Nier: Automata Ver1.1a anime adaptation gets a January release date and a first proper trailer

The first proper trailer for the Nier: Automata anime has been released, as well as setting a release date for this January.

Nier: Automata Ver1.1a (because it wouldn’t be a Nier piece of media if it didn’t have some kind of weird name) received a lengthy trailer yesterday (September 24) showing off the anime in action for the first time, and even featured since insider details from Yoko Taro and the anime’s director Ryoji Masayuma. It also confirmed a release date for the anime, which will be available to watch January 2023.

The trailer doesn’t show off too much of the anime itself, but we do get to see what looks to be some of the early scenes of the game, which has a strong early 2000s vibe to the style.

Taro noted that there would in fact be differences between the anime and the game, which makes sense considering the nature of how the latter’s story is told. “Nier: Automata was a story we created to be a game, so copying it as-is wouldn’t make an interesting story for an anime,” Taro explained. “I’m the one going around and breaking things for [Aniplex], so if anyone is dissatisfied, it’s likely to be my fault,” Taro added in reference to the story differences.

What those changes might be haven’t been detailed, though it wouldn’t be surprising if it’s something to do with the fact you have to play the opening portion of the game twice, once as 2B, and again as 9S, with some minor differences.

The anime was announced back in February of this year, but we haven’t seen too much of it since its announcement.

Before that though, players will once again have the opportunity to become as gods in the Nintendo Switch version of the game, which could honestly be the best way to play the game.