Of the many characters in the games of NieR and Drakengard creator Yoko Taro, one of the most iconic is Emil, the young boy with a story steeped in tragedy. Part of Emil’s uniqueness is his distinctive spherical head, bearing an unchanging rictus grin. It’s so unique that Yoko himself wears a version of it frequently to hide his face during public appearances. And now NieR fans in Japan are being tasked with finding that same head for a chance to win fabulous prizes as part of the NieR Replicant “Find Emil” contest [Thanks, Dengeki!].
To celebrate the release of NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…, Square Enix kicked off the Find Emil contest on May 1, 2021. The company has hidden six secret keywords. Five can be found hidden in various websites and social media accounts, and they can be located by interpreting clues listed on a special contest site. The sixth keyword, however, is located in a physical location—a large truck bearing a massive car-sized replica of Emil’s head.
The truck also carries ads for NieR Replicant and the keyword on a billboard. Departing on May 1, 2021, the “Find Emil” truck will tour around various locations in Japan according to a publicly posted schedule. For example, the truck will tour Tokyo on its first day out and arrive in Yokohama on Sunday, May 2, 2021.
Fans who gather all six keywords for the Find Emil contest can input them into a site and be entered into a lottery draw. 10 winners will be chosen and receive various prizes. The prizes include copies of the White Snow Edition of NieR Replicant ver.1.22 and the Black Box Edition of NieR: Automata. Also up for grabs are collection of posters promoting the NieR series (including the original PS3 versions of Replicant and Gestalt), special wristwatches based on Kainé and Nier, and a 2B statue.
The NieR Replicant Find Emil contest runs from May 1, 2021 to June 6, 2021. The game itself is in wide release and available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
