Bayonetta 3 Voice Actor Controversy depicting Hellena Taylor and the video game character.

Bayonetta 3 Voice Actor Controversy / Boycott

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Updated Oct 25, 2022 at 04:19PM EDT by sakshi.

Added Oct 17, 2022 at 02:10PM EDT by sakshi.

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Overview

Bayonetta 3 Voice Actor Controversy, also known as Bayonetta 3 Boycott, refers to Bayonetta 1 & 2 voice actor Hellena Taylor calling for a boycott of the newest game in the franchise (Bayonetta 3) after she was purportedly offered only $4,000 to voice a video game that has made over $450 million overall as of October 2022. The voice actor called for the boycott via a viral video posted to Twitter on October 15th, prompting backlash and discussions by fans of the game about how they can pirate it to play Bayonetta 3 illegally. The event also led to the momentary suspension of Bayonetta game director Hideki Kamiya's Twitter account on October 16th, after he was flagged as a spam bot for continuously blocking fans who inquired about the controversy.

Background

On October 15th, 2022, Hellena Taylor, the original voice actor for the title character and protagonist of Bayonetta 1 and 2, posted a Twitter[1] video talking about her difficult experience negotiating a living wage for her work on the new Bayonetta game. In the video, Taylor outlined her extensive experience in voice acting and denounced the multi-hundred-million dollar franchise's offer to pay her only $4,000 for the entire game. Taylor ultimately called for a boycott of the new Bayonetta 3 release, gathering over 200,000 likes on her tweet in three days (seen below).


Online Reactions

Over the following days, the viral video spread online, subsequently warranting backlash and angry reactions from fans of the Bayonetta series as many voiced their support for Hellena Taylor and denounced Nintendo. For example, on October 15th, 2022, Redditor[2] Spectacular Sunday posted about Taylor's allegations to the /r/gaming[2] subreddit, gathering over 20,000 upvotes in two days (seen below).


21.2k Bayonetta's voice actress Hellena Taylor, explains why she's not in Bayonetta 3. They only offered her $4000 to voice the role and she asks fans to boycott the game. (i.redd.it) submitted 2 days ago by SpetacularSunday O $3 & 9 more 2362 comments share save hide give award report hide all child comments Bayonetta's voice actress Hellena Taylor, explains why she's not in Bayonetta 3. They only offered her $4000 to voice the role and she asks fans to boycott the game. "Bayonetta franchise made aprox $450M. That's not including merch. As an actor, I have trained for seven and a half years. Three years in the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and four and a half years in Los Angeles" "What did Platinum think this was worth? They offered to pay me the final offer to do the whole game as a buyout for 4000 US dollars. This is an insult to me and everything I've given to this game and to the fans" "I'm asking the fans to boycott this game and instead use the money you were going to spend on this game donating it to charity "I was just asking for a decent and dignify living wage. What they did was legal, but it was immoral" "Boycotting is a personal choice, and if you don't, that's fine. "I decided to stand up for all the people who don't get paid enough for their talents" "This affected me and made me think I was going to be on the streets, which affected me mentally "Bayonetta always stands up for those with less power and for what is right. And with this, you stand with her. Thank you" "I auditioned for the role and passed with flying colours. They then sent me an insulting offer so I thought and did write to Hideki Kamiya, and I went and ask him for what I'm worth. A friend wrote in Japanese to him and I got a reply where he said he values me greatly, my contributions to the game and that the fans really want me to voice it over. Then I received a better offer: $4000 "Platinum said that I was very busy, that I had a tough schedule.. I actually had nothing but time. I wish the new actress all the best luck in the World, but she's not the voice of Bayonetta. I created that voice. She has no right to sign merchandise as Bayonetta, anymore than I have the right to sign as Eva Green even though I was her parrott in the video game The Golden Campus" -Helena Taylor, Bayonetta Voice Actress https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/gaming

Hideki Kamiya's Response

On October 15th, 2022, Bayonetta game director Hideki Kamiya then posted a cryptic tweet[3] seemingly in response to Taylor's video, adding "by the way, BEWARE OF MY RULES," a reference to the director's infamous practice of banning users that interact with him in any language besides Japanese. The post gathered over 4,000 likes and 6,000 quote tweets in two days (somewhat being ratioed), alongside a string of replies arguing with him and posting screenshots of him banning them (seen below).


Hideki Kamiya @PG_kamiya Sad and deplorable about the attitude of untruth. That's what all I can tell now. By the way, BEWARE OF MY RULES. 12:09 PM - Oct 15, 2022. TweetDeck 553 Retweets 6,436 Quote Tweets 4,300 Likes 27 (→ 16

The game director has historically refused to interact with any users on Twitter that don't follow his "rules," often referring to such detractors as "insects." This has led to allegations of xenophobia being levied against him in the past.

His then-recent spat of blocking users following the October 2022 boycott eventually led to a momentary Twitter suspension due to him being auto-flagged as a spam account. On October 15th, Twitter[4] user @meowmaritus posted about Kamiya being suspended from Twitter and gathered over 20,000 likes in two days (seen below). Kamiya's account has since returned to Twitter.


Meowmaritus @meowmaritus platinumgames director refuses to properly pay bayonetta voice actress then goes and blocks so many people criticizing him that he gets flagged as a spam bot by twitter ridiculously childish behavior from a game director Hideki Kamiya @PG_kamiya Caution: This account is temporarily restricted You're seeing this warning because there has been some unusual activity from this account. Do you still want to view it? Yes, view profile 5:02 PM - Oct 15, 2022. Twitter Web App 3,686 Retweets 215 Quote Tweets 23.7K Likes ⠀ ...

Jennifer Hale as Replacement

On October 16th, 2022, Twitter[5] user @YongYea posted about Hellena Taylor's replacement, voice actress Jennifer Hale, "liking" tweets that seemed to suggest that she was supportive of Taylor's cause but is unable to speak on the issue due to an NDA agreement. The post gathered over 17,000 likes in a day (seen below).


Jennifer Hale is a reputed voice actress who many speculate was potentially paid a higher wage than Taylor was offered, leading to people speculate as to why Taylor was offered a low-ball wage in the first place, with some fans speculating that Taylor being the only U.K.-based actor involved in the team may have been the reason for PlatinumGames to try and edge her out of participating in the newest franchise.[6]

On October 17th, 2022, Jennifer Hale's official Twitter[9] channel posted a statement regarding the controversy, asserting that she supports the rights of every artist getting adequately payed for their work, while still asking readers to understand and give credit to the hard work put into the project by gaming devs. The tweet gathered over 70,000 likes in two days since it's upload (seen below).


Jennifer Hale @jhaletweets About Bayonetta 3: With regard to Bayonetta 3, As a longtime member of the voice acting community, I support every actor's right to be paid well and have advocated consistently for this for years. Anyone who knows me, or has followed my career, will know that I have great respect for my peers, and that I am an advocate for all members of the community. I am under an NDA and am not at liberty to speak regarding this situation. My reputation speaks for itself. I sincerely ask that everyone keep in mind that this game has been created by an entire team of hard-working, dedicated people and I hope everyone will keep an open mind about what they've created. Finally, I hope that everyone involved may resolve their differences in an amicable and respectful way. With love and respect to you all, Jennifer Hale 3:01 PM . Oct 17, 2022. Twitter Web App 8,213 Retweets 1,061 Quote Tweets 71.8K Likes 27 ...

Calls for Piracy of Bayonetta 3

The controversy also led to fans of the franchise looking for ways to support Taylor while still enjoying the new game, with semi-serious jokes about Switch emulators and Nintendo piracy making the rounds in the aftermath of Hellena Taylor's video posts in mid-October 2022.

On October 15th, 2022, Twitter[7] user @gaburias posted a clip about video game piracy, gathering over 45,000 likes in two days (seen below, left). On October 16th, Twitter[8] user @brichoco_ then posted a tweet regarding gaming piracy, gathering over 7,000 likes in a day (seen below, right).


not yaki @gaburias bayonetta 3 about to become the most pirated videogame of all time let's f------ go 3:03 PM - Oct 15, 2022. Twitter for iPhone 2,828 Retweets 91 Quote Tweets 45K Likes 27 (→→ ⠀ Brichoco @brichoco_ wow the bayonetta 3 preorder page looks weird YUZU Blog Download FAQS Nintendo Switch Emulator yuzu is an experimental open-source emulator for the Nintendo Switch from the creators of Citra Source Code It is written in C++ with portability in mind, with builds actively maintained for Windows and Linux ✓ Download Getting Started How to get up and running with games Compatibility Screenshots Progress Report August 2022 September 16 2022 - a month ago Welcome back, yuz-ers! August was a month packed with progress. A plethora of graphical changes, kemel and file system improvements, and more work pumped into network emulation. Next slide, please! Reverse Engineering Learn the Switch hardware and software stack 7:45 AM - Oct 16, 2022. Twitter Web App Patreon 0000 1,228 Retweets 17 Quote Tweets 7,914 Likes Profile B Super Mario Ody Ⓡ S Homebrew Apps Resources to get started with Switch homebrew New Feature Release - Local Wireless Multiplayer September 11 2022-a month ago Hey there, yur-ers! The MOST awaited feature of yuzu Local Wireless Multiplayer (LDN), is finally here! So what are you waiting for? Time to grab your friends and jump right in ***

Jason Schreier Bloomberg Article

On October 18th, 2022, Bloomberg reporter @jasonschreier[10], tweeted about his article regarding the controversy. The article cites sources at PlatinumGames that say Taylor was given a counter-offer "between $3k and $4k per session for at least 5 sessions." The tweet gathered over 6,000 likes in nearly an hour since its upload (seen below).


Jason Schreier ✔ @jasonschreier. Oct 18 Last weekend, Bayonetta's former voice actor called for fans to boycott the new game, saying she was offered just $4,000 to work on it. Her Twitter videos went viral and stoked a debate over voice actor wages. But the full story is much more complicated... BAYNELA bloomberg.com A Tense Pay Dispute Overshadows Nintendo's Upcoming Bayonetta 3 The former star of the Bayonetta series reignited an industry debate over fair compensation. 429 Jason Schreier @jasonschreier 5,974 18.2K ↑ ... Platinum offered Hellena Taylor between $3k and $4k per session for at least 5 sessions, according to two people familiar with the deal and documentation viewed by Bloomberg. In response, the people said, Taylor asked for a six-figure fee and residuals. Negotiations fell apart 2:30 PM - Oct 18, 2022. Twitter Web App

The article refers to Taylor's response when asked for a quote regarding counter-statement made by unnamed sources about Taylor having been offered her a higher rate, as well as Hideki Kimaya's reactions to the controversy;

In an email, Taylor described this account as “an absolute lie” and said Platinum was “trying to save their ass and the game.” She said she stood by everything she said in the video. “I would like to put this whole bloody franchise behind me quite frankly get on with my life in the theatre,” she wrote. Representatives for Platinum Games and Nintendo didn’t respond to requests for comment. Hideki Kamiya, the executive director of Bayonetta 3, called Taylor’s allegations “sad and deplorable” in a Twitter post.

Journalist @jasonschreier later posted a tweet clarifying that the information he discussed in his article was not derived from new official PlatinumGames statements, but were sourced from unnamed insiders at the company.[11]

Platinum Games Statement And Hellena Taylor Backlash

On October 20th, Platinum Games' official Twitter[12] account posted an official statement addressing the controversy, gathering over 30,000 likes in nearly four days (seen below).


PlatinumGames Inc. @platinumgames A Message from PlatinumGames We at PlatinumGames offer our sincerest appreciation to everyone who has contributed to creating the Bayonetta series over the years, as well as the community that has served as its foundation. We give our full support to Jennifer Hale as the new Bayonetta, and align with everything in her statement. We ask people to please refrain from any further comments that would disrespect Jennifer or any of the other contributors to the series.

On October 24th, Hellena Taylor's posted a series of tweets[13] defending herself against accusations of lying about her pay offer, saying that she was offered a flat rate of 10,000 with some incremental increases after negotiations. The tweets gathered nearly 600 likes and 500 quote tweets in less than a day (seen below).


Hellena Taylor @hellenataylor - Oct 24 It has come to my attention that some people are calling me a liar and golddigger. I feel the need to defend myself and my reputation in the industry. See thread #PlatinumGames #Nintendo #Bayonetta #Bayonetta3 #Bayonutters #Boycott #NintendoEurope #NintendoAmerica #NintendoJapan 1,962 Hellena Taylor @hellenataylor 12,789 88 Retweets 682 Quote Tweets 27 As I posted on part three of my video thread. I explained that their first offer was too low. That offer was 10,000 dollars total. Remember, this is 450 million dollar franchise, (not counting merchandise.) I then wrote in Japanese to Hideki Kamiya, asking for what I was 1:24 AM - Oct 24, 2022. Twitter Web App Tweet your reply 2,784 741 Likes ↑ ... Reply Hellena Taylor @hellenataylor - Oct 24 Replying to @hellenataylor worth. I thought that as a creative, he would understand. He replied saying how much he valued my contribution to the game and how much the fans wanted me to voice the game. I was then offered an extra 5,0000! 99 184 593 ↑

The revelations led to a series of discussions about Hellena perpetuating misinformation about her projected potential pay for Bayonetta 3, with several internet users commenting on their negative perceptions of both Kamiya and Taylor. Other users focused on how they did not consider Bayonetta to be a 450 million dollar franchise as repeatedly asserted by Taylor.[14]

On October 24th, Twitter[15] user @_claypot posted a tweet about Taylor spreading misinformation, gathering over 30,000 likes in less than a day (seen below, left). Also on October 24th, Twitter[16] user @HapiofMorArdain posted a tweet about Taylor and Kamiya, gathering over 4,000 likes in less than a day (seen below, right).


clay @_claypot Hellena Taylor spreading misinformation because she wanted to get paid 10x the union pay instead of the 4x union pay she was offered (she has now made it drastically harder for VAS to advocate for better pay in general) 12:34 PM - Oct 24, 2022. Twitter Web App Hapi @HapiofMorArdain Hellena Taylor and Hideki Kamiya looking at each other before committing the greatest career suicides you've seen in your life: 3:17 AM - Oct 24, 2022. Twitter for Android : 911 Retweets 34 Quote Tweets 4,755 Likes

Various Examples


Lucía Were-Lobosvilla @LuciaLobosvilla Chris Pratt out here making millions for a generic semi- Brooklyn voice for everyone's favorite iconic plumber. Meanwhile Hellena Taylor gets fired and replaced for asking to not be paid scraps for friggin BAYONETTA! 12:09 PM - Oct 15, 2022. Twitter for iPhone 12.5K Retweets 211 Quote Tweets 82.4K Likes *** 27 You can always pirate NINTENDO products it's always morally correct HIDEKI NYAGANUMA CEO OF FUNK... I think I am finally blocked by Hideki Kamiya. @PG_kamiya 2 Following 160.4K Followers 355 Hideki Kamiya @Hideki_N... Oct 16 Something went wrong. Try again 2,078 41.9K Q *** HEY BESTIE LETS BOYCOTT B3 ever forand Panicy z Learborough fair Platinum 's final offer to Helena Taylor was $4k USD to voice the entire game, which is barely 2 months rent. Ms. Taylor herself wants you to send the money to charity instead of buying the game, so what are you waiting for? XOAI @risexoai . Oct 16 Twitter user: Let's boycott Bayonetta 3! Twitter user on Bayonetta 3's release date: 116 33 Bak intent I'LL TAKE 10 516 4,999 : +yesterday was fever dream Meme (v.redd.it) submitted 4 hours ago by Razielim27 O 31 comments share save hide give award report crosspost hide all child comments 131 Hellena Taylor watching Bayonetta fans, tear each other apart while also ending Kamiya's reign on Twitter. (Yes i know Kamiya's twitter is back up)

Search Interest

External References

[1] Twitter – Hellena Taylor

[2] Reddit – /r/Gaming

[3] Twitter – PG_kamiya

[4] Twitter – @meowmaritus

[5] Twitter – @YongYea

[6] Twitter – @KiddyKongFacts

[7] Twitter – @gaburias

[8] Twitter – @brichoco_

[9] Twitter – @jhaletweets

[10] Twitter – @jasonschreier

[11] Twitter – @jasonschreier

[12] Twitter – @platinumgames

[13] Twitter – @hellenataylor

[14] Twitter – @Veil_XCVII

[15] Twitter – @_claypot

[16] Twitter – @HapiofMorArdain

Recent Videos 1 total

Recent Images 22 total


Top Comments

Rynjin
Rynjin

in reply to WarLordM

Firing an existing employee to replace them with a "star" is an ethical wrong in the entertainment business. You built the franchise off this actor's fucking back and are now discarding them because you have enough clout to pull a bigger fish? Fuck you. Especially if you're too damn cowardly to do it up front, I don't care if it's part of their business culture or not.

It was shitty when Hitman did it, shitty when Metal Gear did it, and it's shitty now.

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