Summary
- Square Enix will air a special livestream this April to celebrate the Nier franchise’s 15th anniversary.
- The Nier 15th anniversary livestream will feature new updates, discussions with key creators and developers, a mini live performance, and more.
- Some are speculating the possibility of a new Nier game announcement during the broadcast, given recent rumors and hints from the series’ creators.
Square Enix has officially announced a special livestream event to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Nier franchise. The upcoming broadcast will feature discussions with Yoko Taro, the renowned creator of the Nier series, and other key developers, as well as updates on events, merchandise, and even a mini live performance.
The very first Nier game launched on PS3 and Xbox 360 in August 2010 to mixed reviews, with critics divided on its gameplay and graphical presentation. However, the series cultivated a dedicated fanbase over time, and 2017’s Nier: Automata propelled it to greater success with over nine million copies sold (as of December 2024). The last release of the franchise was 2021’s Nier Replicant, a remaster of the 2010 Nier game, which also scored decent reviews and sold well. Now that the Nier series has garnered significant popularity and is approaching its 15th anniversary, publisher Square Enix has something special lined up for the occasion.
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The official Square Enix YouTube channel has revealed an upcoming livestream to commemorate Nier‘s 15th anniversary. The broadcast will run for approximately two and a half hours and feature appearances from Nier series creator Yoko Taro, producer Yosuke Saito, and composer Keiichi Okabe, alongside senior game designer Taura Takahisa and voice actor Hiroki Yasumoto, who lent his voice to Grimoire Weiss and Pod 042. The livestream will also provide details on upcoming events and merchandise related to Nier‘s 15th anniversary, and the inclusion of a mini live performance alludes to a more elaborate celebration.
Nier 15th Anniversary Livestream Start Date and Time
Interestingly, the promotional image for the 15th anniversary livestream features art from the now-defunct mobile game Nier Reincarnation, leading some to wonder whether Square Enix may reveal some new insight into its past, or perhaps an update about its future. Speaking of which, there could be a surprise for longstanding fans of the franchise, as rumors of a Nier: Automata sequel have been bubbling in recent years. The next Nier game was also teased by Yoko Taro and Yosuke Saito a few months ago, and the 15th anniversary broadcast could be the ideal venue to announce the project. For those who’d like to tune in, the Nier 15th anniversary livestream is scheduled for April 19, 2025, at 2 AM PT.
Only time will tell whether Nier‘s 15th anniversary livestream will break major news or simply serve as a nostalgic tribute, but given the popularity of the series, a new entry doesn’t seem like an unfathomable proposition. Should Square Enix announce a new Nier game during the broadcast, it should be interesting to see which studio is handling the project. Nier: Automata developer PlatinumGames underwent an exodus of some of its top developers last year and has been assisting Team Ninja with the upcoming Ninja Gaiden 4. Therefore, it seems rather implausible that PlatinumGames could somehow be juggling the next Nier game as well.
NieR
Nier spans a series of action RPG-centric games, with the initial title being a spin-off of Drakengard. Developed by multiple teams but published by Square Enix, the Nier franchise features unique fantasy worlds and multiple gameplay styles alongside intricate narratives.