Look, let us be honest: Yoko Taro, the visionary behind the NieR series, has casually dropped the bombshell that he has already achieved every single goal he ever had as a game developer. In an interview, the director explained that he realised his ultimate dream with his directorial debut, Drakengard, and is currently only grinding away at new projects because of sheer anxiety over his health and retirement.

According to a report by overseas media outlet Dengeki Hobby Web, Yoko Taro shared these thoughts during the game culture event The 10th Mosaic, held at the Institut Franco-Japonais de Tokyo in Tokyo, Japan, from September 22 to 23. During the event, Yoko Taro engaged in a candid dialogue about game development experience, creative philosophy, and future goals alongside Keisuke Okabe, the director of Ender Lilies and Ender Magnolia.

Yoko Taro bluntly stated, "I do not really have any particular projects I want to make from here on out." This is because the director packed almost everything wanted to do into the 2003 release Drakengard, the very first project where Yoko Taro took the reins as director. Reflecting on the project, the director noted that while it was far from perfect, it was the ultimate output of pouring one's absolute all into the work at the time. Yoko Taro added, "For someone who genuinely loves games, the ultimate dream is simply bringing the exact game you want to create out into the real world."

Despite all that, the only reason the developer keeps working is down to worries about health in old age. Yoko Taro mentioned, "As I get older, I find myself stressing over cancer and dementia, and I heard that people who work for a long time can sometimes suffer from dementia after retiring." The director explained, "Whenever I encounter unpleasant or exhausting moments while dealing with work tasks, I just push through by telling myself it is simply a preventative activity against dementia."

Financial necessity was also cited as another reason, though Yoko Taro candidly admitted that after factoring in recent savings and the pension to be received in the future, the thought that it might actually be possible to live comfortably without working is starting to creep in. Purely from a personal standpoint, the developer confessed a desire to stop working altogether.

On the other hand, Yoko Taro offered some thoughts on the modern environment where younger developers find it much easier to break into the game market. In the past, joining a major game company was practically mandatory to build large-scale 3D games, but the director evaluated that the advancement of technologies, including AI, has vastly expanded the production possibilities for individuals and small teams.

The developer forecasted that this shift will only make competition fiercer among young creators. Sharing a cheeky wish for an early exit, Yoko Taro noted, "In an environment where a new generation is growing at a rapid pace, I just hope I can gracefully exit the development scene before feeling the full brunt of that competition."