release of a series that has earned approximately $450 million (according to Hellena Taylor) – not including merchandise – Platinum Games offered only $4000. The $4000 was after Hellena states she wrote directly to Hideki Kamiya, who she says gave her a glowing response.
The further problem is that Hellena indicates that Bayonetta 3’s director, Yusuke Miyata, may be a liar. Why? When it was covered regarding Hellena not returning to the project, he stated she couldn’t reprise her role due to “overlapping circumstances”. To quote Hellena:
Platinum had the cheek to say that I was busy, that they couldn’t make it work…well I had nothing but time.
I doubt the game director would admit they couldn’t make it work because they offered Hellena just 0.0009% of what the series had earned so far with her in the leading role. Not to mention the skill and time required to be a professional voice actor, as well as the time it takes to be the lead role in such a game.
I was just asking for a decent dignified living wage, what they did was legal but it was immoral.
The simple fact is that she is right. Hellena is honest to a fault with these videos, indicating that she may have breached an NDA. Hellena also states that she doesn’t own anything. As such, she’s not afraid of being sued. There’s nothing Platinum could gain if they sued her. She is also reasonable, highlighting how she had to audition for the role again – knowing that time has passed, and voices can change.
She also holds no ill will towards Jennifer Hale, the new voice actor for Bayonetta 3. The only point she makes is that Jennifer has no right to sign merchandise as Bayonetta, as the person who made that voice, and who Jennifer will be coming as close to as she can, is Hellena.
You can view all four parts of Hellena’s video on the matter below.
Friends, Worldlings, Bayonutters. Hear ye!#PlatinumGames #Nintendo #Bayonetta #Bayonetta3 #Bayonutters #Boycott #NintendoEurope #NintendoAmerica #NintendoJapan pic.twitter.com/h9lwiX2bBt
— Hellena Taylor (@hellenataylor) October 15, 2022
Part 3#PlatinumGames #Nintendo #Bayonetta #Bayonetta3 #Bayonutters #Boycott #NintendoEurope #NintendoAmerica #NintendoJapan pic.twitter.com/4ii7hBpCxo
— Hellena Taylor (@hellenataylor) October 15, 2022
Part 4#PlatinumGames #Nintendo #Bayonetta #Bayonetta3 #Bayonutters #Boycott #NintendoEurope #NintendoAmerica #NintendoJapan pic.twitter.com/VGhaY1IFRP
— Hellena Taylor (@hellenataylor) October 15, 2022
Hideki Kamiya has responded, claiming Hellena’s claims are not true. He gives no substance to this, offering no real rebuttal. In a way that always inspires confidence, Hideki Kamiya – who tweets in English – will not respond to anybody not tweeting in Japanese, calling them a “brainless insect”.
Sad and deplorable about the attitude of untruth. That’s what all I can tell now.
By the way, BEWARE OF MY RULES.
— 神谷英樹 Hideki Kamiya (@PG_kamiya) October 15, 2022
For a voice actor to come out so publically, like any employee or person in the industry, revealing such matters, it’s almost impossible not to believe them. It’s already widely known how little voice actors get from their roles, with the games industry treating them even worse than others. In addition, being so vocal will almost certainly paint a target on her back, with many unscrupulous companies now knowing she’s happy to stand up for herself.
