“NieR: Automata to be continued” — a real sequel tease, or a safe PR pivot?

Square Enix just signaled NieR isn’t going away – but don’t mistake a tease for a promise

That three words at the end of a celebratory trailer changed the conversation. Square Enix’s 9th‑anniversary video for NieR: Automata celebrated concerts, crossovers and, crucially, a new sales milestone – “shipped and digitally sold over 10M copies worldwide” – then closed with on‑screen text: “NieR: Automata to be continued…”. For a franchise that hasn’t seen a direct Automata follow‑up in nearly a decade, the line is a formal return signal. It is not, however, a confirmation of scope, platform, or timetable — and that silence is where the real story lives.

Key takeaways

• Square Enix framed a commercial milestone (10M units) as the springboard for future NieR projects — sales make sequels politically easier to greenlight.
• “To be continued” is the clearest public hint yet that Automata‑related work is in Square Enix’s roadmap, but it does not name a sequel, developer, or format.
• The teaser looks coordinated: anniversary + milestone + a Geoff Keighley repost all but telegraphs a staged soft reveal ahead of bigger showcases (Summer Game Fest, June).
• Past NieR output has included non‑game tie‑ins (stage plays, merch, remasters). Fans should demand more than teases this time — specifically developer confirmation and a timeline.

Why this matters now — and why sales change the calculus

Nine years after Automata launched, the franchise is both larger and messier. The brand survived through Reincarnation (mobile), a Replicant remake, and a steady stream of collaborations. Those kept NieR visible, but none answered the central question: where is Automata’s next chapter? Ten million units is the simplest answer — it’s the kind of milestone that turns “maybe” into “plausible” in a publisher boardroom. It gives Square Enix room to justify investment, attract partners, and make development budgets safer bets.

The uncomfortable observation the PR team hoped you’d skip

PR statements like this are deliberately vague because vagueness preserves options. “To be continued” can mean a full sequel, a story expansion, a remaster, a spin‑off, or another kind of tie‑in entirely. Square Enix has a history of monetizing fandom with stage productions, comics, and collaborations. The trailer itself confirms interest and sales — not that a new game is greenlit, staffed, and on a release track. Fans should be excited, not convinced.

The question I’d ask Square Enix (and Yoko Taro) on camera

“When you say ‘to be continued’, are you signaling a full‑budget, narrative sequel led by Yoko Taro and PlatinumGames — or are you expanding NieR’s IP with smaller projects and collaborations?” That question gets to the core difference between a headline tease and a developer‑level commitment.

What to watch next — specific, dateable signals

• Summer Game Fest (June 2026): Geoff Keighley’s repost of the teaser makes this the most likely stage for a larger reveal. A full trailer or developer appearance would be the clearest confirmation.
• Interviews from Yoko Taro or PlatinumGames: explicit names attached to the project convert PR smoke into real production news.
• Official Square Enix channels (NieR X account, Steam news) for announcements on project type — game, remaster, DLC, or IP expansion — and platform targets (PC, PlayStation, Switch, mobile).
• Recruitment listings or LinkedIn activity from Square Enix/Platinum: new hires tied to NieR are a practical signal of a full game pipeline.

If none of those signals arrive over the next three months, treat “to be continued” as a warmed‑up PR line and not a development commitment. If they do arrive, the community should watch for named studios and a production window — those will be the hard evidence of a real sequel.

TL;DR

Square Enix used Automata’s 10M sales and a 9th‑anniversary trailer to declare NieR’s story isn’t finished — a meaningful, calculated signal. It raises real hope for an Automata follow‑up but stops short of naming developers or a format. Watch Summer Game Fest and direct developer comments — they’re the only things that will separate a savvy PR tease from a confirmed sequel.