Philip Rebohle, DXVK's founding developer, stated in an interview that he started the project "to get one specific game to work". Later, he explained in a forum post that he was a bit of a Nier fanboy, and that it was a relatively simple game to use as a test subject for DXVK.
Rebohle was later contacted and hired by Valve. Wine already had a D3D11 compatibility layer, but it wasn't nearly as far ahead as DXVK at the time. It's fair to say that Linux gaming wouldn't exist in its current form if not for one guy's appreciation for Nier Automata. Rebohle still works at Valve, currently conributing to VKD3D-Proton.
People make jokes about the oversexualization of 2B...
But Nier Automata is truly the most humanist and deeply thoughtful game I have ever played.
Further, it has almost pitch perfect ludonarrative harmony and I have deep respect for Yoko Taro eschewing the three act arc of plays and films, recognizing that video games are a different medium and must define their own narrative rules that fit the medium.
Can we hear it for good gameplay, top tier writing, and flipping basically every anime trope on its head?
ah i see, a fellow eloquent butt enjoyer
We're classy horny weirdos.
It is truly a masterpiece of games as a medium.
Cannot listen to the end of yorha without tearing up when the choruses collide.
Games as art prime example. Think about it daily. (Not just the ass i promise)
Best game of all time in my books, and with its success they were even able to give Replicant the glow-up it truly deserves (and fully finish it including Ending E).