Square Enix hints at Nier: Automata continuation after announcing 10 million copies sold

Almost ten years after its release, Nier: Automata has given fans the hint they've been waiting for. To mark the anniversary, Square Enix released a celebratory trailer recapping key moments from the game, footage from the Nier orchestral concert, and a montage of the many crossover appearances by protagonist 2B.

The trailer closed not just with the announcement that the game has surpassed 10 million copies sold, but with a line that immediately set the community ablaze: "Nier: Automata to be continued."

It's the most substantial hint yet that a full sequel is in the works, though the wording is deliberately vague enough to leave plenty of room for interpretation.

Whether the teaser points to a proper sequel, another spin-off, an expansion of the existing universe, or something else entirely remains unclear. The phrase also reads as "Nier Automata 2B continued," which could just as easily be taken as a promise of never-ending 2B merchandise rather than a new game.

That said, there are reasons for optimism. As of last summer, several key developers from the original Nier: Automata were reportedly collaborating on an unannounced title – which strongly suggests that Nier 3, or at least some new entry in the universe, is only a matter of time.

Series game director Yoko Taro recently pushed back on the popular notion that he's been slacking, saying the problem isn't a lack of ideas – it's that his game projects keep getting cancelled.

That may well explain the long silence following the success of Nier: Automata.