The world was finally given its long-awaited look at Bayonetta 3 footage during today’s Nintendo Direct, along with a planned release window of 2022. Bayonetta 3 was first revealed with a cinematic trailer during The Game Awards 2017 and was notably absent for several years.
The rumors of Bayonetta 3 being canceled popped up every few months, especially as other games revealed during the Switch’s initial year (like Shin Megami Tensei V) were revealed to the world. The developers at PlatinumGames recently pegged Nintendo as the reason for Bayonetta 3‘s absence, and that they couldn’t wait to show off the game. PlatinumGames has shifted focus to becoming a publisher in recent years, which has included the announcement of new projects, so many fans wondered if Bayonetta 3 had been sidelined.
The day has finally arrived, as Bayonetta 3 finally appeared during the September 2021 Nintendo Direct. The trailer initially started out as a fake-out for a new Astral Chain game, before Bayonetta showed up to slay some monsters. Bayonetta is shown sporting a brand new look for the game, in a similar manner as the jump from Bayonetta to Bayonetta 2. The trailer also confirmed the recent Bayonetta 3 release date rumor, by confirming that the game will launch in 2022.
Watch the Bayonetta 3 trailer on YouTube here.
The trailer shows a city being attacked by massive supernatural beings, with the regular army unable to stop their advance. Bayonetta steps in and launches her own assault against the monsters. The combat system appears to be similar to the one from the previous Bayonetta games, except that her summonable monsters seem to be able to engage with the environment more. The trailer ends with the release date for the game being slashed in two by a mysterious opponent with a sword. The initial trailer for Bayonetta 3 showed her being defeated by an unknown foe, so it’s possible that she might finally have met her match in the latest entry in the series.
The absence of Bayonetta for so long was notable, with many fans wondering why the game had been announced so early if it wasn’t ready to be shown. There was a running joke regarding which game would be released first, Bayonetta 3 or Metroid Prime 4. It seems that the Umbra Witch will be beating the bounty hunter to store shelves, as footage of Metroid Prime 4 is nonexistent. Fans have been waiting a long time for Bayonetta 3, and it’s almost time for her to steal the show on Nintendo Switch.
Bayonetta 3 is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2022.
