NieR is an Important Franchise for Square Enix

Following the latest announcements from Square Enix during the Tokyo Game Show, it appears that NieR is a far more important property for the company than I initially perceived. I’ve known about NieR since the series started but never thought much of it until NieR: Automata became one of the most recommended games from critics at the time. Several monstrous essays and videos about why Automata was one of the best games of the decade were spread all throughout the internet and I still get messages from friends to see if I’ve finished it. I only achieved a few of the game’s endings but I quickly realized how deep NieR: Automata was. The NieR franchise may grow even larger with two new entries that were announced at the recent Tokyo Game Show, NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… and NieR Re[in]carnation, solidifying NieR as a mainstay for Square Enix. 

According to new sales figures shared during TGS, NieR: Automata has sold over 4.5 million units worldwide. For a game that wasn’t necessarily made for most audiences, that is an insanely good number. Honestly, the reason for the game’s popularity may be due to the character design, particularly that of 2B. The character garnered immediate popularity among artists and cosplayers, not to mention the dozens of appearances of 2B and other Automata characters in other games, mainly Soul Calibur VI. 2B is also a character beloved by those creating adult content, something that even the game’s director Yoko Taro has famously asked to see. 

NieR wasn’t always so popular though; the game was a follow-up to the Drakengard series and garnered mixed reviews upon release. It didn’t help that there are some notable differences in the way western and eastern audiences were given the original NieR title. In fact, Japan got two NieR titles in 2010, NieR: Gestalt on Xbox 360 and NieR: RepliCant on PS3; only Gestalt was released globally where it was renamed to simply NieR. One look at the box art hints at why only Gestalt was localized as the main character was closer to what was trending at the time in the west, predominantly serious, beefy dudes. The next major release in the franchise is NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… which is a remake of Replicant and looks to bring some of the design elements favored in Automata, mainly the fast and complex action gameplay. 

I will henceforth refer to this new entry as NieR Replicant to keep things simple. 

NieR Replicant is surprisingly hitting all of the major consoles in current circulation rather than having ports come out later on. On April 23rd 2021,  NieR Replicant is launching simultaneously on Xbox One, PS4, and PC via Steam. Due to the way both the Xbox Series consoles handle backward compatibility, those who own either the Series X or the Series S will undoubtedly be able to play NieR Replicant. It is also likely that the PS4 version of NieR Replicant will work on the PS5, though it is not as certain as the Xbox situation. This release method makes a lot of sense as it limits the number of versions of the game out there but that does mean that the box art should include some sort of indicator that shows the game works on the latest consoles to further inform those making a physical purchase. 

As with many Square Enix titles, there is a collector’s edition available. Players can pick up NieR Replicant “The White Snow Edition” for $159.99 USD and here is what is included:

• “Lunar Tear” Collector’s Box

• Steelbook® Case – A metal case featuring stunning artwork by Illustrator KODA KAZUMA.

• Pin Badge Set – Grimoire Weiss, Grimoire Noir, and Grimoire Rubrum pins presented in a specialized display case. Exclusive to the White Snow Edition.

• Script Set – A set of seven books including the content of the spoken script of the game, exclusive to the White Snow Edition. Packaged in a special hard case, featuring unique cover art by character designer Akihiko Yoshida. Available in English only.

• Soundtrack CD Set – A two-disc collection – one disc featuring tracks from NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… specifically edited for this set, and a second disc featuring special arrangements, overseen by Keiichi Okabe, of select tracks that are exclusive to the White Snow Edition. The set is presented in a premium Grimoire Weiss-inspired package.

Additionally, there are pre-order bonuses for each platform:

• PlayStation®4 system – All editions will include an exclusive PlayStation®4 system dynamic theme and avatar set. Pre-orders will also include a digital copy of the mini soundtrack featuring a sampling of songs from the White Snow Edition soundtrack CDs.

• Xbox One – Pre-orders will also include a digital copy of the mini soundtrack featuring a sampling of songs from the White Snow Edition soundtrack CDs.

• Steam – All editions will include a special digital wallpaper collection. Pre-orders will also include a digital copy of the mini soundtrack featuring a sampling of songs from the White Snow Edition soundtrack CDs.

With an extensive collector’s edition and focusing on the incredible music this series is known for as a pre-order bonus, we can extrapolate that this release is important to Square Enix. The fact that they are launching the game for all three major player pools (PS4, Xbox One, and PC) simultaneously is also an indicator of the goals of this release. It is my assumption that Square Enix is wanting to make NieR one of its globally recognized brands. Considering the success of Final Fantasy VII Remake and the amount of effort being hammered into this Replicant remake, Square Enix could see a ton of success, especially since by April there will still be a ton of players on those platforms. Hopefully, the PC version of NieR Replicant will be more robust than what was initially released for NieR: Automata. 

Square Enix keeps gaming audiences engaged by honoring their past and keeping that history relevant through ports and remakes. This is one of my favorite aspects of their game production and I hope it continues well into the future. If NieR continues to gain steam, we could see modern ports or collections of the Drakengard games. 

One area that I don’t engage with as much that is assuredly a valuable tool for franchise awareness and sheer profitability is mobile games and a new NieR mobile game titled NieR Re[in]carnation is another clue to how much value this franchise has. 

The NieR characters are no strangers to the mobile player base. We’ve seen guest appearances in everything from Final Fantasy Brave Exvius to Star Ocean: Anamnesis to a mobile version of Monster Hunter to name a few. Even though the NieR games have been primarily console releases, a mobile game would be a perfect way to connect with more players in regions where they might not reach as many with core releases. 

As of now, we know that NieR Re[in]carnation retains a lot of the artistic elements of the franchise with a focus on storytelling. Judging by the trailer, there will be a lot of walking through gorgeous, depressing environments as the story is delivered with combat being a turn-based affair. The combat is likely where we’ll see gacha elements and micro-transactions, which is a staple of most Square Enix mobile titles outside of their remakes and ports of classic titles. We should be getting more definitive information next spring for the North American and European release which could be somewhere in the summer or winter. 

While I believe that most of the Square Enix games stumble in the story department, NieR Re[in]carnation could be the first good narrative in their mobile offerings. If the story is as interesting as what we’ve seen in the core NieR titles, this could be a huge win in favor of the franchise. 

I have friends who adore the stories of Drakengard and NieR and those friends are the ones that constantly ask me to play through these games. There are so many crazy endings that touch on fascinating philosophy, outrageous humor, meta-narrative techniques, and more. There’s just so much beyond a sexy protagonist slicing up robots. Automata is where the series actually felt the most fun from a gameplay perspective as the previous games had far more simple, often repetitive combat. Bringing on Platinum Games for Automata was a good move and I am excited to see what Toylogic Inc does with Replicant. I do hope we get to see the Gestalt main character, either as an unlockable costume or as a fully-realized character. 

Honestly, I am surprised by how far NieR has come as a global franchise and I think that these two new games will help elevate that further. From there, we could see a much larger project arrive on the PS5 and Xbox Series systems, probably sometime after the release of Final Fantasy XVI, as a major flagship for Square Enix during whatever year they target.

Regardless, now is a great time to be a fan of NieR and it looks like these games will continue to be made with care. 

Learn more about NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… on the official website.