Nier Automata: How to Unlock All Endings A Through E
Nier Automata: How to Unlock All Endings A Through E
This guide walks you through unlocking every canonical ending in NieR: Automata—Endings A, B, C, D, and E—in order, with precise triggers, location names, dialogue choices, and timing. It’s written for players who’ve finished the main story once but missed endings or got stuck on branching paths. No spoilers beyond structure—just clear, tested steps from someone who’s done all five endings in a single playthrough using only base game content (no DLC required).
Before You Start
- You must complete Ending C (the “pod sacrifice” ending) first—the game locks Endings A and B behind it.
- Save before the final boss fight in Chapter 16 (the Tower sequence). The critical save point is at the top of the Tower, right before entering the black void corridor where 2B fights the Machine Lifeform core. Do not overwrite this save after completing Ending C.
- Keep your inventory clean: no quest items blocking progression (e.g., “Lost Data” from Pascal’s Village must be turned in before Chapter 16; if you still have it, go back and complete that side quest).
- Use the “New Game+” option after Ending C—you’ll retain all chips, weapons, and levels, but story flags reset. This is mandatory for Endings A and B.
- Ending E requires playing as 9S *after* completing Ending C and selecting “Continue” when prompted—do not start a fresh NG+.
Step 1: Unlock Ending A (The First Playthrough Ending)
Trigger Conditions
Ending A is the default ending of Route A (2B’s path), but it only appears if you haven’t seen Ending C yet—and you haven’t selected “Continue” post-credits. To get it cleanly:
- Start a fresh file (not NG+).
- Play through Chapters 1–15 normally. Skip all optional side quests that delay Chapter 16 (e.g., avoid the “Forest Kingdom” questline until after Ending C).
- In Chapter 16, climb the Tower. At the top, enter the black corridor. When 2B collapses after the core fight, choose “I don’t know” when the pod asks “What do we do now?”
- Let the credits roll. Do not select “Continue.”
Ending A ends with 2B’s body falling into the crater—no epilogue, no pod narration. You’ll get the “A” trophy/achievement immediately.
Step 2: Unlock Ending B (9S’s Perspective)
Trigger Conditions
Ending B is Route B—9S’s story—and requires playing Chapter 16 again *as 9S*, but only after Ending C is unlocked.
- Load your Ending C save (the one at the Tower summit).
- Select “New Game+” and choose “Route B” when prompted (you’ll see “Chapter 16 – Route B” on the title screen).
- Proceed up the Tower. You’ll re-fight the core—but this time, 9S absorbs the logic virus mid-battle. Let him fall to his knees after the cutscene.
- When the pod asks “What do we do now?”, choose “I don’t know.”
- The camera pulls back to show 9S’s broken body beside 2B’s. Credits roll—no “Continue” prompt appears unless you’ve already unlocked Ending C.
You’ll receive Ending B’s trophy. Note: You cannot get Ending B before Ending C—even with a fresh save, the game blocks Route B until C is flagged.
Step 3: Unlock Ending C (The Pod Sacrifice)
Trigger Conditions
This is the emotional pivot point—and the only ending that unlocks the rest. It happens during your *first* full playthrough of Chapter 16, but only if you make the correct choice at the climax.
- Reach the black corridor at the Tower’s peak.
- After defeating the core, 2B collapses. The pod initiates self-destruct.
- When prompted “What do we do now?”, choose “Let’s go” — not “I don’t know.”
- You’ll then control the pod alone for 2 minutes, dodging red lasers while ascending. Survive until the white light engulfs the screen.
The ending shows the pod’s memory core uploading data into the cloud—then cuts to YoRHa Command’s broadcast room. You’ll get the “C” trophy and a “Continue?” prompt. Say YES.
Step 4: Unlock Ending D (The Truth Revealed)
Trigger Conditions
Ending D is a short, non-combat epilogue triggered by continuing *immediately* after Ending C—and only if you skip all side content post-credits.
- After selecting “Continue?”, you’ll respawn as 2B in the ruined city near the Resistance Camp.
- Go straight to the Bunker (not the Copied City, not the Amusement Park). Enter the elevator and descend to Sublevel 3.
- Walk to the terminal in the center room. Interact with it—no hacking minigame needed.
- Watch the full cutscene: A2 appears, reveals YoRHa’s deception, and sacrifices herself so 2B can escape.
- Exit the Bunker and walk toward the desert. At the edge of the sand dunes, 2B stops. Choose “Yes” when asked if she wants to know the truth.
The screen fades to white. You’ll see the YoRHa archive logs, then the satellite feed showing Earth’s true state. Ending D ends with 2B walking alone into the storm. Trophy awarded.
Step 5: Unlock Ending E (The Final Choice)
Trigger Conditions
Ending E requires playing Route C (9S’s perspective) *after* Ending D—and making a specific choice during the final sequence.
- From your Ending D save, select “New Game+” and choose “Route C.”
- You’ll begin as 9S in the Bunker’s Sublevel 3, just after A2’s death.
- Follow the linear path: ascend the Bunker, fight the infected pods, reach the surface, and head to the Tower.
- At the Tower’s peak, you’ll confront the core again—but this time, the logic virus fully corrupts you. You’ll kill 2B and A2.
- After the battle, you’re given two options: “Destroy the server” or “Preserve the data.”
- Choose “Preserve the data.”
- You’ll then face the final boss: the merged consciousness of Adam and Eve. Defeat it without dying (use the “Auto-Battle” chip + “Quick Heal” set; their laser barrage has a 3-second wind-up—dodge sideways).
Post-boss, you’ll watch the world reset. Then—critical step—when the pod asks “Do you want to delete your data?”, choose “Yes.” Let the deletion timer run to zero. The screen goes black. Wait 6 minutes (real-time). Don’t touch the controller. At 6:00, the credits roll over the piano theme—and the “E” trophy pops.
Pro Tips & Common Mistakes
- Mistake: Skipping the Tower save. If you didn’t manually save at the Tower summit before Ending C, you’ll need to replay Chapters 14–16. Use the auto-save at the Abandoned Factory (Chapter 15) as backup—it’s 20 minutes back, but faster than restarting.
- Tip: Speed up Ending E’s timer. The 6-minute wait isn’t skippable, but you can mute audio, minimize the window, or alt-tab out. The game continues counting even if unfocused.
- Mistake: Using the “Reset Memory” option after Ending C. This wipes all progress—including ending flags. Always pick “Continue,” never “Reset.”
- Tip: Weapon loadout for Ending E’s final boss. Equip “Type-07” (high stagger), “Virtuous Contract” (reflect damage), and chips: “Quick Heal,” “Auto-Battle,” “Defense Up Lv.3,” and “Attack Up Lv.3.” Avoid ranged builds—the boss closes distance fast.
- Mistake: Thinking Ending D requires side quests. It doesn’t. The Amusement Park, Forest Kingdom, and Copied City quests all lock *out* Ending D if completed before the Bunker terminal. Skip them entirely until after D.
- Tip: Save scumming is allowed—and encouraged. The Tower corridor in Ending A/B has no checkpoints. If you die dodging lasers, reload your Tower summit save. Same for Ending E’s deletion timer: if you misclick and choose “No,” just quit and reload.
- Mistake: Assuming “Route C” means starting over. Route C is only accessible after Ending D—and only via New Game+, not a new file. Starting fresh will boot you back to Route A.
Now you’ve seen every ending—A through E—exactly as Yoko Taro intended.
