Nier Automata hides two crucial characters on its Switch box art

Nier Automata
(Image credit: Square Enix)

Nier Automata's alternate box art for its Nintendo Switch release is hiding two characters.

As first picked up on by the Nier subreddit post just below, the alternate cover art for the Nintendo Switch launch of Nier Automata has more than meets the eye. It turns out two characters, Devola and Popola, are hiding in plain sight on the alternate cover, but they're buried so well that we've honestly got no clue how this person picked them out in the first place.

If you're not already aware of their significance, Devola and Popola are two characters that actually appeared in both Nier games. The duo first popped up back in Nier Gestalt and Nier Replicant, acting as two supporting characters on the hero's mission to save their younger sister from a disease rapidly consuming them.

Then, years later, Devola and Popola re-emerged for Nier Automata. Much like their role in Gestalt and Replicant, the two characters once again aide protagonist 2B where they can, hiding out in a shelter with other androids down on Earth, away from the android-machine war engulfing the planet.

Hey, no spoilers for Nier Replicant or Automata here. The latter game finally hits the Nintendo Switch later this year on October 6, in the 'End of YoRHa Edition,' which actually bundles together every post-launch DLC item for the action-packed game, as well as exclusive new character skins for 2B and 9S. Oh, and it'll run at 30FPS in both docked and handheld modes for the Switch. 

There's just one problem: the Nier Automata Switch port has Kingdom Hearts fans mad

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.