In the dispute over the new Bayonetta 3, new information has come to light. Allegedly, the former voice actress Hellena Taylor was offered $15,000. However, she supposedly demanded more, it is said.
This is the situation:
- Hellena Taylor has been the voice of the famous witch Bayonetta in the namesake game series by Platinum Games.
- Upon the release of Bayonetta 3, Taylor calls for a boycott, because she was allegedly only offered $4,000 for the whole game.
- As a report from Bloomberg now explains, the payment was actually over 3 times greater. At least $15,000 was allegedly offered to Taylor. More than she had earned from the game so far.
Where does the info come from? Journalist and industry insider Jason Schreier received information about the deal from alleged employees of Platinum Games. The employees are said to have had insight into the negotiations.
According to them, Taylor was offered not $4,000, but between $3,000 and $4,000 for each of 5 recording sessions. Her total pay would thus range from $15,000 to $20,000.
The employees wish to remain anonymous as they claim to not be authorized to speak about the deal.
Taylor allegedly demanded six-figure sums
The negotiations are said to have stalled when Taylor demanded a six-figure sum along with royalties as payment. Bayonetta creators Platinum Games then reached out to the new voice actress Jennifer Hale, who ultimately accepted.
Taylor commented to the news portal VideoGameChronicle in private messages. It was stated there that claims she was offered more than $4,000 are “categorically false” and the offer of $15,000 is “a complete lie and an absolute joke.”
Taylor wants to now leave “the whole damn franchise” behind and maintains that she has spoken the truth in her videos.
The Vice President of Platinum Games, Hideki Kamiya, states that he finds the attitude of untruth “sad and regrettable” (via IGN). The new voice of Bayonetta, Jennifer Hale, does not comment directly on the issue due to her confidentiality agreement but says that her reputation speaks for itself. Hale is known as the voice of Ashe in Overwatch, Tanya in Mortal Kombat, and The Red Judge in the new Metal: Hellsinger.
By the way, a similar discussion has already occurred with the popular Borderlands:
Claptrap has a new voice in Borderlands 3 and the blame lies in a dispute over money
