In the Nier future, Nier Reincarnation will be in the hands of anyone who wants to download and play it on Android and iOS devices. Pre-registration for the closed beta test for this free-to-play gacha-style RPG opened up last week, and I think it's fair to expect more than a game that tries to bend your will to become as RNG gods. With series director Yoko Taro at the helm and a lot of goodwill attached to the Nier name, Nier Reincarnation should live up to that reputation in some capacity and deliver some narrative satisfaction, right?

I recently spoke with Yoko-san, mostly about the newly minted Nier Replicant reissue and his insight in developing the series. But we also had a brief discussion about what the future holds with Nier Reincarnation (developed by Applibot) coming soon and how he wants it to carry the franchise's name as the creative director for this mobile game.

To put it simply, Yoko-san isn't exactly a fan of how gacha-style games have positioned themselves, especially as it relates to his perspective on game development. At first, you might find it ironic given the success of SinoAlice, a mobile RPG he also directed. And with gacha elements as a core mechanic of Nier Reincarnation, where does that leave him? Yoko-san understands why these kinds of elements exist, but still sees the opportunity to do something meaningful.