At this year’s G-CON 2025, renowned game director Yoko Taro—the eccentric creative mind behind the NieR franchise — finally addressed the question fans have been asking for years: Where are the new games? According to Taro, it’s not for lack of trying. In fact, the opposite is true. Speaking on stage with his trademark candor, Taro revealed that he has been actively involved in “numerous projects” over the last several years. The catch? Most of them never survived past mid-development.
“People often say, ‘Why aren’t you making a new NieR sequel?’ or ‘Yoko Taro isn’t doing anything,’” he said. “But the reality is that many of the projects I worked on were canceled halfway through. I really have been working — those games simply never saw the light of day.”
Yoko Taro added that he was fully compensated for his time, which is why he personally doesn’t feel frustrated. However, he acknowledges that the lack of releases has created the illusion that he has been inactive. While the cancellations may disappoint fans dreaming of the next NieR, Taro insists that shelving a weak or misguided project is often the right decision.
“I don’t view cancellations as negative,” he explained. “If the alternative is releasing something odd or poorly made, then I’d rather not release anything at all.”
His comments shed new light on the opaque state of several rumored projects tied to the NieR creative team. Last year, speculation circulated that a new series installment was in development — but no announcement has materialized.
With NieR: Automata becoming a breakout global hit after its 2017 launch, expectations for Taro’s next major work have remained sky-high. The game earned critical acclaim for its philosophical narrative, layered playthrough structure, emotional storytelling, and of course, its iconic android protagonist, 2B. That success has placed the creator in an unusual spotlight. Fans want more and fast, but Taro seems unwilling to compromise his standards simply to meet demand. While Yoko Taro didn’t confirm any active projects or tease future announcements, his presence at G-CON signals that he remains deeply involved in the industry. For now, players will need to stay patient and trust that Yoko Taro will return when he has something he believes is worth sharing. If his track record is any indication, the wait — however long — will likely be worth it.
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