Hideki Kamiya casually references “Bayo 4” when discussing the controversial Bayonetta 3 ending

Bayonetta franchise fans continue reeling from the events of Bayonetta 3, and one of the game’s writers and vice president of Platinum Games, Hideki Kamiya, has opened up about the controversial ending. Kamiya also teases that a “Bayo 4” is coming, though he didn’t offer concrete information about when the forth installment in the Bayonetta franchise will arrive.

Note: There will be spoilers further down, so if you wish to avoid being spoiled, we recommend you look away.

Hideki Kamiya has an active Twitter account where he responds to fans and offers his perspective on games he has helped developed. In a recent conversation with fans (translated via Google), Kamiya brought up the ending of Bayonetta 3, posting that the game’s ending wasn’t conveyed correctly to everyone. He then explains how Bayo 4 will be an “unexpected development for everyone.”

（´-`）.｡oO（別に予想外でもなんでもない…と思ってたんだけどベヨ3のラストが誰にも正しく伝わってないっぽいのでベヨ4は皆さんにとって予想外の展開になると思います…ベヨ4が出た時に「お前それ後付けしたやろ」というアレが必ず出てくると思うので今のうちに言っておきます…）

— 無職 神谷英樹 Unemployed Hideki Kamiya (@HidekiKamiya_X) November 18, 2022

The Bayonetta franchise has always been a niche franchise, only saved from total discontinuation thanks to a passionate fanbase and Nintendo for bringing the series over to the company’s consoles. Kamiya has been hinting that something “unexpected” for fans will come.

Kamiya’s Bayonetta 3 ending wasn’t “conveyed correctly” statement might be a reference to the game’s controversial ending. While Bayonetta 3 was praised for its combat and gameplay, the title received heavy criticism for its story, specifically for the ending. The game ended with the death of Jeanne and Bayonetta being dragged to hell. A new character Viola is revealed to be Bayonetta’s daughter from an alternate dimension and receives the “Bayonetta” title.

According to Bayonetta fanbase, Bayonetta 3 ending went against the message conveyed in the previous two titles, and they believed it was unnecessarily cruel to the lead character. Players were also not keen to replace the main protagonist with a brand new character, especially one so divisive as Viola. Kamiya’s statement possibly suggests that the original Bayonetta story isn’t yet over, and fans should look forward to the fourth part of the franchise.