Nier: Automata saved the Nier franchise from obscurity, introduced the greater gaming community to Yoko Taro, and bailed Platinum Games out of a tight spot. Some say this is do to Yoko Taros storytelling, which is on a different level than were used to in video games, while others say it was Platinums amazingly implemented gameplay and Teflon slick UI that turned an obscure niche title into a million plus seller. However, Taros stories never saved any of his previous games from obscurity, and Platinums masterful game design had yet to deliver them a mega-hit, so James must attribute this newfound success to Yoko Taros genius move to focus on creating a virally appealing character.