Yoko Taro, the renowned auteur of the NieR series, made a rare surprise appearance at a London concert. While appearing publicly would’ve been enough to spark interest, what he did at the NieR: Orchestra Concert is what’s causing excitement among events.
According to those in attendance, Taro encouraged audiences to show enthusiasm for a new installment in the series by applauding loudly, particularly for the benefit of Square Enix’s president, who was also in attendance. This request led to an immediate and overwhelming response from the crowd, filled with claps, cheers, and yells, demonstrating the fans’ strong desire for a sequel.
Adding to the speculation was the repeated display of the word “REPENT” on the screen as part of some dialogue during the concert. The intrigue deepened when the word was spelled as “REP3NT” in its final appearance, leading many to interpret this as a direct tease for NieR 3, potentially even hinting at the game’s subtitle. This clever play on words has fueled fan theories and discussions about the future of the series.
This news comes amid a backdrop of other developments related to the NieR franchise. Tencent’s cancellation of a new NieR mobile, which had been in development for nearly two years, was somewhat celebrated by fans fearing that it would dilute the brand. But many are loving 2B’s crossover appearance in Granblue Fantasy Versus as a playable character, NSFW outfit and all.
NieR: Automata, the most recent mainline entry in the series, was released seven years ago and achieved significant critical and commercial success, selling over eight million copies. It introduced players to a vast world with engaging combat and was praised for its innovative storytelling and design.
The tease at the London concert aligns with previous statements made by Square Enix producer Yosuke Saito, who in November 2023 mentioned that as long as Yoko Taro is alive, another entry in the NieR series is inevitable.
Then again, longtime fans of the franchise aren’t exactly new to the waiting game. Prior to the mainstream success of NieR: Automata, the earlier entries were considered cult classics, including the original game that spawned the series, Drakengard, and the first NieR, which came out in 2004 and 2010, respectively.
It’s unclear if PlatinumGames will continue to be involved in a hypothetical threequel.
