'NieR: Automata' news: Upcoming DLC lets players fight Square Enix's CEO

Official release date poster for "NieR: Automata" Platinum Games website

"NieR: Automata" is receiving a ton of new content next month.

Square Enix is only weeks away from releasing the latest expansion for the open-world role-playing game (RPG). The game's upcoming downloadable content (DLC) will let players fight against Square Enix CEO Yosuke Matsuda, as well as Platinum Games head honcho Kenichi Sato. Named "3C3C1D119440927," the DLC launches three new costumes and arena battles with special rewards for the winners.

In the expansion, players can unlock costumes for YoRHa androids: 2B, 9S, and A2. These new items might look familiar to some fans since they are inspired by characters from "Nier: Replicant," the previous entry in the franchise.

"The caveat is that unlocking these costumes is no easy task," Square Enix Product Lead Francis Santos said in an official blog. "Players will have to complete a series of challenges presented in the form of colosseum battles. The costumes are the final reward for completing each challenge set in the three different colosseums located across the world."

Additionally, players who participate in various challenges and quests in the DLC will be rewarded with special prizes. New effects and items will be up for grabs including masks with "on equip" effects, special bullets that can alter the appearance of bullets coming from enemies, records that offer more musical tracks to the players' jukebox and cosmetic add-ons (i.e. hairspray that lets players change A2 and 2B's hair color).

It's worth noting that only original characters can be dressed up in the said outfits. This means that Square Enix boss Yosuke Matsuda cannot drop his business suit to wear the new costumes.

"3C3C1D119440927" is slated to arrive May 2 in Japan on PC and PlayStation 4 (PS4) for 1,500 yen (US$13.80). Square Enix has confirmed that it will be launched in North America and Europe "soon," but there is still no word on the expansion's pricing.

Developed by PlatinumGames and published by Square Enix, "NieR: Automata" is exclusively available for PS4 and Windows PC.

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