NieR: Re[in]carnation Might Be Making a Comeback — and Square Enix Is Dropping Major Hints

The mobile game NieR: Re[in]carnation, a sequel to popular games NieR: Automata and NieR: Replicant, might soon be available again after being offline since April 2024.

Square Enix is dropping mysterious hints on their official website that suggest the game's possible return.

A special novel celebrating the NieR series' 15th anniversary contains strange messages pointing to Re[in]carnation. As journalist Willa Rowe spotted on BlueSky, Chapter 4 of this novel ends with unusual text that reads like a computer error:

[WARNING] : Recovery protocol initialized...

[ERROR] : Redirecting to backup node: < https://www.jp.square-enix.com/nierreincarnation/ >

[INFO] : Analysis comments added to the source code.

[FATAL] : Process forcibly halted.

The mystery deepens for those who check the webpage's source code. Hidden comments mention "The Cage" - the main setting of Re[in]carnation - along with references to a character named "Her" who plays an important role in the game. These clues strongly suggest Square Enix is planning something related to the mobile title.

Fans who have been following these developments believe this might lead to a port or re-release of NieR: Re[in]carnation.

The final two chapters of the commemorative novel are scheduled to release on May 2, which could reveal more about these cryptic messages.

For those new to the series, NieR: Re[in]carnation is a mobile RPG developed by Applibot and published by Square Enix in 2021 for iOS and Android. Set in an endless realm called The Cage — a world of towering monoliths and haunting landscapes — the game follows a mysterious girl and her ghostly companion as they uncover painful memories from the past.

Gameplay is split into three parts: Exploration, Weapon Stories, and Real Time Battles. It runs on a gacha system for new character variants and weapons.

While it saw mixed reviews for its gameplay pacing, its writing, music, and art direction were widely praised. By September 2021, it had racked up over 15 million downloads worldwide. The game ultimately wrapped up its service on April 29, 2024, with Square Enix announcing that the story had reached its intended conclusion.

But with these new teases, fans are wondering if there’s more story left to tell — or if this is a chance to tie together even more loose ends from the NieR universe. Either way, longtime fans and newcomers alike have reason to get excited.