game over

Bayonetta Voice Actress Says, ‘Bye-onetta’ Over Alleged Low Wages

Photo: PlatinumGames

If you’re going to be playing the new Bayonetta 3 video game, you may notice a new voice playing the titular role. Initially explained as “overlapping circumstances by game director Yusuke Miyata to Game Informer, the original voice actress Hellena Taylor has come forward on Twitter to discuss why she isn’t returning to the series and why she’s asking fans to boycott the release. “The Bayonetta franchise made an approximated $450 million, and that’s not including merchandise,” prefaced Taylor, “And what did they think this was worth? What did they offer to pay me? The final offer to do the whole game as a buyout, flat rate, was $4,000 USD.” She explains she felt insulted by the alleged offer and calls for a boycott of the upcoming sequel, “The amount of time I took to work on my talent, and everything that I have given to this game and to the fans. I am asking the fans to boycott this game and instead spend the money that you would have spent on this game donating to charity. She also states that she isn’t afraid of a non-disclosure agreement that would’ve prevented her from discussing her wages online. Taylor also states that she believes the new voice actress, Jennifer Hale, “has no right to say she is Bayonetta.”

Bayonetta 3 executive director Hideki Kamiya responded subtly to the allegations on Twitter as he did not call out Taylor by name. “Sad and deplorable about the attitude of untruth. That’s what all I can tell now,” he tweeted. “By the way, BEWARE OF MY RULES.” As of Saturday afternoon, Kamiya’s Twitter account is temporarily restricted due to unusual activity after he tweeted about the claims. Vulture has reached out to Platinum Games for comment.

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