NieR: Automata’s Unofficial Sequel Revival
Compared to all of Yoko Taro’s other games, NieR: Automata has been by far the most popular and beloved entry out of the sci-fi fantasy series, with fans clamoring for the reveal of its official continuation. While we have finally gotten confirmation that NieR: Automata will be returning at some point in the hopefully not too distant future, many fans might be entirely unaware that the game already has an official sequel.
Although NieR: Automata’s sequel failed to reach nearly the same peaks as its predecessor, it was still loved by many fans for adding more depth to the lore of the series and even touching on some unfinished plotlines from the series. Unfortunately, Square Enix shut down the project in 2024, leaving fans unable to experience its story for years until now, thanks to users like Altret_KnW on X.
NieR Reincarnation Is Finally Back Thanks To Fans
While the live-service gacha gameplay wasn’t for everyone, NieR Reincarnation still had some excellent writing and storylines that made it a cult classic for many NieR fans, which has thankfully been partially revived by fans through the use of private servers, as noted by X user Altret_KnW.
Although NieR Reincarnation didn’t directly follow the same characters or storyline as its predecessor, it’s still the closest thing we have gotten to an official sequel in the 9 years since NieR: Automata’s release, making its unofficial revival the first major win for fans of the series since NieR: Automata’s anime adaptation.
Reincarnation’s fan-made revival requires you to run a private server of your own to experience the playable portion of the game, but the project does come with a GitHub tutorial to help get you started with easier access. Told through short character stories and acts, NieR Reincarnation sheds light on details and context across the entirety of Yoko Taro’s games, all the way from Drakengard to NieR, while even setting up another potential sequel.
Not Everyone Is Happy About The News
While some fans are still upset over NieR Automata’s April Fool’s announcement or confused by Yoko Taro’s announcement of his own Evangelion adaptation, the reaction to the announcement has been surprisingly mixed so far. Plenty of fans are happy to finally experience one of the few NieR games that have been unplayable for anyone who missed out on release, but others are frustrated that Square Enix made this project a necessity in the first place.
To top everything off, there has also been a major backlash from the Japanese NieR community regarding the project, with one post gaining even more traction than the original announcement, criticizing players for participating in borderline piracy.
While it’s definitely a bit of a moral grey area, the fact that there will likely never be a legal way to play the sequel to NieR: Automata outside of YouTube videos or wiki diving makes playing the unofficial release much more understandable from the fans’ point of view, especially for anyone eagerly waiting for a new announcement from the series.
