The next game from Yoko Taro, director of such games as Nier and Nier: Automata, will reportedly be a small-scale and digital-only title. Yoko has been involved in the gaming industry for years, but his first major success was as the director and scenario writer for the 2003 action role-playing game Drakengard. The director is well-known for wearing an iconic mask during public appearances, due to an apparent dislike for being photographed.
Late last year it was announced that Yoko Taro was working on two new games with Yosuke Saito, who has produced many of his games including Nier and Nier: Automata. Few details were given about these in-production titles, with the creators neither confirming nor denying their relationship to the Nier franchise. Amusingly, Saito expressed hesitation in regards to one of the titles, explaining that he would likely back out of producing it if given the chance. However, both men were excited about the second title in production.
International video game website Siliconera reports that Yoko Taro and Yosuke Saito's next game will be rather small-scale, being described as "indie-like" in scope. The duo also revealed that this title will be an exclusively digital, rather than full-scale circulation of physical discs. This further emphasizes that the game will be small in scope and, likely, budget as well. Yoko also described the game as "weird" and "difficult to explain," while Saito suggested that more information could be revealed in the very near future.
While Yoko Taro has no direct involvement, Square Enix will soon release a remake of Nier, originally directed by Taro and released in 2010. The remake, Nier Replicant, will bring the classic action role-playing game to the present day using modern hardware. The new release will also feature cut content from the original version, such as new boss fights and dungeons. Meanwhile, fans of 2017's Nier Automata continue to pay tribute to the game through various forms of media. One dedicated fan built a massive statue of 2B, the game's protagonist, within Minecraft. A time-lapse video shows the time-consuming process of crafting the statue.
Yoko Taro is considered a true video game auteur, with his games speaking to fans in a surreal yet emotional way. His works are rarely straightforward, yet those with the patience to dissect them often find some truly remarkable moments. Yoko Taro's partnership with Yosuke Saito has produced true gaming masterpieces, so fans are sure to eagerly anticipate their next cooperative venture.
Source: Siliconera