Right, then... [Nier: Automata/Copied Factory] [Spoilers]

[RopeDrink]

that universe should not be integrated into this one.

Why not? That smacks of a personal preference more than anything. Next thing we may as well boycott the likes of Dissidia, or Super Smash Bros, or the current cross-over trend that has grown and infested the movie business since the likes of Freddy vs Jason, or Justice League, or all the superhero TV shows and movies that are cashing in on the concept lately. I've not played Nier myself, but if I had (and let's assume we had an Ivalice-sized story as a result of the full Nier raid), then I'd have been more concerned if they tried to use that slice to stretch out a game-length sequel instead of a cross-over raid. The Ivalice raid certainly put a nightcap on the old story, but it wasn't exactly a massive extension or replacement for it. This isn't going to be more Nier than Nier, but a love-letter to it which might throw in a few cherries on-top for those who are fans of it. Judging by some of the reaction videos I've seen, the vast majority are loving it so far and eager to see how it goes. I've never played it and yet even I'm curious.

MHW x FFXIV got me into MHW in the first-place, and having since played both after that happened, I could really appreciate the effort both sides put into content based on the other, yet it was no-less enjoyable when I had no idea what Monster Hunter was. I have no desire to play Nier, yet unlike Ivalice, this one is infinitely easier to follow as a non-Nier-head. The Ivalice story clearly had more reliance on references, characters and other aspects, or at least I can only assume so seeing as my non-tactics-self had barely any idea what was going on and found the whole ordeal rather bland, yet I was also familiar with the fact that this entire game has (almost always) been a mixed-bag of references to previous FF's in some shape or form, however minor, just like Dissidia is another crossover love-letter merging practically all FF universes together into a battle-arena. They're there as fun content for the fans, not to take over from the originals.

To bring it back down to earth, there is no reason for me to question the simple notion that beings from another world may discover ours (or vice-versa), not after a whole expansion fleshing out the fact our own is already split into 14 reflections that are, on the whole, their own worlds entirely (and we've managed to cross space/time to visit it), all while dealing with beings capable of time-bending shenanigans, space-time-travel, and all manner of technological wonderment. Even Midgar and various other beings have casually traversed worlds, him being just a big dragon, so I don't see what's stopping the futuristic epitome of technology in the Nier universe from doing the same, be it for fun or on a serious note.

I would simply recommend suspending disbelief and enjoying it for what it is, at least until the conclusion, where you would then be in a better place to judge the entire package. Until then, saying it should (or should not) take place here doesn't really add anything as there is no reason why it wouldn't or couldn't outside of some people's individual desire for games to remain in their own universe. We're in an era ripe with cross-overs everywhere you look. I can't fart without it stinking up some conversation about the likes of the Justice League or whatever other product involves characters from X meeting characters from Y despite being from different products/universes that, on paper, shouldn't be anywhere near the other, yet here we are.

[Iscah]

Why not? That smacks of a personal preference more than anything. Next thing we may as well boycott the likes of Dissidia, or Super Smash Bros, or the current cross-over trend that has grown and infested the movie business since the likes of Freddy vs Jason, or Justice League, or all the superhero TV shows and movies that are cashing in on the concept lately.

I said it was personal preference. Not in those words, but I was talking about why I have an issue with it.

And those other crossovers are a different situation entirely. Dissidia and SSB are defined from the start as crossover between specific elements (and also, as far as I'm aware, are not intended to actually affect the canon of the games from which the characters are drawn). And to my understanding, the superhero crossover series has been crafted as such from the start.

My issue with this crossover (assuming it is an actual crossover of lores) has two main elements:

1. Scope creep. FFXIV is a world that draws from various FF titles to build its world lore (with the occasional non-impacting crossover with something else). Now it is FF + NieR that dictates the lore. Next expansion it might be FF + NieR + Other Game. It creeps away from its original intent of "FF crossover" and turns into "Final Fantasy and some other things XIV".

2. Introducing a separate established canon into this one, when it wasn't there from the beginning. If NieR is now canon to FFXIV, this isn't just using some characters for a novelty quest, it's taking an entire story and dropping it into the game. It affects the origins of things. It changes how people talk and theorise about the plot. It's a huge left turn adding an entire game that wasn't supposed to be there when the writers were originally conceiving the story.

If it was built as a crossover from the start, I would feel differently about it. It would be an integral part of the world from the beginning. Instead it's being grafted into an existing story, three expansions into a previously unrelated game.

The story of NieR has been told in the NieR games. The story of FFXIV has been told in FFXIV.

Now the story of NieR is being inserted into FFXIV instead of staying in its own series, and possibly rewriting parts of FFXIV as a consequence.

It just seems like it shouldn't be here.

On the other hand, if it is not impacting FFXIV outside of the immediate zone of the NieR raids and I can ignore it... fine. I am not interested in it being here, and they've done nothing so far to really sell the game to me as a non-NieR-playing FFXIV fan, but fine.

I don't want FFXIV plot theorising to turn into relying on NieR for a full understanding of what's going on in the wider game.