Nintendo never tried to censor Bayonetta, according to Hideki Kamiya

Hideki Kamiya has taken to Twitter to clear up something a lot of people assumed was true, namely that Nintendo forced the Bayonetta 3’s Naive Angel Mode. This mode keeps more skin covered, protecting the characters’ and your own modesty, making it easier to play it on the bus.

It’s fair to assume that Nintendo pushed for this modesty option, but Bayonetta’s nudity and Nintendo aren’t at odds here, according to Kamiya. The game’s executive director said that there’s never been any pressure from Nintendo to reduce Bayonetta’s lewdness, rather that the only discussion on this topic was that “the Link costume in Bayonetta 1 and 2 […] should have been a little bit more revealing”, as translated by NintendoEverything.

It’s interesting that Kamiya felt the need to push back on the rumour, but it’s also nice to hear that Nintendo aren’t the prudes it’s easy to paint them as. Anyway, if you’re excited for the return of the sexy witch in explosive high-heels, check out our Bayonetta 3 release date guide to make sure you’re ready to pound some demons on day one.

You can check out Hideki Kamiya’s full translated response below (thanks again to NintendoEverything!).

“I see a lot of people bring up Nintendo when discussing the nudity in Bayonetta, but during our time with the Bayonetta 1 port, Bayonetta 2 and Bayonetta 3, the only suggestion we received was regarding the Link costume in Bayonetta 1 and 2, and how it should have been a little bit more revealing.

“No bias influenced that aspect of the game, and I think players can enjoy the game without worrying that it may have been. As Iwacchi mentioned, Nintendo isn’t just a giant company with red tape around every corner, and after working with them for such a long time, I get the impression that although there are times where we may butt heads, they’re surprisingly open to direct discussions around development and sales.”

For more Nintendo tidbits, check out our feature on how a fan movement taught Nintendo to love Xenoblade, including interviews with members of Operation Rainfall.