Hideki Kamiya comments on how attitudes towards crunch have changed in the industry
Hideki Kamiya, the creator of Bayonetta and co-founder of PlatinumGames, recently took to his personal X (formerly Twitter) account to comment on the changes he felt in the game industry during his time at PlatinumGames, as well as how these changes compare to his personal ideals.
In a string of posts, Kamiya explains how during its initial years, PlatinumGames would send a stern message to candidates interested in joining the company, warning them that they should be prepared to handle large workloads in small teams. The creator comments, “Since the establishment of PlatinumGames, I had been appearing in the company’s informational videos saying things like, ‘We work in small, handpicked teams. Each individual’s workload is enormous. If this sounds daunting to you, then don’t join us, you’re not suited for it. If this sounds fun to you, by all means come work with us!”
However, as the game industry went through changes, this intimidating approach was no longer considered an acceptable way to sift out candidates. Kamiya goes on to explain, “This went on for ten years, but as the atmosphere of the industry changed over time, the HR department instructed me to reshoot my message. They told me, ‘Please soften the tone and phrases you use a bit.’ Later on, things turned all smiley with the message becoming “Let’s work together, everyone!”
It seems PlatinumGames kept with the times by assuming a warmer and more welcoming approach in recruiting new staff, but Kamiya questions how this actually affected the company’s ways. “As for which message was better and whether the new one actually contributed to the company culture changing…I don’t know. But I guess the times no longer allowed for PlatinumGames to work as a ‘game craftsman’s workshop’ as it did when it was first established.”
Kamiya refers to the atmosphere during PlatinumGames’ early days as a ”game maker’s workshop,” and the meaning of these words may be related to an ideal he holds: “Personally, if I were ever to start something new, I would want to create an environment where I can work to my heart’s content with a team that shares the same values as I. After all, it’s no fun doing things with people who hold different values…”
While speaking hypothetically, Kamiya suggests that he still leans towards his old ways, and that a potential new team created by him would ideally include only like-minded creators: “That’s why, to avoid people of different values joining and saying things like, ‘This is not what I was expecting, I’m all about quality of life!’ I would say this to people in advance – If you don’t like making games more than you like eating your three meals a day, don’t join. If you’re quick to compromise, don’t join. If you like to dive into things headfirst, come join me.”
As one would expect, Kamiya finishes his musings with a self-deprecating jab at his own unemployed status, but he has been talking about how he intends to continue making games ever since his departure from PlatinumGames back in October 2023.
