PlatinumGames just dropped a major hint about its future direction, and it’s nothing like what fans expected. A job listing spotted on December 1, 2025, reveals the studio behind Bayonetta and Nier: Automata is ditching its beloved in-house engine for Unreal Engine 5. Even more surprising, they’re hunting for developers who specialize in photorealistic graphics – a complete 180 from the stylized anime aesthetics the company is famous for.
The Big Engine Switch
The job listing for an Environment Artist position explicitly asks for experience with Unreal Engine 5 in the necessary skills section. This represents a massive shift for a studio that has relied on proprietary technology since its founding in 2007. PlatinumGames even spent years developing a next-generation in-house engine called PlatinumEngine specifically to avoid using commercial solutions like Unreal or Unity.
Back in 2020, Chief Technology Officer Wataru Ohmori explained why they insisted on building their own tools. He argued that external engines lacked certain features critical for their unique action games, and waiting for third-party developers to add those features would mean losing control over their creative timeline. The custom engine was supposed to help them make bigger, more expressive games with greater efficiency as technology demands increased.
Why Photorealistic Graphics
The job listing doesn’t just mention Unreal Engine 5. It specifically calls out a strong interest in photorealistic graphics as a desired skill. Anyone familiar with PlatinumGames knows this studio thrives on colorful, exaggerated art styles. Bayonetta features over-the-top character designs with impossible proportions. Nier: Automata blends sci-fi anime aesthetics with post-apocalyptic environments. Even their upcoming collaboration on Ninja Gaiden 4 maintains a stylized visual approach.
Chasing photorealism suggests PlatinumGames might be working on something drastically different from their established catalog. This could be a new IP aimed at a broader audience, or perhaps a licensed project where the property demands a more grounded visual style. The shift to Unreal Engine 5 makes sense in this context since Epic’s engine has become the industry standard for high-fidelity graphics, with tools specifically designed for photorealistic rendering.
What Happened to PlatinumEngine
The studio announced PlatinumEngine development in March 2020, positioning it as the future of their action game design. The new engine was supposed to handle modern gaming demands including higher quality visuals, more on-screen objects, and richer expressive power. Development had been underway for two years at that point, with the research and development team fully committed to creating technical solutions for next-generation action games.
Fast forward to 2025, and that investment appears to have been abandoned or at least put on hold. The most likely explanation is cost and time. Building a modern game engine from scratch requires enormous resources and constant updates to keep pace with evolving hardware. Major studios like Guerrilla Games, CD Projekt Red, and even Capcom have successfully maintained in-house engines, but many smaller studios have migrated to Unreal Engine 5 to save development time and money.
PlatinumGames might have realized that competing with Epic’s massive engine development team simply isn’t practical anymore. Unreal Engine 5 comes with cutting-edge features like Nanite virtualized geometry and Lumen global illumination right out of the box – features that would take years and millions of dollars to replicate in a custom engine.
Beyond Ninja Gaiden 4
This mysterious project definitely isn’t Ninja Gaiden 4, which launches October 21, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. That game, developed in collaboration with Team Ninja, maintains the series’ signature stylized combat and visual design. The new game referenced in the job listing appears to be in early development stages, meaning we probably won’t see it until 2027 at the earliest.
PlatinumGames has been relatively secretive about what else they’re working on. Project GG, the superhero game concept from former creative director Hideki Kamiya, was mysteriously removed from the studio’s website after Kamiya departed in 2023. That leaves the door open for entirely new projects we haven’t heard about yet.
The Live Service Question
Earlier in 2025, other PlatinumGames job listings hinted at an online action game with open-world or open-field elements. The postings sought game designers with experience in online action game development and level design for online or open-field games. This raised eyebrows given the studio’s disastrous attempt at live service gaming with Babylon’s Fall.
Released in March 2022, Babylon’s Fall became one of the biggest flops in PlatinumGames history. The online co-op action game was shut down less than a year after launch due to an almost non-existent player base. Despite this failure, CEO Atsushi Inaba insisted in interviews that the studio still planned to pursue live service games in the future, blaming publishing arrangements with Square Enix for some of Babylon’s Fall’s problems.
Whether this new Unreal Engine 5 project ties into those online game plans remains unclear. The Environment Artist listing doesn’t specifically mention online features, focusing instead on technical skills and visual style. However, photorealistic open-world games and live service models often go hand-in-hand in today’s market, so there could be a connection.
Industry Trend or Risky Bet
PlatinumGames isn’t alone in abandoning custom engines for Unreal Engine 5. CD Projekt Red announced they’re switching from REDengine to Unreal for future Witcher games. Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) is rebuilding Halo on Unreal Engine 5 instead of their Slipspace Engine. The coalition already moved Gears of War to Unreal Engine 5. Even Japanese developers traditionally committed to proprietary tech are making the jump.
The reasoning is simple. Unreal Engine 5 offers world-class tools, constant updates, extensive documentation, and a massive community of experienced developers. Studios can hire talent who already know the engine rather than spending months training people on proprietary systems. Cross-platform development becomes easier. And perhaps most importantly, teams can focus creative energy on game design instead of solving low-level technical problems.
For PlatinumGames specifically, this shift could open doors to bigger budget projects and publisher partnerships. Many publishers prefer working with studios using established engines because it reduces technical risk. If PlatinumGames wants to expand beyond their traditional niche of mid-budget action games, adopting industry-standard tools makes strategic sense.
What Fans Should Expect
This job listing signals a new chapter for PlatinumGames, but don’t expect them to completely abandon what made them special. The studio will likely continue making stylized action games alongside whatever photorealistic project they’re cooking up. Ninja Gaiden 4 proves they’re still committed to the fast-paced, over-the-top combat that built their reputation.
The Unreal Engine 5 game represents an experiment, possibly aimed at attracting new audiences or securing higher-budget projects from major publishers. If successful, it could fund more of the quirky passion projects fans actually want. If it flops like Babylon’s Fall, hopefully they’ll learn from the mistake and refocus on their strengths.
FAQs
Is PlatinumGames abandoning its in-house engine completely?
Not necessarily. The job listing confirms one project is using Unreal Engine 5, but PlatinumGames could still use PlatinumEngine or older proprietary tech for other games. However, the shift suggests they may be moving away from in-house development for future titles.
When will we see this new PlatinumGames project?
Since they’re currently hiring an Environment Artist, the project is likely in early development stages. Based on typical game development timelines, we probably won’t see an announcement until 2026 at the earliest, with a potential release in 2027 or later.
What games has PlatinumGames made with their in-house engine?
Almost all of their major titles used proprietary engines, including Bayonetta 1-3, Nier: Automata, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Vanquish, The Wonderful 101, and Astral Chain. Ninja Gaiden 4 also uses in-house technology.
Why are so many studios switching to Unreal Engine 5?
Unreal Engine 5 offers cutting-edge graphics technology like Nanite and Lumen without requiring years of custom development. It saves money, reduces development time, makes hiring easier, and provides constant updates from Epic Games. For smaller studios, maintaining a competitive in-house engine is increasingly impractical.
Does this mean PlatinumGames is making a realistic game?
The job listing specifically mentions photorealistic graphics as a desired skill, which strongly suggests they’re pursuing a more realistic visual style for this project. This would be a major departure from their typical anime-inspired aesthetics.
Could this be related to their online game plans?
Possibly. Earlier 2025 job listings mentioned online action games with open-world elements. While this Environment Artist posting doesn’t explicitly mention online features, many photorealistic open-world games include multiplayer or live service components. There could be a connection.
What happened to Project GG?
Project GG was removed from PlatinumGames’ website after director Hideki Kamiya left the studio in 2023. Its current status is unknown, and it’s unlikely to be the Unreal Engine 5 project since Project GG was conceived as a stylized superhero game.
Will this affect Ninja Gaiden 4?
No. Ninja Gaiden 4 launches October 21, 2025, and is being developed with in-house technology. The Unreal Engine 5 project is a separate future title.
Conclusion
PlatinumGames betting on Unreal Engine 5 and photorealistic graphics represents one of the boldest strategic shifts in the studio’s 18-year history. Whether this gamble pays off depends entirely on execution and whether they can translate their legendary action game expertise into a completely different visual style. The move makes business sense in an industry where in-house engines are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain, but it also carries significant creative risk. Fans will be watching closely to see if PlatinumGames can reinvent themselves without losing the magic that made them special in the first place. With Ninja Gaiden 4 launching in October 2025, we’ll at least get one more classic PlatinumGames experience before this mysterious new chapter begins.