With the end of 2019 quickly approaching, various gaming magazines and websites often ask those in the gaming industry for comments pertaining to the past year’s events and impressions. Here we’ll take a look at Yoko’s responses to Famitsu and 4Gamer.
4Gamer
4Gamer asked 157 people in the gaming industry to take a look back at 2019 by asking several questions. Here are the four questions they asked:
- What title released in 2019 moved or shocked you the most?
- What game, movie, novel, comic, or any other type of entertainment released in 2019 left the largest impression on you?
- Who grabbed your attention (or still does) in 2019?
- What are your aspirations for next year? Or please give a message to the readers of 4Gamer.
Yoko’s Responses
1. Astral Chain
I would like to mention Astral Chain, the directorial debut for Taura Takahisa, the senior game designer at PlatinumGames who worked on NieR:Automata. He has worked under many directors by now and has finally become one himself. The dual simultaneous controls plus how fun it is to combine the sheer amount of Legions are just some of the key points of the Astral world that make you think “Ooh, I think I like this side of Taura!” You know, I was actually shocked the most by wondering what the heck I was doing while Taura was busy making NieR:Automata and Astral Chain……
2. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
I’d say 13 Sentinels by Vanillawear for this. Huh? It’s a game? No. It’s a work of art, a national treasure of Japan. It’s hardly an exaggeration to say there is no other company besides Vanilliawear, led by Kamiya Seiji, that can create a game that brings such gorgeous 2D art to life like this. Our joy to see the movement of such brilliantly illustrated art is boundless. What the heck is the Agency for Cultural Affairs doing!? You must protect Vanillawear or else they’ll be eradicated!!
3. Taura Takahisa
Every year I mention Ueda Fumito from ICO and Iuchi HIroshi from Ikaruga, but this year is Taura Takahisa! Now that he’s completed his directorial debut, I’m NOT looking forward to his second!
4. …
“There will be various events related to the 10th Anniversary of the NIeR series. The collaboration with FFXIV will continue, plus work in various fields such as stage plays and manga is waiting for me, so I’m likely to spend these days very busy yet very grateful as well. I want to run at 2020 without forgetting to thank our customers!”
The above message was the last to be left on the site by Yoko Taro. After it was uploaded, he took 100 game producers hostage and shouted, “Happy New Year! Producers die!” while hunkering down in the 4Gamer headquarters building.
Each hostage has 100g worth of explosives attached to them, and Square Enix producer Saito Yosuke has already been murdered in this fashion. We’re responding to this situation and will storm the building via the the roof and basement. Yoko is a super thug.
In order to avoid as much collateral damage to the surrounding residents… Hey, you there! What’s the problem? Are you even listening? Hey, stop pointing your gun at me! What are you doing!? What? The Anti-Producer Revolutionary Army? Don’t be stupid…! Take that idiot into custody!! What’s wrong with all of you? Why won’t you act… It can’t be… You’re all…! No, stop! Don’t shoot! I have a wife and daughter!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!
FAMITSU
Famitsu asked 101 people in the gaming industry for comments as well.
Yoko’s Responses
1. Keyword for 2020
Deadline Hell.
2. Aspirations for 2020
Since next year marks the 10th anniversary for the NieR series that I directed, there will be plenty of scheduled events… In short, there are a billion deadlines. In one sense or another, I may already be at my limit for next year. Who am I kidding? I am.
3. What strikes your interest in 2020?
I heard a rumor that there will be a new Evangelion movie.
Saito’s Response
Comparatively, here’s a short comment by Saito Yosuke in Famitsu:
“Many things will kick off in 2020. Babylon’s Fall, which just released a new promotional video, will begin full-scale promotions. Additionally, we’re working on a bunch of things for the “NieR” 10th Anniversary as well as an as-yet unrevealed title simultaneously, so we’ll announce more information about all of that when the time is right. Please look forward to it!”
EDIT:
The January 9, 2020 issue of Famitsu reprinted the ambitions of 110 video game creators, and it seems as though some people are misconstruing these statements to some degree, stating that they are new statements, etc.
Saito Yosuke’s comment in the January 9 issue of Famitsu is literally word-for word the same as his statement in the December 27 article, aka this news is not new.
December 27, 2019 
January 9, 2020
The key take-away is thus:
「ニーア」10周年にまつわるアレコレや未発表のタイトルもいくつか並走している
We’re working on a bunch of things for the “NieR” 10th Anniversary as well as an as-yet unrevealed title simultaneously