The official NieR Series Twitter account declared a sales milestone this week, and showed a great appreciation for its fanbase: "You'll be delighted to hear more than 7.5 million copies of NieR: Automata have been sold or shipped to date. Thank you for your love and support!" PlatinumGames' action role-playing game has accumulated very decent numbers over a six year period - NieR: Automata first arrived on PlayStation 4 and PC back in March of 2017. Thanks to highly favorable reviews from the computer game press, and word of mouth spread throughout the gaming community, the unlikely spin-off (from the Drakengard series) has become an enduring classic. It also helps that NieR: Automata broke free from being a PS4 and PC timed exclusive, and later on found its way onto the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

It is probably safe to assume that NieR: Automata has made a return on its production budget, so talk naturally turns to the prospects of a hypothetical third entry in the series. PlatinumGames and the game's creator, Yoko Taro, have remained very tight-lipped about a possible continuation. The normally eccentric video game director took a more straightforward approach when sharing good news about his game's healthy sales figures: "It seems that 7.5 million copies have been sold. It's so awesome that it makes me dizzy. I can't exceed this number for the rest of my life…I can only thank everyone who supported me!" Taro has taken a more evasive stance when dealing with questions regarding a third Nier title.

At the turn of the 1980s, most PC adventure games were played using only the keyboard. In those days, adventure games didn't use action menus like more modern games, but simply presented the player with a command line where they could freely input text to decide the actions that characters would take and proceed through the story. Free text input systems like these allowed players to feel a great deal of freedom. However, they did come with one common source of frustration: players knowing what action they wanted to perform but being unable to do so because they could not find the right wording. This problem was caused by the limitations of PC performance and NLP technology of the time.

40 years have passed since then, and PC performance has drastically improved, as have the capabilities of NLP technology. Using "The Portopia Serial Murder Case" as a test case, we'd like to show you the capabilities of modern NLP and the impact it can have on adventure games, as well as deepen your understanding of NLP technologies.

In just over two months, players will finally get their hands on Final Fantasy XVI, the next mainline installment of the Final Fantasy series. The game follows Clive Rosfield as he harnesses powerful Eikons to overcome his tragic destiny. Today's State of Play not only explores intricate details of the story and world lore, but also gives a first glimpse into the game's party combat and colossal battles with new Eikons.

We hope today's broadcast was exciting for everyone, both for fans keeping up with Final Fantasy XVI updates, and those who are hearing about the game for the first time. Get a deeper look at combat, stunning Eikon battles, and the world of Valisthea before FFXVI arrives on PS5 June 22.

Free Update coming April 18th + 2023 Roadmap and Physical Release for PowerWash Simulator - The first few months of this year have been crazy. You've cleaned Croft Manor and de-mucked Midgar… wherever next?! Well, we'll take a look at what else is coming this year in a minute, but not before we've said a huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to you all for the community support so far this year. It has been incredible seeing your reaction to the new content on socials and our Discord.

What's coming this year? 2023 Roadmap - Hop in the van, we're going on a road trip! Throughout 2023, we'll be taking you to places near and far in a range of Special Packs and updates that traverse Muckingham and beyond. Behold, our 2023 roadmap! With each free expansion, we'll be revealing more of Muckingham and its stories, whereas the paid Special Packs will transport you outside of the Muckingham universe to all sorts of new and exciting places.

Jack is back… and he's punching his way onto Steam! The action RPG is now available on the platform: here's everything you need to know about it. Many of you will be familiar with STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN's Jack Garland: expert swordsman, skilled white mage, destructive black mage, deadly dragoon, powerful pugilist… and that's not even half of it. We can now add one more achievement to his impressive resume: available on Steam! Yes, get ready for some chaotic FINAL FANTASY carnage! Read on and we'll tell you everything you need to know about the game and its Steam release.

What is STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN?
Some of you unfamiliar with the game may be wondering what this game is all about. Long story short, it's about action - brilliantly brutal, fast-paced action that tests your reactions and battle strategy in equal measure. Developed by KOEI TECMO GAMES (Nioh series), STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN is a dark and visceral action RPG that presents a bold take on the FINAL FANTASY series, while celebrating its amazing 35 year legacy! You play as Jack Garland, who along with his allies Ash, Jed, Neon and Sophia, sets off from the Kingdom of Cornelia to defeat Chaos. If you're a fan of the original FINAL FANTASY game, some of those names may be ringing a bell, but we'll let you discover what it all means.

LIVE A LIVE, originally only released for the Super Famicom in Japan, is being revived on Steam and PlayStation consoles! Experience this legendary RPG, brought to life in the same HD-2D visual style as OCTOPATH TRAVELER. Meet seven heroes, each with their own unique abilities and lives to live across different time periods. Experience their stories in any order you choose, uncovering shocking developments along the way

Featuring remastered music from original composer Yoko Shimomura and produced by Takashi Tokita (the director of the original game), this remake retains everything that players loved about the original while also being accessible to newcomers.

Square Enix has released the new Patch 1.1 for its Forspoken game, improving both the performance and graphics details in some segments of the game, and fixing some of the bugs. According to the patch notes, the new Patch 1.1 brings several performance optimizations to the game, and while the actual performance will vary depending on the PC hardware, Square Enix is promising as much as 30 percent improvements in performance. Square Enix says that it managed to reduce processing load in certain areas of the game and certain scenes by up to 70 percent, and has also reduced the VRAM usage, which all add to the performance improvement gain.

The new patch also brings several graphics improvements, bringing brightness and contrast (and HDR) adjustments at the start of the game. It adds some changes to lighting and ambient occlusion, improves the glare filter quality, adjusts the texture and shading for certain objects, and more. Square Enix also fixed the flicker screen issue with AMD Radeon RX 570 or RX 580 graphics cards, and other various minor issues. It also has multiple miscellaneous fixes, and some feature updates.

According to a Square Enix Outline of Results Briefing from February 2023, Forspoken sales numbers are lower than anticipated. Square Enix company president Yosuke Matsuda stated: "Reviews of "FORSPOKEN," which we released on January 24, 2023, have been challenging. However, the game has also received positive feedback on its action features, including its parkour and combat capabilities, so it has yielded results that will lead to improvement of our development capabilities of other games in the future. That said, its sales have been lackluster, and while the performance of new titles with February and March release dates will be the ultimate determinant, we see considerable downside risk to our FY2023/3 earnings."

Square Enix Ltd., today announced that NEO: The World Ends with You is now available on PC via STEAM. PC players who purchase the critically acclaimed action role-playing game will receive a number of special in-game bonuses to help them get a head start in the battles that await them in Shibuya's Underground. To celebrate the launch on STEAM, PC players who purchase NEO: The World Ends with You will also receive a 25% discount up until 17:00 BST on the 25th of October 2022.

NEO: The World Ends with You is the follow up to the beloved action RPG The World Ends with You, which transports players to the lively streets of Tokyo—assume the role of protagonist Rindo as you attempt to survive the life-or-death trials known as the "Reapers' Game." Rindo, along with a cast of unique and stylish characters, must band together to explore the bustling city of Tokyo and solve the mysteries behind this ominous game from which they can seemingly not escape.

SQUARE ENIX today released the all-new strategy role-playing game, The DioField Chronicle, for the PlayStation 5 (PS5) console, the PlayStation 4 (PS4) console, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch system and PC via Steam. The DioField Chronicle features a deep and strategic "Real-Time Tactical Battle" (RTTB) system, where players and enemy troops move in real-time, and the tide of battle can change in an instant. The game is set in a unique world which features a gritty and immersive storyline that combines fantasy, medieval and modern elements.

Players can also try out a free digital demo on all available platforms. Save data from the demo, including all game progress and character levels will carry over to the full game, allowing players to seamlessly continue their missions with the Blue Foxes once purchasing the game.

Square Enix Collective and FuturLab are excited to announce that POWERWASH SIMULATOR is out now and ready for clean up! POWERWASH SIMULATOR is available with Game Pass for PC and console, for purchase on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10, and a full release on Steam following a successful Early Access period. POWERWASH SIMULATOR is the super soothing simulator game that puts the power of relaxation into the hands of the player. Take a clean break from the real world and follow your powerwashing destiny. Equipped with power washer in hand and unlocking new tools and upgrades to help clean more efficiently along the way - no dirt is too tough for you to handle!

Everything isn't as it seems in the town of Muckingham: an active volcano smoulders nearby, the mayor's cat is missing, and things are extremely dirty. For all its oddities, Muckingham scrubs up quite nicely… thanks to you! The residents have noticed too, and soon your PowerWash business will be booming. As you blast away every speck of grime that covers Muckingham, you'll uncover secrets hidden in the dirt and objects of each level, as well as receive messages from clients that reveal the untold stories of the places you visit - from humble homes to ancient architecture. You know what they say, it all comes out in the wash.

Qualcomm and Square Enix announced a collaboration to explore extended reality (XR) experiences for Square Enix's global network of leading development studios and intellectual property. The Advanced Technology Division (ATD) at Square Enix, will work on the Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform and the two companies will collaborate on new paths to push the boundaries of immersive gaming experiences.

"Square Enix has always been committed to state-of-the-art game technology to push storytelling boundaries, delivering unforgettable experiences for our fans" said Ben Taylor, Technical Director, Square Enix Co., Ltd. "We have been investing in XR and look forward to building on Snapdragon Spaces. In particular, we think the time is right with XR to innovate on games of a classic genre we are especially known for and look forward to sharing them with the world to further our mission to help spread happiness across the globe."

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today launched a collaboration with ACRONYM, a leading technical apparel design agency, to create a special edition ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop that melds top-of-the-line hardware with a radical new vision for what technology can be. Available for sale worldwide starting today, this device is based on a design concept grounded in Errolson Hugh's vision of a more empowered user: not just a gamer, but a thinker and a creator.

ACRONYM 's co-founder Errolson Hugh has been a pioneer in the technical apparel industry since the company's founding in 1994. In the 26 years since, their agency has built an extensive design portfolio dedicated to fusing singular style with the latest technology. Whether they're designing product lines for Nike and Arc'Teryx, virtual video game gear for Square Enix / EIDOS, or creating clothing under their own flag, ACRONYM has a proven track record as a visionary in the apparel industry with a commitment to sourcing top notch materials to create utilitarian designs that go far beyond style.

Intel recently announced its 10th Gen Core KA line of Socket LGA1200 desktop processors that are co-branded by Marvel's Avengers, complete with fancy retail channel packaging that's sure to attract collectors from the Marvel fanbase. Turns out, that the box doesn't actually include the game by Square Enix, as discovered by momomo_us. A fine-print on the bottom left corner of the front face of the retail box reads "Game Not Included." All you really do get is a fancy box that's been designed by artist Tristan Eaton. Some retailers may include plushies such as the one pictured below, which obviously cost less than a copy of the game. Marvel's Avengers (the game) releases on September 4, 2020, and is up for pre-order on Steam for $59.99.

A new rumor suggests that Square Enix is preparing to release a Tomb Raider game bundle, the supposed leak claims that the bundle won't just include the modern games but also classics from the 90s. The package is supposedly set for release on Steam, Stadia, Xbox One, Playstation 4, and Nintendo Switch, the promotional image also carries an August 27th release date so if these rumors are true an announcement from Square Enix can be expected in the coming weeks. The rumor is backed up by a recent extension to the "T.R.U.E. TOMB RAIDER ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE" trademark filed by Square Enix in 2018.

If true this bundle could contain over 15 Tomb Raider games released during the last 24 years from various consoles. What do you think of the leak and trademark extension, a sign of imminent release, or just hopeful thinking and some Photoshop skills?

Square Enix and Marvel have partnered to bring gamers from all around the world a perfect combination - science fiction movies and the ability to play one as a game. Together, Square Enix and Marvel have made a game called Avengers, based off of the Avengers movie trilogy. Today, Square Enix will be hosting a live stream at 10 AM PT time, to show off the gameplay, showcase missions and co-op abilities, and much more. You can join the live stream once it starts here. Besides the live stream, the company has announced that it will offer a free upgrade to the next generation of consoles, for anyone who buys the game for the current generation. That means that if you purchase the game for your current Xbox One or PS4 console, you will get a free upgrade for PS5 or Xbox Series X consoles. The game is going to launch on September 4th.

In the latest episode of Inside Xbox, Microsoft showed off trailers for several new games including Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Dirt 5. Alongside the new game trailers, Microsoft also published a list of over 140 publishers and studios all working on games for the new console. Big names such as 2K Games, Activision, Bethesda, Bungie, Electronic Arts, SEGA, Square Enix, and Ubisoft are all present along with countless smaller publishers and studios. The full list of publishers and studios can be found below.

People Can Fly and Square Enix today released a gameplay trailer for their upcoming, next-gen game Outriders. The game, which will be available in current-gen systems as well as Xbox Series X, PS5 and PC, is a 1-3 player, drop-in drop-out co-op RPG shooter which promises to be set in a futuristic, dark sci-fi universe. The premise is as such: humanity as we know it abandoned Earth in search of a new home, which they thought they had found in the form of Enoch. A worldwide, storm-like event dubbed The Anomaly (which may have been produced by more than weather phenomena, I wager) forced humanity back into cryo-suspension whilst they waited for the proverbial storm to pass. The eventually reawakened ones find burning powers within themselves that will force them to confront their humanity, evolve - and eventually, to become something different.

People Can Fly describe the game as "Players will create their own Outrider and embark on a journey across a hostile planet. With rich storytelling spanning a diverse world, they will leave behind the slums and shanty towns of the First City and traverse forests, mountains and deserts in pursuit of a mysterious signal." You can expect an arsenal of weapons and supernatural powers, though the exact nature of the game's world and systems (open-world, quasi-open world, or some such) still haven't been clarified. Expect the game to drop come holiday 2020, right alongside the next-generation console launch. A reveal stream will be available via Twitch in about two days - there's a countdown timer in the official Outriders page.

Square Enix is excited to confirm that TOMB RAIDER, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and FINAL FANTASY XV will all be available on Stadia when the new platform launches this November.

TOMB RAIDER explores the intense origin story of Lara Croft and her ascent from an untested young woman to a hardened survivor. Armed only with raw instincts and the ability to push beyond the limits of human endurance, Lara must fight to unravel the dark history of a forgotten island to escape its relentless hold.

The official Outriders account today teased the reveal of a new game - and what looks like a new IP - via its official Twitter account. The short, 15 second teaser does give away some elements: the setting is decidedly sci-fi. Rumors place the studio behind Outriders as People Can Fly (developers of Bulletstorm and, of which we haven't heard much from in recent times.

People Can Fly opened a development branch in Newcastle, UK, in September 2017, which included a number of former Ubisoft developers among others, and a second Poland studio in Rzeszów in May 2018. This second branch brought on former CI Games developers following layoffs at that studio earlier, bringing the total number of people for People Can Fly to about 160 - and the studio has been news object of it working with Square Enix on a AAA shooter. Since the reveal is being placed at Square Enix's E3 conference, it seems that Outriders could definitely be it.

The global community of FINAL FANTASY XIV Online continues to grow as SQUARE ENIX announced the game has now surpassed 16 million registered users worldwide during a Letter from the Producer LIVE segment streamed from San Francisco. Accumulating almost six years of critical adoration and passionate fandom, the positive momentum of the MMORPG carries into the upcoming release of its third major expansion, FINAL FANTASY XIV: Shadowbringers on July 2, 2019.

Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida also revealed several new details for the upcoming expansion during the livestream, including:

• Details on battle system changes, including the introduction of the charged action system.
• Updates to the FATE system, side quests, as well the addition of role quests.
• Adjustments to job synergy and rebalancing of jobs
• Various quality of life changes and UI updates

NieR:Automata on the PC platform is a love-hate affair, the former due to excellent gameplay and replayability via multiple "routes" and the latter no thanks to the game in need of performance enhancements and bug fixes that were promised nearly two years ago but yet to come to fruition. Overall, the game holds an overwhelmingly positive review feedback on Steam, and won many game awards from various video game publications last year. For those who were hoping, or just waiting, for a complete GOTY edition to come out, perhaps this news is for you.

Today, Square Enix officially announced the NieR:Automata Game of the YoRHa Edition that includes the full base game as well as the 3C3C1D119440927 Expansion DLC, four pod designs (Grimoire Weiss pod, Retro Grey pod skin, Retro Red pod skin, Cardboard pod skin), the Machine Mask accessory and two digital wallpapers. This releases February 26, 2019 for $39.99 for PC and the PS4, with the XBOX One having received a "Become As Gods" earlier this year that had brought with it performance improvements. It remains to be seen if the new edition gets a similar patch, which interested users must keep track of before committing to a purchase as many players today have had to resort to a third-party patch to get things smoothly running.

Square Enix has just updated their Final Fantasy XV Benchmark to version 1.2, adding support for NVIDIA's DLSS (Deep Learning Super-Sampling) technology. The new release will still allow users to test any graphics card(s) they have just as it did before. That said, owners of NVIDIA's RTX 2070, 2080, and 2080 Ti get the benefit of having access to DLSS for improved image quality and performance. NVIDIA claims that performance will improve by up to 38% with DLSS alone. In order to verify that we ran a few tests of our own to find out.

Preliminary testing was done using Corsair's Vengeance 5180 Gaming PC, which is equipped with an Intel i7-8700, 16 GB 2666 MHz DDR4 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080. At 3840x2160 with the highest possible settings, DLSS offered a 36% increase in performance. This is very close to NVIDIA's specified increase and within the expected margin of error. When compared to the older GTX 1080 Ti which was paired with a stock Intel i7-8700K, and 32 GB of 3466 MHz memory we see the GeForce RTX 2080 and GTX 1080 Ti offer roughly the same level of performance. Therefore DLSS really is the difference maker here allowing for better performance and image quality. It should also be noted both systems used the same NVIDIA 416.94 WHQL drivers.

A few months ago the creation of Luminous Productions by members of Square Enix made us wonder if this could affect the development of Final Fantasy XV for PC. The company had to reorganize its resources and that affected the roadmap for this project, which has finally been cancelled. The departure of Hajime Tabata, director of development, has made Square Enix decide to cancel any further development, including DLCs and patches alike, for the game. This especially hurts the PC version given it is in need of some gameplay fixes sooner than later, as the comments on the Steam store page would tell you. The company is having a rough time lately, as it reported a $33 million loss in its latest financial briefing.

The demo-benchmark of Final Fantasy XV was in fact one of the surprises at the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20 Series announcement, and thanks to it we were able to see how DLSS technology effectively posed a promising alternative to traditional anti aliasing techniques. With the project ending in the current state, we'll have to forget about these theoretical enhancements, and other eye-catching new features such as Vulkan API support.

Continuing the theatrics and explosions of previous entries, Square Enix has just revealed a story and gameplay trailer for the upcoming Rico-fest, version 4. Just Cause 4 will follow Rico's exploits on Solis, a "huge South American world home of conflict, oppression and extreme weather conditions" (there are more than 1,024 square kilometers on this title), as he hunts down "the truth about his past, at any costs". To do so, he'll have to defeat a high-tech, private military organization, dubbed Black Hand. Catch the trailer below as an entrée to the games' launch, scheduled for December 4th.