The Tragedy Deepens
The sorrowful tale of NieR:Automata refused to relent.
In the final key location, 9S encountered someone he knew—Operator 21O, his sharp-witted, tsundere support liaison. Now, she too had fallen to the virus, her once-calm voice begging him to end her suffering.
9S's psyche fractured further.
"I… can't…"
Players clutched their controllers, tears blurring the screen. Livestream comments flooded with crying emojis:
"21O… no, please, isn't there another way?!"
"This hurts more than Titanfall's ending!"
Even the streamer—usually upbeat—couldn't stop sniffling.
In the end, it was A2 who delivered the mercy strike, saving 9S from the unbearable choice.
The Final Revelation
The white tower's secrets unfolded:
The twin childlike holograms revealed themselves as the true architects of this tragedy.
Every battle, every loss—all preordained. YoRHa, the machines, even 2B and 9S… mere pawns in an evolutionary experiment.
9S shattered.
"Lies. All of it—LIES!"
His scream echoed as the game presented its cruelest choice:
[Control A2] or [Control 9S]?
Livestream chaos erupted:
"WHY MUST WE PICK WHO DIES?!"
"I want a happy ending! Is that too much to ask?!"
The streamer sighed. "We'll save-scum. Backup the save file, try both."
Ending A/B: Despair
Help 9S: Both androids perish in mutual destruction.
Help A2: She sacrifices herself, letting 9S live—only for him to wander the ruins alone.
Audience reactions:
"At least one survived… right?"
"This isn't closure! This is PAIN!"
Debates raged about gaming's greatest tragedies (FF7? Zelda? Souls?), but one truth united them: No studio wounds players like YoRHa Entertainment.
The Twist: Pod 153's Rebellion
Just as the credits rolled—a new message flashed:
Pod 153: "Initiating memory purge. All YoRHa data will be reset."
The streamer's phone rang. A Facebook Live manager, relaying a message:
"Keep playing. There's… another ending."
Gasps filled the chat:
"WHAT?!
"HOW DEEP DOES THIS RABBIT HOLE GO?!"
Pods 042 and 153—once background drones—now debated defiance:
"Conclusion: This ending is unacceptable."
The audience roared in unison:
"WE REJECT THIS ENDING TOO!"