NieR creator insists that his decisions are based on what he thinks will sell, while also quipping that 'at first I listen to what the publisher wants from me, but later I don't'

NieR creator Yoko Taro in his trademark Emil mask from the games.

In a joint IGN interview with NieR creator Yoko Taro and Stellar Blade creative director Hyung-tae Kim, the two developers had nothing but praise for each other's work, while the famously eccentric Taro insisted that his surreal and existentialist fever dream NieR: Automata was just an Evangelion rip off that played to the market.

While the joint interview seems to have been inspired by the frequent comparisons between the PS5-exclusive Stellar Blade and Automata, as well as Kim's stated love for the 2017 action game, Taro noted that they both play very differently, with Stellar Blade having a greater emphasis on Soulslike precision and difficulty.