Square Enix sees potential in Nier: Automata to turn the game in one of their main franchises moving forward. That’s what it is said in the annual report of the fiscal year ended March 2017. The action-RPG developed in partnership with Platinum Games has proven to be a worldwide hit, overperforming in all key markets, with shipments and digital sales breaking the 2 million mark, as it has been announced this week.
Nier: Automata was directed by Yoko Taro, who has been working on the Drakengard series and the original Nier since their inception. The game was announced at E3 2015 as a sort of follow-up to the PS3 and Xbox 360 release, a game that had disappointing sales, but had attracted a remarkable cult following. Since Square Enix did not want to develop a similar production to the original, Yoko Taro reached action game experts Platinum Games to transform the concept into the thrilling action-RPG that we can play on PS4 and PC.
Considering these modest origins, the company is surprised that the game not only has become a major hit, but it is also one of the most revered Japanese productions of the generation: “NieR:Automata, which we released in February 2017, has proven a global hit far in excess of our expectations. It has not only reminded the world of the high quality of Japanese games, but also demonstrated significant potential for future franchise development.” You can read the rest of the report here.
When talking about the next step for the series, the main creatives behind Automata told Famitsu earlier this year that a remastered version of the original Nier was in the cards, but it all depends on Square Enix. They also said that any sequel to Nier: Automata would forcefully require the return of the main developers. Judging by the company’s letter to investors, we might actually get both.
