Nintendo Veteran Takao Yamane Joins PlatinumGames

PlatinumGames has hired Takao Yamane, the former Managing Director of Nintendo of Europe, as the company’s new Chief Business Officer. In a teaser video for an upcoming interview with Famitsu magazine, Yamane noted that his joining would mark a “significant” change for PlatinumGames. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

Yamane is a popular figure within the Japanese video game industry. Before joining PlatinumGames, Yamane worked at Nintendo for over 27 years, holding various high-level positions during his tenure. This included serving as Vice President of Nintendo France until 2007, as well as Managing Director of Sales at Nintendo of Europe for 18 years.

When asked why he decided to join PlatinumGames, Yamane stated that he felt required in order for Hideki Kamiya and Atsushi Inaba “to make their dreams become reality.” In the teaser video, Yamane gave Project GG, a project PlatinumGames originally teased in 2020, as an example. Furthermore, Yamane noted that the game was “incredible,” with Kamiya hinting at some sort of new direction for the company’s creative projects.

“プラチナゲームズは、「かなり」変わります。”
プラチナゲームズに業界大物フィクサーがジョイン🔥
どうなる！？新生プラチナゲームズ！😮
詳細は今週のファミ通で❗️ pic.twitter.com/QNAWtimaJv

— プラチナゲームズ公式アカウント (@platinumgames_j) July 19, 2022

Back in February 2022, the company announced a change in structure, with Inaba becoming the company’s CEO. Since the change in leadership, the company has released Babylon’s Fall and announced the release date for Bayonetta 3. According to Yamane, his hiring will signify a “new era” for PlatinumGames.

The full interview featuring Yamane will appear in Famitsu Magazine on July 20, 2022.