It's Been 9 Years — Square Enix Just Teased the Comeback of This Fan-Favorite Franchise
Nine years since 2B first set foot on PS4. Nine years of Nier: Automata fans scouring every hint for a sequel. Last night, Square Enix finally gave them a reason to hope.
During a special anniversary livestream on February 20, the Japanese publisher celebrated Nier: Automata’s milestone of 10 million copies sold since its 2017 launch. But what really set the internet ablaze was the very end of the video—a message as brief as it was tantalizing. As Square Enix keeps dropping teasers for its biggest franchises, Yoko Taro’s saga might just be next in line.
Image credit: Square Enix
10 million sold: a historic milestone for an action-RPG
Ten million copies in nine years—numbers that only a handful of action-RPGs can boast. When Nier: Automata launched in 2017, no one saw this kind of commercial triumph coming. PlatinumGames’ title was aimed at a niche audience, powered by the singular vision of Yoko Taro—a creator whose earlier works never broke out of cult status. Surpassing this symbolic threshold is proof of phenomenal word-of-mouth and a rare staying power in the industry.
For comparison, Nier: Replicant ver.1.22474487139, the remastered version of the original, released in 2021, reached 2 million sales. Respectable, but it really highlights how Automata catapulted the franchise into a whole new league. Here’s what the numbers look like for the series:
- 10 million copies for Nier: Automata (2017)
- 2 million copies for Nier: Replicant ver.1.22474487139 (2021)
- 12 million total sales for the franchise on consoles
With results like these, it’s not a question of whether Square Enix can fund a sequel, but why it took so long to even hint at one. The anniversary video shown during the February 20 livestream might just hold the first clue.
The cryptic message that set the community on fire
Five words. That’s all it took to blow up social media. At the very end of the commemorative video, a black screen simply reads: “Nier: Automata to be continued.” No flashy logo, no epic trailer—just this deadpan promise, leaving everything open to interpretation. It’s perfectly in tune with the series’ enigmatic vibe.
The most exciting—and most popular—theory among fans is, of course, a direct sequel to Nier: Automata. A Nier: Automata 2, or a brand-new game in the same narrative universe. But Square Enix hasn’t confirmed anything, and it’d be risky to rule out other possibilities. The message could just as easily tease a TV adaptation, a movie, or even a novel. The mobile spin-off Nier Reincarnation, released in 2021, already proved the publisher isn’t afraid to take the franchise beyond video games. If this teaser ends up being for something outside of gaming, fans’ disappointment will be as epic as the nine-year wait.
PlatinumGames and Yoko Taro: the dream team for a comeback?
On PlatinumGames’ side, the timing is suspicious. The Japanese studio hasn’t released a major internally developed project since Bayonetta 3 in 2022—over three years ago. That’s an unusually long silence for a studio of their caliber, fueling speculation about secret projects behind the scenes. If a Nier: Automata sequel is in the works, PlatinumGames is the obvious pick to deliver the signature, adrenaline-pumping gameplay fans crave.
Then there’s the Yoko Taro factor. The masked creator has been candid about recent struggles. In 2025, he said: “People often ask me, ‘Why don’t you make another NieR sequel?’ or ‘Yoko Taro isn’t doing anything,’ but it’s because a lot of the projects I’ve worked on lately were canceled mid-development.” He added, “I’ve worked on things, but they never saw the light of day. I got paid, so personally I’m fine, but people think I haven’t done anything just because nothing I worked on got released.”
Were those canceled projects actually new Nier games? No way to know. But Yoko Taro was present during the anniversary livestream, and he quickly reacted on social media, thanking viewers without dropping a single extra hint.
９周年記念放送おわりました！ご視聴ご来場頂いた皆様、アリガトウゴザイマシタ！！ https://t.co/BCNwYjqcIz pic.twitter.com/rdG1KkYeYN — yokotaro (@yokotaro) February 20, 2026
— (@yokotaro) date
In an industry facing major technical challenges, Square Enix has every reason to bet on its sure things. With 10 million copies sold and a fanbase as passionate as ever, Nier: Automata ticks all the boxes. The only question: will this teaser turn into a real announcement at the next big event, or will Yoko Taro keep fans guessing? Back in 2017, he said, “Life is unfair.” Here’s hoping this time, fate cuts us a break.
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