Japanese publisher Square Enix has just dropped a teaser for the long-awaited sequel to Nier: Automata. Developed by PlatinumGames in 2017, Nier: Automata served as a follow-up to the 2010 project Nier, a cult-classic spin-off title to another Square Enix franchise, Drakengard. Nier: Automata served as a radical switch-up from the first Nier game in both its gameplay and story, with a much faster action gameplay style and a storyline set thousands of years after its predecessor, with no major narrative connection between the two.
Nier: Automata would go on to be a smash hit upon its release in 2017, ending up as one of the year’s best-reviewed titles and a major awards darling at year’s end. The title also recently surpassed 10 million copies sold, a level of commercial popularity the Nier and Drakengard franchises had never seen before. The game would receive several pieces of tie-in media, including novels, stage plays, and an anime, and would follow its initial PlayStation 4-exclusive release by coming to PC in 2017, Xbox One in 2018, and Nintendo Switch in 2022.
One Aspect of NieR’s Storytelling is a Missed Opportunity for Other RPGs
The narrative design of the NieR games has long been emblematic of its inventive storytelling, with one Automata approach deserving to be replicated.
Nier: Automata Celebration Video Teases The Future of the Franchise
During a ninth-anniversary livestream for Nier: Automata, Square Enix confirmed that the franchise is set to continue in some form. This came as part of a promotional trailer celebrating the game surpassing 10 million copies sold, which concluded with the words “Nier: Automata to be continued…” Square Enix was coy on whether the story would continue in the form of a sequel game, a spin-off title, or an entirely new project altogether. The wording is subtle enough to create a long list of possibilities for where the franchise could go next.
This isn’t the first time Nier fans have been teased with the promise of a new game. Series director Yoko Taro teased fans about Nier’s future at a concert in February 2024, while producer Yosuke Saito previously implied that the team would announce something regarding the next title during the franchise’s 15th anniversary celebration in 2025. This livestream marks the first time that Square Enix has properly implied the existence of a new Nier project, and the announcement of the franchise’s continuation in this trailer implies that fans may hear about the next project soon.
Considering that it’s been nine years since the release of Nier: Automata, a follow-up has been a long time coming. The game was one of the most critically acclaimed titles of 2017, and it became a massive commercial success upon its release. Even so, the only Nier game to release since then was Nier: Replicant, the 2021 remaster of the 2010 original game. As such, the announcement of a wholly new title would be incredibly exciting, especially if its release ties in with Nier: Automata’s 10th anniversary next year.
The trailer’s implication that Nier: Automata’s story will be continued is also interesting, as it raises questions about what the next project will be. While Nier: Automata was a sequel to the first Nier, itself set in the Drakengard series, there was no direct narrative connection between Automata and any other title in the larger franchise. Considering the massively different direction Square Enix took Automata from the first game, it will be interesting to see if the next project will truly continue Automata’s story or radically switch things up again.
- Released
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March 7, 2017
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Violence
