Even for those who loved NieR: Automata and its predecessor, NieR: Replicant, you possibly can be forgiven for not understanding that recreation truly received a sequel, and a fairly good one too. Sadly, that sequel, cell recreation NieR: Re[in]carnation, hasn’t been out there for nearly a 12 months after being taken offline in April of 2024.
However luckily, a Square Enix web site is dropping some fairly wild in-universe hints that this is perhaps about to alter.
As identified to us on BlueSky by journalist Willa Rowe, an official NieR web site that is at present publishing a NieR particular movel to commemorate the sequence fifteenth anniversary is teasing one thing NieR: Re[in]carnation-related by way of cryptic in-text hints and webpage supply code. As a a part of right this moment’s replace to the novel, the just-published chapter 4 ends with some unusual textual content that reads as follows:
[WARNING] : Restoration protocol initialized…[ERROR] : Redirecting to backup node: < https://www.jp.square-enix.com/nierreincarnation/ >[INFO] : Evaluation feedback added to the supply code.
[FATAL] : Course of forcibly halted.
What does THAT imply? Who is aware of? However wait, there’s extra. In the event you hit “View Supply” on that web page, there are much more bizarre teases in the code feedback, as hinted at above. They learn, in order:
SECURITY NOTICE: Unauthorized transmission detected. Sign disruption logged. Countermeasure protocol energetic. Redirecting to backup node: https://www.jp.square-enix.com/nierreincarnation/
TODO: Optimize rendering effectivity. Contradictions in “Her” feelings could intrude with sign readability. Guarantee transission stays undistorted.
FIXME: Visibility settings enabled for crashed observer system. He’s watching…Modify entry permissions earlier than deployment. His identify is…………
HACK: Log discrepancy detected. Information point out earlier modification makes an attempt resulting from extreme interference from The Cage. Cross-check towards unique transmission earlier than continuing.
Okay, there’s a lot right here, a few of which is inscrutable and a few of which is sensible. “The Cage”, as an illustration, is the principle location the place most of NieR: Re[in]carnation takes place. And “Her” is a key character (sure, that is Her identify) in Re[in]carnation as properly. Between that and the hyperlink, it is fairly apparent what all that is referencing, however what precisely will develop into of it stays anybody’s guess.
The 2 closing chapters of the novel are scheduled to publish on Might 2, a week from right this moment, and it is doable it could additionally pull again the curtain on no matter’s taking place right here. Followers are speculating that it could be leading up to some sort of port or re-release of NieR: Re[in]carnation, which has been utterly unplayable anyplace because it went offline final 12 months. They’re additionally mentioning that the chapters of the particular novel, that are at present solely out there in Japanese (however which followers are translating), have some fairly important tie-ins to all three different NieR video games.
In the event you’re unfamiliar with Re[in]carnation, I extremely advocate maintaining a tally of this, particularly if the tip result’s one other alternative to play it. Re[in]carnation is a good recreation in its personal proper that many slept on resulting from its being a cell gacha recreation, however critically, it is also the direct sequel to NieR: Automata, and successfully is NieR 3, for individuals who have been ready for it. Who is aware of? Perhaps a new Re[in]carnation launch may embody some new content material that ties the continuing stream of free NieR-related threads collectively ultimately.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You’ll find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Bought a story tip? Ship it to rvalentine@ign.com.