Last month, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) listed Nier: Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition with an M for Mature Rating on their website. Neither Platinum Games nor Square Enix responded to the listing, which led to many fans believing that the ESRB preemptively rated the game. Whether this was intended or not, any game that is rated by the ESRB is more than likely being prepped for an official release. Both companies have been quiet, until this week. Nier: Automata Game Director, Yoko Taro, went on Twitter to confirm and officially announce Nier: Automota Game of the YoRHa Edition, which launches on February 26, 2019. Taro, known for this unusual tendencies, announced the game the only way he could.
What Taro is actually saying is anyone’s guess, but a lot of his fans have apparently deduced the number riddle, translating it to December 22. If this is the case, then we could be in for yet another Nier Automata related announcement. As for the Game of the YoRHa Edition, it comes with the full game, the Machine Mask Accessory, the 3C3C1D119440927 Expansion, and five pod designs (Cardboard Pod Skin, Grimoire Weiss Pod, Play System Pod Skin, Retro Grey Pod Skin, and the Retro Red Pod Skin).
In addition, those who purchase the PlayStation 4 will receive a Dynamic Theme for their background, and 15 different Avatars for their portraits, and those who order the PC version will receive two wallpapers. Although the game was released for the Xbox One this past Spring, the Game of the YoRHa Edition does not appear to be releasing for the Microsoft system at this time.
Nier: Automata was one of the most critically acclaimed video games of 2017, with excellent gameplay and dynamic storytelling. It received numerous nominations at The Game Awards 2017, including Game of the Year, though it lost to The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild. Regardless, the game has attained a massive fan following, and completely reinvigorated the Nier franchise, which itself is a spinoff of another JRPG series, Drakenguard.
Nier: Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition launches on February 26, 2019 for the PlayStation 4, and PC.