Bayonetta 3 fans think the sequel stars a different protagonist

An intriguing new Bayonetta 3 theory is doing the rounds among fans, suggesting we might be playing as two versions of the same character.

Yesterday, a brand new Bayonetta 3 trailer surfaced through a Nintendo Direct, giving us our first look at the sequel from PlatinumGames in nearly four years. The titular umbral witch was sporting a slightly different look in the latest trailer, and some fans are linking this to a past character from the first game in the series.

Below, YouTuber Suzi Hunter does a good job of breaking down the theory. As Hunter explains, the original Bayonetta saw the protagonist literally saving her past self as a young child, when she bore the name Cereza. Hunter and others are theorizing that the character we saw in yesterday's trailer for Bayonetta 3 actually isn't the version of the character we knew, but a grown up version of Cereza.

Yes, this would mean that we would still be technically playing as Bayonetta. However, as Hunter elaborates in a follow up tweet, playing as a grown up Cereza would mean that we're playing as Bayonetta in a different timeline, where she never grew up to the umbral witch we know her as through Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2.

Lending this theory some credence is a tweet from Bayonetta's own voice actor earlier this month. In the tweet you can see just below, Hellena Taylor hints that fans might have to get used to playing a Bayonetta game without her voicing the character at some point in the future.

In fact, it's been noted by some series fans that "Bayonetta" sounded somewhat different than usual in yesterday's reveal trailer. Shortly after the reveal trailer first aired to close out the Nintendo Direct, fans doubted that the voice they were hearing from the protagonist in the trailer was actually Hellena Taylor at all, and there's no denying that the voice in the new trailer does sound markedly different.

Could it be that Bayonetta's usual voice actor has been switched out, as PlatinumGames prepares for a new protagonist to take the reigns in Bayonetta 3? Or could it be that Bayonetta 3 will alternate viewpoints between our usual witch and Cereza? Only time will tell, but right now there's certainly some compelling evidence to suggest that this is the case. After years of anticipation, Bayonetta 3 finally launches next year in 2022 as a Nintendo Switch exclusive.

For a full look at all the other Nintendo games launching over the next year, you can check out our upcoming Switch games guide for more.