The Nier Automata creator says fake autographs are being sold in his name

In the world of collectibles, few things are as valuable as autographs. If you need proof, ask baseball fans how much a 1/1 Paul Skenes autograph is worth, and they'll tell you. With that in mind, it's no wonder why video game fans have turned to autographed versions of artwork, physical games and anything under the sun from their favorite creators, voice actors and artists.

One of those creators is Yoko Taro, the mastermind behind the likes of Nier: Automata and Drakengard, and his very distinctive autograph featuring the name “YOKO TARO” on the logo and front.

There's just one problem – apparently more than half of all available Yoko Taro autographs are fakes in the wild.

Yoko Taro, the genius he is, stays one step ahead of resellers

Taking to Twitter, Taro, in response to someone sharing his autograph for sale on the collection's website, revealed that not only was that particular autographed item fake, but many other items in the wild also bear his signature.

As it turns out, Taro was well aware that resellers would try to cash in on his signature, so he autographs his items with little details that seem to escape the naked eye so he can spot a fake from a mile away.

“I have confirmed that about half of the autographs being resold are actually fakes, so please don't buy them,” Taro wrote, though it's unclear where the majority of these fakes are being sold.

Likewise, Taro didn't explain how his fans could tell real from fake. Obviously, disclosing that information will put resellers back in the driver's seat as they build more sophisticated examples.

The end result, much like Yoko Taro, is a mystery. That said, if you have a “YOKO TARO” autograph as part of your collection, you should probably go and double check it because there's a good chance it's a fake. yes..