PlatinumGames is having a pretty good year so far. In fact, the past couple of years have been good for the emergent Japanese studio. They’ve published multiple critically acclaimed titles:Bayonetta,ÂAstral Chain,andÂNeiRÂAutomataÂall come to mind. So why are there rumors of Microsoft passing over the company last year in their search for Xbox Series X developers?This is all according toBrad Sams, a Microsoft insider who has previously written on the company’s inner workings, noticeably in the PC market. He makes the claim in a tweet responding to recent news that Platinum has received funding from Tencent, a Chinese game publishing giant.
While there is no solid evidence that Microsoft was looking to pick up Platinum, the theory does hold water. The two companies have a recent history: Platinum was making a dream title for theXbox One inScalebound. The ill-fated project began development in 2013, was announced at E3 2014, and thencanceled in 2017following a delay to the same year. The two companies have not worked together in a direct capacity ever since. This begs the question; despite claims that Microsoft wanted to work with Platinum again, didScalebound’s cancellation leave some old wounds?
Looking forward, that doesn’t seem to matter, at least not to Platinum Games. With funding from Tencent, the company is moving to self-publish multiple titles. The work has already begun withTheWonderful 101, which received over a million dollars infunding on Kickstarterthe same day it launched. This massive amount smashed through Kickstarter’s stretch goals, meaning the Wii-U classic will be coming to PC, PS4, and Switch.
If you’ve had your fill of past Platinum titles, the future is already looking bright, or at least mysterious. Platinumrecently launched a new websitenamedPlatinum 4, which hints at the possibility of 3 new titles outside ofÂThe Wonderful 101’s remaster. This is all in Platinum’s weird and wonderful style, and now that the company can operate free of any influence, what comes next is sure to be interesting.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/platinumgames/the-wonderful-101-remastered/widget/video.html
