At a recent event celebrating the 15th anniversary of the NieR series, key members of the NieR: Automata team — director Yoko Taro, producer Yoshuke Saito, and composer Keiichi Okabe — took the stage and once again teased what might be a new installment in the beloved and bizarre franchise.

Known for their signature dark humor and vague yet tantalizing remarks, the developers didn’t confirm anything outright but left fans with plenty to speculate. During the panel, Saito joked that if they're still "alive" by 2027 — the 10th anniversary of NieR: Automata — there could be an announcement. While framed as a morbid joke, fans immediately interpreted it as a clear signal that something is already in the works.

Saito clarified that nothing had changed since the last time he was asked about a sequel, and while he didn't explicitly name a new NieR title, he also didn't rule it out. Previously, he mentioned working on a project that may or may not be connected to the NieR universe — fueling even more speculation among fans.

NieR: Automata remains a commercial and cultural success, with over 9 million copies sold, sustained popularity of characters like 2B, and strong sales of official merchandise from Square Enix. Director Yoko Taro has long expressed interest in continuing the story, though he’s never missed a chance to sarcastically critique the realities of working with publishers.

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