‘Bayonetta 3’: News, rumors, and everything we know

By Gabe Gurwin December 11, 2017

Bayonetta 3 Official Teaser Trailer - The Game Awards 2017

The deadly witch Bayonetta had been dormant for several years. Following the release of the Wii U-exclusive Bayonetta 2, developer PlatinumGames moved onto several other projects, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan and this year’s Nier: Automata. But at The Game Awards on December 7, Platinum and Nintendo revealed the Switch-exclusive sequel we’ve been waiting for. Here is everything we know about Bayonetta 3.

It’s a Nintendo Switch exclusive

Like its predecessor, Bayonetta 3 will be published by Nintendo and will be a Switch exclusive for the foreseeable future. Nintendo published Bayonetta 2 after Sega passed on the sequel.

Related Videos

For those of you who are new to the franchise — don’t worry, you’ll get a chance to catch up. The entire Bayonetta trilogy will be coming to the Switch.

During The Game Awards 2017 reveal, PlatinumGames also announced that the first two games will also be coming to the Switch February 16. Technically, the package will be released as a port of Bayonetta 2, though the game will come with a free digital download of the original. Nintendo and Platinum have not announced a release window for Bayonetta 3.

The first two games will have Switch-specific features that will presumably make their way into Bayonetta 3, as well. According to a now-deleted PlatinumGames post spotted by Polygon, the two games will support wireless cooperative play, as well as Amiibo and video-sharing support. On Bayonetta 3‘s official page, it listed support for up to two players, as well.

It could be a prequel

Evidence of this claim is extremely scant right now, but we have one indicator that Bayonetta 3 could take place before Bayonetta 2: Her hair. In the teaser trailer released during The Game Awards, Bayonetta can be seen with a long hairdo similar to what she had in the first game. In the sequel, her hair had been cut to a bob-length, making it instantly recognizable from its older sibling on store shelves.

Of course, there are two reasons this doesn’t necessarily mean the game is a prequel. The first is time — Bayonetta could have simply grown her hair out again, and the game could take place years or millennia after the previous game.

The second: Bayonetta’s magical ability to use her hair as a bodysuit and as a weapon. In the past, we’ve seen her hair change into a giant monster to attack enormous enemies while she stood in place, so it doesn’t seem crazy to imagine that she can grow or shorten her hair at will.

A spectral creature

At the very end of the teaser trailer, Bayonetta stands still as she spots a ghost-like figure standing in the distance. The creature appears to be on fire, and it fades away with the wind as Bayonetta collapses, dropping her signature pistols before the game’s logo appears — the number “3” is created by the crack in the center of a medallion, the purpose of which is not made clear.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Nintendo Switch

Gaming

How to connect your Nintendo Switch to a TV

The Nintendo Switch has quickly become a household item. The system works as both a handheld device and a TV console, making it both versatile and convenient for players to use. Although using the Switch in its handheld form is awesome, the reality is that the graphics on a TV can enhance the experience of any Switch player. For those of us that struggle to put systems together, there is hope. Fortunately for us, the Switch is actually pretty easy to hook up to any TV, so long as it has an HDMI slot. Here's how.
Setting up the Nintendo Switch

For those who are new to the system, every purchase of the Nintendo Switch not only includes the Switch itself but also a Switch dock. This dock will be key in putting your system together for the TV. The first thing you're going to want to do is take out the dock and all the cords. Make sure that you have the dock, an HDMI cord, and a power cord for the system. If all three are present, you're good to start!

Gaming

The best Pokémon games, ranked from best to worst

Sprigatito smelling flowers.

For more than 25 years, developer Game Freak has found a way to reinvent the Pokémon franchise for each new generation of gamers. Both brand-new Pokémon trainers and seasoned Pokémon masters are captivated by these cute (and sometimes scary) little monsters. Maybe it's the drive to catch 'em all that keeps players coming back. Or perhaps it's how adorable these little pocket monsters can be. Whatever the reason, players continue to return to or start exploring the Pokémon franchise.

Between new main series titles that bring new regions and Pokémon into the mix -- like Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, remakes, and spinoffs -- there's a massive library of Pokémon games to choose from. Everyone has their favorites, but some are arguably better than others (just like Nintendo's long-running Metroid and Legend of Zelda series). We divided every Pokémon game into a couple of categories and ranked them accordingly.

Gaming

Pikmin 4: release date, trailers, news, gameplay, and more

Pikmin 4 release date

When compared to Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and even Metroid, the Pikmin series was never a runaway success, but that hasn't stopped Nintendo from developing new installments. And we're glad, because the Pikmin series is full of wit, charm, and originality. During the September 2022 Direct, Nintendo finally unveiled the next entry, aptly titled Pikmin 4.

This announcement came nearly a decade after the previous entry, and although we don't know much about it, we're excited it's happening. The latest installment of the oddball strategy series is bringing some new features, including a brand new Pikmin type and an adorable dog companion. Positioned as the Switch's big summer 2023 release, it has the chance to get more eyes on the series than ever before.