Yoko Taro discusses creative freedom during NieR: Automata development

Director Yoko Taro has reflected on the development of NieR: Automata, noting that he pursued his own creative vision by attempting to ‘hide’ from publisher Square Enix as much as possible. Unlike the original 2010 NieR, which attempted to cater to different markets by using different protagonists in various versions, Automata was developed without a specific target audience imposed by the publisher.

Taro explained that this lack of market-driven direction allowed him to create the game he personally wanted to make. While his works are often perceived as eccentric or unusual by the public, Taro maintains that he considers himself to be making ‘normal games for normal people,’ jokingly suggesting that the perception of his games as strange implies something might be wrong with him.

This shift in approach proved highly successful; NieR: Automata transitioned the series from a niche title to a global hit, surpassing 10 million units sold.