Published , by TJ Denzer
Published , by TJ Denzer
NieR: Automata is a highly regarded game. It’s widely considered to be the one of the best hits that Yoko Taro and PlatinumGames have ever produced, and it’s hard to argue given the millions of units that the game has sold, the orchestras that have put on concerts with its soundtrack, and its myriad of crossovers into other games since. In fact, former PlayStation Indies boss Shuhei Yoshida says it had astronomical effect on the Japanese gaming scene.
Yoshida shared his thoughts on NieR: Automata’s impact in a recent interview with Japanese publication AV Watch, as shared by Genki on social media. There, he speaks to how Yoko Taro, knowingly or unwittingly, changed the way Japanese devs thought about modern game design when NieR: Automata came out in 2017:
Yoshida believes the impact of Automata was so heavy that Japanese game design entered a new era afterwards:
It’s hard to argue with the results of NieR: Automata. The game was much beloved in reviews, including here at Shacknews, and went on to sell millions of copies. Yoko Taro himself called it a fluke and doesn’t believe he’ll have the same success again, but it hasn’t stopped 2B and other things from NieR from appearing in other games like Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising and Soulcaliber 6.
These days, Yoko Taro is working on something new that they haven’t revealed quite yet, but Shuhei Yoshida seems to believe that whatever comes of it, the Japanese gaming industry owes quite a debt to Taro and the NieR team. As we wait to see what form Taro’s next project takes, stay tuned to Shacknews for more updates and details.