It’s amazing how one game can turn the lives of one developer around, and for Platinum Games, they can honestly say they’ve had that experience multiple times. For a few years back, they were hired to make a game called Scalebound, which was meant to be an Xbox One exclusive. But then, Microsoft shelved the game, and Platinum almost went under. They put all their faith and effort into one title to save them, and that title was Nier: Automata, and it paid off big time.
From the moment Nier: Automata released, it was a hit, and it quickly shot to 1 million sold, and today, on the game’s Japanese Twitter feed, the game was revealed to have crossed 3 million sold. Proving that the game is not only popular, but it has longevity. It should also be noted that the game only had 2.5 million sold in March, so it’s still selling good numbers.
Nier: Automata didn’t just sell well, it’s still being recognized as one of the best games in 2017, and some are still made it didn’t get nominated for Game of the Year more. Though it did get nominated for “Best RPG” a lot and even won a few times.
For Platinum Games, it was obviously a relief off their mind that the game did so well, and though they’ve flip-flopped a bit with the announcement, there is basically a guarantee that Nier: Automata 2 will happen, especially given its continuing sales.
But, Platinum is also looking to the future, and for them, the future is in self-publishing. While they love making titles like Nier and Bayonetta, they want to do their own thing. To make games without having to answer to publishers like Microsoft, Square Enix, Nintendo, and others. Hopefully the success of the game, and future games, will allow them to do that more.
