> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.killscreen.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# The director of Drakengard and Nier reveals the impetus behind his nihilistic games
- URL: https://www.killscreen.com/drakengard-3-and-nier-director-has-very-nihilistic-outlook-life/
- Published: 2014-05-22T17:06:18.000Z
- Updated: 2015-11-17T16:37:51.000Z
- Description: Someone needs to find Drakengard 3 director Toro Yoko and give him a hug. The fine people over at Gamechurch have transcribed a very somber and reflective interview on his views about those violent competitive kill-fests we call games, and it’s a compelling read. He finds it saddening that there ar
- Author: Jason Johnson
- Tags: News, drakengard, nier, politics, Toro Yoko, violence, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2024-07-26 09:39

Someone needs to find *Drakengard 3* director Toro Yoko and give him a hug. The fine people [over at Gamechurch](http://gamechurch.com/drakengard-3-director-taro-yoko-discusses-killing-in-video-games/?ref=killscreen.com) have transcribed a very somber and reflective interview on his views about those violent competitive kill-fests we call games, and it’s a compelling read.

He finds it saddening that there are societal expectations for $60 games to always be about killing things. This gut feeling has loomed in various ways over his previous projects.

The original *Drakengard*, for example, was created from the mindset that games which gloat about killing are insane, similar to the views we find in nihilistic cinema like *Salo*. To him this wasn’t only a problem with games but a reflection of the lack of kindness in the world. It goes a long way toward explaining that game’s warped plot.

> *I decided to have the army of the protagonist in Drakengard be one where everyone’s insane, to create this twisted organization where everyone’s wrong and unjust.*

But when he got around to directing *Nier*, he thought the world had changed for the worse, post-911 and the War on Terror.

> *The vibe I was getting from society was: you don’t have to be insane to kill someone. You just have to think you’re right. So that’s why I made Nier….*

You’re probably thinking: “But Toro Yoko, the games you make are still about killing. I killed 100 guards in the first 5 minutes of *Drakengard 3*.”

To that he’d sigh and agree.

> *I think that these types of killing games will continue to permeate the industry…. There has been no revolution or great change. I perceive that as a failure. At least for me, it’s a personal failure.*   
>  
> *But…. I say “But,” because I remain convinced of the tremendous potential in games.*

Thanks to [Gameschurch](http://gamechurch.com/drakengard-3-director-taro-yoko-discusses-killing-in-video-games/?ref=killscreen.com) for translating this.