Nier: Automata just hit 10 million sales — and Square Enix’s “to be continued” is the real headline

Nine years after launch, Nier: Automata has quietly graduated from cult darling to commercial heavyweight – shipments and digital sales have topped 10 million worldwide – and Square Enix closed its celebratory recap with four tiny words: “NieR: Automata to be continued…”. That tease, not the milestone, is the thing that should make players sit up.

• 10M and counting: Square Enix posted celebratory art and a six‑minute recap trailer on February 20, 2026 confirming over 10 million combined shipments and digital sales (up from 9 million in December 2024).
• Replicant isn’t left behind: Square Enix also confirmed NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… has sold roughly 2 million copies.
• The real story: the trailer’s final card – “to be continued” — is the clearest public hint yet that Square Enix intends more Automata projects, even if the company refuses to say what form they’ll take.

This milestone is business, not nostalgia

Ten million units is a tidy headline, but it’s the logical end point of a long, deliberate strategy: staggered platform rollouts, glossy re‑releases (Game of the YoRHa Edition, The End of YoRHa on Switch), constant tie‑ins, and high‑profile live events. The six‑minute video Square Enix published walks through that exact playbook — concerts, stage plays, crossovers into other games — and makes the point obvious: Automata has been monetized into longevity.

That’s how a nine‑year‑old hack‑and‑slash with existential dread for a soul can become steadily profitable. Look past the fanfare and you see a product lifecycle executed with surgical focus. If you wanted to copy a long‑tail franchise playbook, this is the blueprint.

“To be continued” ≠ instant Nier 3 — but it’s the best hint we’ve had

Fans and outlets leapt from the on‑screen tease to the same hopeful conclusion: a sequel is likely. GamesRadar, Steam’s community post, Gematsu and others picked up the reveal and emphasized that the wording is intentionally vague — it could mean a full sequel, a new spin‑off, more ports, concert tours, or a renewed marketing push. Square Enix’s trailer does not include developer quotes. As Games Informer noted, some coverage attributed the sales shout to both PlatinumGames and Square Enix, but public confirmation in the trailer and social posts came from Square Enix.

Translation: this is the most promising nudge fans have had in years, but it’s not a press release for Nier 3. The company is buying excitement without committing specifics — smart PR, obvious to anyone who’s watched franchises get milked for merch before.

Why Yoko Taro’s silence matters

Yoko Taro and several Automata leads have a history of being charmingly cryptic — and of having projects cancelled or delayed. As of February 23, 2026 there were no public comments from Yoko or PlatinumGames responding to the teaser. That gap is important: a Square Enix tease can mean many things, but a direct line from the creative team is the clearest signal that a sequel is actually greenlit with the original spirit intact.

Until we hear from the people who made Automata — or see a dated announcement — assume Square Enix is testing the waters. Fans on Reddit and Discord have already started models of what “continued” could mean, mixing genuine excitement with the weary skepticism of players who have seen franchises tease a next chapter for engagement rather than deliverables.

The uncomfortable observation

Square Enix just reminded everyone how easily a tightly managed IP can be stretched indefinitely. “To be continued” is an excellent way to monetize nostalgia without yet costing the company anything. If you’re hoping for a bold, risk‑taking sequel that preserves Automata’s weirdness, ask the PR rep whether the continuation will be led by Yoko Taro and his original collaborators — that’s the real signal that would make this more than a marketing flourish.

What to watch next

• Public comments from Yoko Taro or PlatinumGames — their direct involvement would shift this from “corporate tease” to a genuine creative sequel. (Watch their social feeds closely.)
• Follow‑ups on official Nier channels and Square Enix press pages over the next 6-12 weeks — a dated reveal would be the hard confirmation fans want.
• Short‑term sales/player signals: expect Steam/Xbox concurrent player spikes and renewed Switch/console sales in the days after the trailer; Gematsu and Steam already noted the sales bump.
• Merch, concerts or anime tie‑ins announced soon would indicate Square Enix is leaning the other way: expanding the brand rather than greenlighting a new game.

If I were on a call with Square Enix’s PR person my single question would be blunt: “Does ‘to be continued’ mean a Yoko Taro‑led sequel in active development, or are you promising continued brand activity across media and merch?” That answer separates hope from a marketing cycle.

TL;DR

Nier: Automata passed 10 million sales as Square Enix released a recap trailer celebrating the game’s long tail and community. The trailer ends with “NieR: Automata to be continued…”, the clearest public tease yet that more Automata projects are coming — but no confirmation who will lead them or whether a proper sequel is actually greenlit. Watch for comments from Yoko Taro/PlatinumGames and any dated announcements from Square Enix; those are the signals that will tell us whether this is real next‑gen ambition or a profitable nostalgia loop.