It was only this past December that Square Enix confirmed that Nier: Automata, the action-RPG all about androids from director Yoko Taro and PlatinumGames, had surpassed 5 million sales worldwide. This was already an achievement worth celebrating, but now the publisher has revealed that, over the last couple of months, that number has shot up again and has now exceeded 5.5 million. And just in time for the game's fourth anniversary.
Today marks four years since Nier: Automata initially released for the PlayStation 4 in Japan and in that time, it's safe to say it has proven itself to be a beloved title and not just by die-hard fans of Yoko Taro's previous work on the Drakengard series and the first Nier. What makes this news especially good to hear is how this could have easily not happened.
The original Nier, despite becoming a cult classic, was far from being a household name. So, Nier Automata being a sequel meant there were worries that it would meet a similar fate. But, in the face of those odds, the game has been such a success that it has made the series more recognizable in the west and no doubt played a part in the Nier Replicant remaster being greenlit.
For fans of the original game, the remaster is an opportunity to not only relive it on modern hardware but to also experience the version that was only available in Japan. Originally, Nier starred a young man who was searching a cure for his ill sister, but the Western release replaced him with a much older protagonist, now caring for his young daughter. It's the brother character who will be appearing in the remaster. Between this and the mobile game Nier Reincarnation (which released in Japan very recently and is expected to become available worldwide), the future of the series is looking bright.
Some are no doubt wondering if Nier: Automata will get an actual sequel or follow-up but, given those sales numbers, it's likely a matter of when it will happen rather than if. While it hasn't been formally announced yet, Yoko Taro and series producer Yosuke Saito have confirmed that they're working on two new projects. Details are otherwise unknown, but one of them could very well be Nier related, though some fans may prefer another Drakengard game, since that series hasn't had a new entry since Drakengard 3, which originally released for the PlayStation 3 in 2013.
Nier: Automata is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.