• Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
  • We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Zebesian-X

Member
Dec 3, 2018
19,770

View: https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1582438310718238720?s=46&t=wf9rL1ai_RhnCq-WX9XgTA
www.bloomberg.com

A Tense Pay Dispute Overshadows Nintendo’s Upcoming Bayonetta 3

The former star of the Bayonetta series reignited an industry debate over fair compensation.
In the case of Bayonetta 3, the developer appeared to be determined to rehire Taylor, according to two people familiar with the negotiations as well as documentation reviewed by Bloomberg. Here's where their accounts differ: Platinum Games sought to hire Taylor for at least five sessions, each paying $3,000 to $4,000 for four hours in the studio, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they aren't authorized to discuss private contract negotiations. That would make the total for the game at least $15,000. In response, they said, Taylor asked for a six-figure sum as well as residuals on the game. Platinum declined and, following lengthy negotiations, took auditions for a new actor. Platinum later offered Taylor a cameo in the game for the fee of one session, which she turned down, the people said.
In an email, Taylor described this account as "an absolute lie" and said Platinum was "trying to save their ass and the game." She said she stood by everything she said in the video. "I would like to put this whole bloody franchise behind me quite frankly get on with my life in the theatre," she wrote. Representatives for Platinum Games and Nintendo didn't respond to requests for comment. Hideki Kamiya, the executive director of Bayonetta 3, called Taylor's allegations "sad and deplorable" in a Twitter post.
Please click through to read the full article 🙏
 
Last edited:

Veil

Member
Jun 4, 2022
89
Surely the papertrail of these negotiations and offers exist, so I sorta wanna this go to court so we know who's telling the truth here
 

ara

Member
Oct 26, 2017
13,026
Going to bed, expecting this thread to be at least 20 pages when I wake up, with at least one new twist a page
 

--R

Being sued right now, please help me find a lawyer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,808
So she straight up lied? What the fuck. Kamiya was right all along and people harassed him so hard...
 

NateDrake

Member
Oct 24, 2017
7,505
Big difference between being offered $4,000 in total compensation vs $3-$4k per session and making closer to $15-$20k in total.
 

medinaria

Member
Oct 30, 2017
2,548
Platinum Games sought to hire Taylor for at least five sessions, each paying $3,000 to $4,000 for four hours in the studio, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they aren't authorized to discuss private contract negotiations. That would make the total for the game at least $15,000. In response, they said, Taylor asked for a six-figure sum as well as residuals on the game.

I'm sorry, what

I mean, this would certainly resolve the "how did they give an initial offer that was below union minimum" issue if it turns out this was their offer per session, but also... what
 

JonnyDBrit

God and Anime
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,029
The 'documentation viewed by Bloomberg' part is going to end up a matter of much debate. Because if that paper trail is legit, that... throws everything into question. On the other hand, if it's not, then this gets even seedier
 

Deleted member 93062

Account closed at user request
Banned
Mar 4, 2021
24,767
Lol, I really hope it was a misunderstanding because if she just straight up lied... Goodbye to your career.
 

ThisIsMyDogKyle

Prophet of Truth - One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,145
If, and it's a big if, but if the reported figure she requested is true than she really seems to think Bayonetta is a vastly larger franchise than it actually is, like laughably so.
 

TaleSpun

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,449
I wonder if this thread will reach 90 pages

You know it won't. The axe has been ground to a nub. People have little use for the truth.

Disgusting behavior. Truly. Not only are reputations being hurt, but so is the movement for fair and better compensation in voice acting and games in general.

Liars hurt movements.
 

EnVy_CaLiBeR

Member
Oct 25, 2017
289
Before she made it seem like they only paid her 4,000 for the entire game, which was just flat out criminal.

This sounds like she was offered a lot more, but is it really that much better? Not familiar with how much voice actors on video games are typically paid.
 

Mattmo831

Featuring Mattmo831 from the Apple v Epic case
Member
Oct 26, 2020
3,316
Soooooooooooooooooooooooo she was really offered 20k at a minimum... and she countered with 6 figures + residuals

LMFAO no wonder why they got someone new
 

NotLiquid

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
34,786
If, and it's a big if, but if the reported figure she requested is true than she really seems to think Bayonetta is a vastly larger franchise than it actually is, like laughably so.
She claimed this franchise was valued at $450 million before merchandising

The fact that people were clownshoesing about others asking for context is absolutely fucking hilarious
 

chubigans

Vertigo Gaming Inc.
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
2,560
Before she made it seem like they only paid her 4,000 for the entire game, which was just flat out criminal.

This sounds like she was offered a lot more, but is it really that much better? Not familiar with how much voice actors on video games are typically paid.
It's on the highest end of the scale, yes.
 

Mary Celeste

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,210
If Platinum straight up created fake documents to give to Bloomberg than the entire company deserves to burn.

That is a ludicrous scenario, and this evidence matches up with both Kamiya saying Taylor's account was untrue and makes sense of a few other things we know (Taylor's numbers about Bayo profits being false, them springing for Hale who would theoretically cost far more than $4000)
 

disparate

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,904
The "breaking NDA and asking for a boycott" kinda is. PG would be dicks to actually sue though, even if what they say is true.
Taylor breaking an NDA and putting out a misleading statement to paint Platinum in a negative light might be.
True enough. The "according to two people familiar with the negotiations as well as documentation reviewed by Bloomberg" kinda changes the dynamics of this whole situation.
 

Schwinner

Member
Oct 28, 2017
512
15k for your leading actress regardless is still super low. I don't know if Platinum really thinks this is a save because for your multi million dollar game I find this to be still very low. I assume though this is the norm which is a dogshit norm regardless. (Here is less then what the average grocery store worker makes per year for our multi hundred million dollar game)The norm for your leads should be 50k+ IMO
So between 15 to 20k overall and how spaced apart are these sessions?

If within 2 weeks to a month, how many people can really say that made that much within a month total?

Not sure what the average pay is but Bayonetta isn't really a AAA title is it? Seems reasonable to me.

But then how often will a voice actor be able to get work? Which means if she did get 20k from 5 sessions for the game, then how long would it be before she would get more work?
Regardless if this is the norm I find it to be a shit norm for these big ass games. Sucks if she lied to paint it in a different light but we should discuss why regardless wages like this are wrong as a norm for multi million dollar products
 

Meg Cherry

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,283
Seattle, WA
Before she made it seem like they only paid her 4,000 for the entire game, which was just flat out criminal.

This sounds like she was offered a lot more, but is it really that much better? Not familiar with how much voice actors on video games are typically paid.
This would at least be in line with the negotiated union standard. I still think there's no reason she shouldn't be entitled to residuals, but that's a bigger industry fight.
 

Ryengeku

Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,665
Georgia, US
So between 15 to 20k overall and how spaced apart are these sessions?

If within 2 weeks to a month, how many people can really say they made that much within a month total?

Not sure what the average pay is but Bayonetta isn't really a AAA title is it? Seems reasonable to me.

But then how often will a voice actor be able to get work? Which means if she did get 20k from 5 sessions for the game, then how long would it be before she would get more work?
 
Last edited:

GetDigitized

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,824
What would it even go to court for? "I didn't like this offer" isn't sue-able afaik.
She broke nda, so I assume, if its not settled before and she fights it, it can go to court.
There's no way she broke nda without realising she will have to possibly pay damages.
I'm not even sure what she was gunning for with this, the publicity was good until now, but is she gonna get hired after breaking a nda and allegedly lying.
 

Vash

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,804
The "breaking NDA and asking for a boycott" kinda is. PG would be dicks to actually sue though, even if what they say is true.

I don't see PG sueing, but I can see Nintendo doing just that.

But yeah, if there's actual documentation showing that they did offer her more, then that casts a very different light on the situation. 20K for five days of work sounds pretty damn good tbh. Maybe if she asked for just residuals on top of that, they might've leaned her way a bit more? I dunno.
 

ned_ballad

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
48,257
Rochester, New York
It didn't really make sense they'd lowball her and then go with a much higher paid and higher profile actress

This adds more context that makes that point make a lot more sense
 

Veil

Member
Jun 4, 2022
89
What would it even go to court for? "I didn't like this offer" isn't sue-able afaik.

Breaking NDAs and maybe if Nintendo has a number of cancelled preorders after the announcement it could be enough "damages" for it to at least get to court. Not a lawyer, I am talking out of my ass, I'm just saying that it going to court is the only way we are gonna get the truth
 

SirKai

Member
Dec 28, 2017
7,398
Washington
Surely the papertrail of these negotiations and offers exist, so I sorta wanna this go to court so we know who's telling the truth here

While I'd love to see the official material publicized, I doubt this is going to go to court. Is it mentioned in the article if Jason's source only knew about this alleged $15k offer or did Jason see this material himself?

Also, it is utterly hysterical the himming and hawing over "of course Taylor wasn't going to be just a cameo!!!" when it turns out that exact scenario may have been part of this alongside her being offered the full on lead role.

EDIT: Looks like Jason saw the offers himself. I believe him.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.