Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon Director Abebe Tinari has made the move from Japanese studio Platinum Games to join PlayStation’s Housemarque as the Lead Game Designer.
Bayonetta Origins Director Abebe Tinari joins Housemarque as Lead Game Designer
Recent observations by members of the ResetEra forum revealed that Tinari has updated his LinkedIn profile to reflect his new position at Housemarque. While the specific project he will be working on remains undisclosed, a job listing from last year hinted at the studio’s development of a AAA action game with boss fights.
During mid-December, Tinari shared an update on his professional status on BlueSky, confirming his relocation to Helsinki. Speculation among BlueSky users correctly predicted his landing at Housemarque, with some also suggesting the possibility of Alan Wake developer Remedy.
With over 11 years of experience at Platinum Games, Tinari began his journey with the company through English localization for Bayonetta 2 before taking on the director role for Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. His portfolio also includes contributions to games such as Granblue Fantasy: Relink, Star Fox Guard, and the unreleased Xbox exclusive Scalebound.
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon was well-received upon its release for the Nintendo Switch in 2023, achieving a Metascore of 80 on Metacritic. Alongside Tinari, Bayonetta creator Hideki Kamiya also played a role in the game’s development.
Housemarque, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, has been in operation in various iterations since 1993. The studio gained wider recognition with titles like Super Stardust HD and Dead Nation for PS3, known for their classic arcade-inspired gameplay mechanics present in games like Resogun, Alienation, and Nex Machina.
The studio took a different approach with its 2021 PS5 title Returnal, a roguelike third-person shooter that diverged from its traditional style. The game received critical acclaim and continues to receive updates post-launch.
In a review by Chandler Wood, Returnal was awarded a perfect score of 10, with him stating, “Returnal is an essential PS5 title, now and throughout the console’s life.”