NieR: Automata and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE appears to be a match made in heaven. Both are sci-fi RPGs starring androids in the form of stunning heroines, and both games are beloved by fans worldwide. Both games also boast compelling stories, dealing with humanity’s future and the role of intelligent machines. In an exciting collaboration, three fan-favorite characters from the beloved action RPG are making their way to NIKKE.
For starters, 2B and A2 – two of the main protagonists of NieR: Automata – arrive as SSR playable characters and Pascal will arrive as a free SR playable character in Goddess of Victory: NIKKE on 1 September, 2023. The crossover marks an exciting moment for NIKKE, with the pair poised to bring unexpected story developments to the universe and opportunities for new gameplay styles. There will also be plenty of extra goodies coming to the game such as Free Pascal (SR), avatar frames, and gorgeous alternative costumes for the heroines.
“In the collaboration with NieR: Automata, I put a lot of effort into expressing the unique power of the original work,” says director Yoo, of Shift Up Games. “The NIKKE development team tends to show a high level of enthusiasm to organize great events. I asked the development team to make six stages of the hacking minigame, but they said they would make 21. Finally, 23 stages were formed. Users who play NIKKE constantly will know that it gets bigger and bigger as the events repeat. Events always grow this way!”
Fans who played Automata will remember the hacking minigame as a unique way to engage in combat by invading the artificial intelligence that governs the game’s robotic enemies. This mechanic coming to NIKKE will make for even more exciting options for dispatching enemies in its intense firefights.
And it’s not just 2B (who happens to share a voice actor with NIKKE’s Rapi in Japanese) and A2 coming to the game. Pascal, your kind-hearted robotic companion from NieR: Automata will also appear as a playable character. 2B’s closest ally 9S will also make an appearance as a non-playable character. All of these characters will affect the world and story of NIKKE in thrilling and unpredictable ways in the OuteR: Automata story event.
“If I could have my way, there wouldn’t be a single character left out,” enthuses Yoo. “Among the characters of NieR: Automata, I personally really liked Pascal’s story. Of course, I also loved 9S and Emil, so I really wanted to add them all in. I decided to give each of them a suitable position. 9S and 2B share a story, Pascal appears in the battle outlook as well as the side story, while Emil can be found on the field.”
“Other than that, many players may be surprised by Pascal’s appearance,” he continues. “Pascal has healing abilities, which are very useful for commanders who have just started playing NIKKE for the collaboration event. Pascal’s battle pose and reload motions are very cool as well, please be sure to check it out in-game.”
“We tried our best to give the stories a beautiful yet desperate mood,” teases Jeung Jae Sung, head of scenario plot. “Also, we’ve prepared scenes that would ring a bell with NieR: Automata fans.”
“In addition to the story, we implemented a lot of collaboration elements that players who love NieR: Automata will notice,” adds Yoo. “We would appreciate it if you could enjoy the carefully prepared collaboration event, from 3D fields to UI and directing.”
Composer Keiichi Okabe’s stunning soundtrack for NieR: Automata was another key inspiration for Shift Up.
“The soundtrack of NieR: Automata was loved by many gamers,” says Yoo. “Also, when I work in front of the computer, the music I listen to the most is NieR: Automata live concert music! To celebrate the collaboration, we created an original soundtrack that lets you feel the fusion of the two games.”
It’s clear from the scope of the collaboration and the enthusiastic comments of the creative team, that this collaboration is deeply meaningful to both staff and fans.
“During development, the habitual phrase was ‘Oh, I want to collaborate with Automata.’ I wished and wished so much,” concludes Jeung Jae Sung. “I am so happy to finally have that wish come true. It will probably go down as one of the most memorable moments in my game development history. We hope gamers will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed developing it.”
“We wanted to provide a great collaboration experience to fans of NieR: Automata and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE,” agrees the game’s director. “We did our best to prepare, so please enjoy the event. We will also provide long-term stable service so that commanders can have a good play experience.”
NIKKE x NieR: Automata runs from September 1-27. You can download Goddess of Victory: NIKKE for free from the App Store, Google Play, or Windows.