Bayonetta and Scalebound developer Platinum Games has conceded that crafting original IP is a “very difficult” process, explaining the studio’s tendency to dabble with external licenses in recent times.
Reflecting on the developer’s résumé in an interview with Weekly Famitsu (via Kotaku), CEO Tatsuya Minami revealed that Platinum had once considered working solely on original games, though the creative and financial realities have led the team to “take on various work.”
“We used to have the idea that we wanted to be a studio that only made 100 percent original games. However, it turns out that only doing that is considerably difficult, and so now we take on various work.”
Part and parcel of that change in tact comes down to the growth of the studio, almost tripling in size over the past decade. During that window, Platinum released such original games as The Wonderful 101 and the aforementioned Bayonetta, before balancing the original IP with the likes of 2013’s Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
Further in the interview, Game Director Eiro Shirahama revealed that the studio’s speciality has helped open up many doors when it comes to leasing different licenses.
“The IP holders are like ‘Let Platinum Games do what they do for the action parts,’ so we are given tremendous freedom with development.”
For now, Platinum Games is currently overseeing Xbox One title Scalebound and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan, with the latter due for a summer release across PS4 and PS3.
