4Gamer shared their annual year-end comments from the devs and Yoko Taro had another gem for 2020. This time he shared some love for Takahisa Taura, murdered Yosuke Saito, and kidnapped about 100 producers.
Last year Yoko Taro went on about taking down humanity, destroying a god, and more. Check out what he shared for 2020 below:
Question 1- What games that released in 2019 did you admire (or have been impacted by) the most?
Yoko Taro: “My choice is Astral Chain, the first title as director by Takahisa Taura, who worked as a game designer for NieR: Automata. This is the title that finally put him on center stage as director after working game designer under various directors. The action of simultaneously controlling two and the Legion combination was endless fun. I enjoyed it in ways I could only by knowing him, like the Astral Plane gimmicks I thought ‘Ah, this is the kind of stuff Taura-san would like’ and such. Speaking of, Taura-san went on and made two games in a row and what have I been doing during all that time… so there’s that for the biggest impact.”
Question 2 – What impressed you the most from entertainment content that released or opened in 2019?
Yoko Taro: “13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim by Vanillaware-san. Huh? A game, you say? No, no, this is Japanese national treasure-level art. It isn’t an exaggeration to say no other company other than the George Kamitani-led Vanillaware could make such beautiful 2D illustrations move like that. You could say that we’re extremely fortunate to witness the movement of such delicate and beautiful art. Just what is Japan’s Agency of Cultural Affairs doing!? If they don’t hurry up and protect Vanillaware it will go extinct!!”
Question 3 – Individuals that caught your attention in 2019
Yoko Taro: “Every year this is where I go with ICO‘s Fumito Ueda and Ikaruga‘s Hiroshi Iuchi. However, this year I’ll add Takahisa Taura, without a doubt. Now that he completed his first title as a director, I’m not looking forward to seeing his second work as a director!”
Question 4 – Can you share your ambitions going into the year 2020 and a message to our readers?
“Yoko Taro: Next year is the NieR series’ 10th anniversary, so there will be various events. We’re also continuing the collaboration event with Final Fantasy XIV. Furthermore, expect work from various fields such as manga and stage, so I think it’ll mean busy times. I’d like to go through 2020 without forgetting our feelings of gratitude for the customers.”
“… The above is the final message that Yoko Taro left on the website. After uploading this, Yoko went to the 4Gamer headquarters and took 100 game producers hostage. The siege continues as he screams ‘Happy new year! Death to producers!!’ The hostage have about 100g of explosives attached around their necks and Square Enix producer Yosuke Saito was murdered as an example. We’re breaking in through the rooftop and basement and we will corner him. Yoko is absolute evil. In order to protect regional inhabitants from harm, we must… hey, you in the back. What is it? Hey, I’m talking to you… hey, don’t point that gun at me! What are you doing!! What? The anti-producer revolutionary army? The hell is that… ! Capture that idiot!! … what’s wrong everyone? Why aren’t you moving… No, can’t be… you guys…! Stop! Please don’t shoot! I have a wife and daughter!!! Gwaaah!!!!”
NieR celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2020. Square Enix recently launched a 10th anniversary website. Check our previous report to hear more from Yoko Taro and his thoughts on Vanillaware, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, and why you must buy it.
