PlatinumGames Inc. (プラチナゲームズ株式会社), also known as simply Platinum, is an independent Japanese video game development company founded in 2007 by the merger of Seeds Inc, a company founded by former Clover Studio members Atsushi Inaba, Hideki Kamiya, and Shinji Mikami, and Odd Inc, a company founded by former Capcom producer Tatsuya Minami. Known for their expertise in action games and for specializing in the creation of new and original video games, PlatinumGames is the company that created The Wonderful 101.
Carrying on the spirit of its predecessor, Clover Studio, PlatinumGames was founded with the goal of creating new and original intellectual properties (IPs), prioritizing innovative gameplay and creative new ideas, and taking risks in video game development.
After the company was established in 2007, Platinum entered a four game contract with Sega in 2008, who would provide them with publishing, promotion, funding, and a large degree of creative freedom, in exchange for Sega retaining ownership of the IPs.
From 2009 to 2012, The games created from Platinum's partnership with Sega were Madworld, Infinite Space, Bayonetta, Vanquish, and after extending the contract to a fifth game, Anarchy Reigns. These games ranged from moderate successes to commercial failures, with the exception of Bayonetta, which became one of Platinum's biggest successes, and led the company to be recognized for their expertise action games.
Although Platinum maintains its philosophy of focusing on the creation of new IPs, by the end of their partnership with Sega, the company began undertaking licensed projects in order to ensure the stability of the company and their ability take risks on other projects. Their first licensed game was Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance in 2013, and was a commercial success.
During this time, Platinum had also started a close relationship with Nintendo to develop exclusive games for their consoles. Their first Nintendo-exclusive game, The Wonderful 101, was first pitched as a Nintendo character crossover game for the Wii, in a similar vein to the Super Smash Bros. series. The premise of controlling multiple nintendo characters at once evolved into controlling a team of superheroes, and the game launched as a Wii U exclusive in 2013 to positive reviews but commercial failure.
Platinum had also started work on a sequel to Bayonetta, however the project was shelved by Sega during development. The project was revived when Nintendo offered to fund and publish the game as a Wii U exclusive, and Bayonetta 2 was released in 2014. The three-way partnership between Platinum, Sega, and Nintendo would continue for all following games in the Bayonetta series.
From 2014 to 2016, Platinum developed a large number of licensed games, releasing The Legend of Korra, Transformers: Devastation, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan for Activision, and Star Fox Zero and Star Fox Guard for Nintendo. With the exception of Transformers: Devastation, which garnered positive reviews, the reception to these licensed games were mixed.
During this time and since 2013, Platinum was also developing Scalebound for Microsoft Studios, a new IP that was to be an action role-playing game focused on controlling a human character accompanied by a dragon. Following difficulties during development and several delays, the game was ultimately cancelled in 2017. Scalebound's cancellation came as a major financial blow to Platinum, however, they were also in collaboration with Square Enix to develop Nier: Automata, which released in 2017 to massive critical and commercial success, and was considered to have "saved" PlatinumGames following the cancellation of Scalebound.
From 2016 to 2019, Platinum collaborated with Cygames on the development of Granblue Fantasy: Relink , after which they were no longer involved in the project, and during 2017 they collaborated on the development of a live service game titled Lost Order, which was silently cancelled.
In 2018, Platinum announced their first live service game, World of Demons. After briefly releasing the game in 2018, the game was redesigned and rereleased in 2021 and supported until 2024. In 2019, Platinum released another original IP for Nintendo, titled Astral Chain, which released to highly positive reviews and commercial success, surpassing Nintendo and Platinum's sales expectations.
In January 2020, Platinum received a capital investment from Tencent Holdings, allowing the company to begin self-publishing their future titles and retain ownership of their IPs. The following month in February 2020, Platinum launched a website titled "Platinum 4" to make four announcements:
The launch of a Kickstarter campaign to release The Wonderful 101: Remastered, which would be their first self-published title.
A new IP with the working title "Project G.G.", described as the final game of Hideki Kamiya's "hero" trilogy following Viewtiful Joe and The Wonderful 101. Following Kamiya's departure from PlatinumGames in 2023, the status of Project G.G. is unknown.
The opening of PlatinumGames Tokyo, a new studio to support live service games for the company.
A vertically scrolling shoot 'em up video game, Sol Cresta, the first entry of Platinum's "Neo-Classic Arcade" series.
In 2022, Platinum released Babylon's Fall, a live service game published by Square Enix that has been in development since Nier Automata. Following difficulties in development and lengthy delays, the game was a significant failure, and was shut down less than a year after its release.
Later in 2022, Bayonetta 3, which had been announced in 2017 alongside Nintendo Switch versions of the first Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2, was finally released following a lengthy and "unorthodox" development. A prequel to the Bayonetta series, titled Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, released in 2023. Both new Bayonetta games received favorable reviews, but were not as commercially successful as the previous games in the series.
Platinum also provided unspecified development support to Square Enix' Final Fantasy XVI, which released in 2023.
Developed by Nude Maker, produced by PlatinumGames
2023
Final Fantasy XVI
PlayStation 5
Square Enix
Provided unspecified development support to Square Enix
2024
Granblue Fantasy: Relink
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows
Cygames
Co-developed with Cygames from 2016 to February 2019
Cancelled Games
Title
Platform(s)
Publisher
Scalebound
Xbox One, Windows
Microsoft Studios
Lost Order
Android, iOS
Cygames
Trivia[]
PlatinumGames is, obviously, named after the chemical element platinum, a precious metal. The metal was chosen to represent the company because it is renowned for its high quality and for keeping its luster forever.
The PlatinumGames "P-star" logo (also described as the Platinastar Emblem in The Wonderful 101) is based on the atomic symbol for platinum, Pt. The P stands for possibility, performance, and pride, and the T stands for the trust PlatinumGames has in their staff to do their best, and for the trust they hope to earn from fans. The shape of the star in the logo represents Polaris, the North Star, which has guided explorers venturing into new territory throughout history.
PlatinumGames references themselves in several ways in The Wonderful 101:
P-Star is named after the PlatinumGames logo, which is also included in its design.
Mother Platinum is named after PlatinumGames, and resembles a gigantic PlatinumGames star.
Platinum Robo is named after PlatinumGames, and includes the P-star logo in its design.
