While I agree that it's not really 3 times, I still think that it's useful to use that description when talking about games that do this, to be explicit that the "New game plus" option is integral to finishing the game.

I think this is an actual problem in Nier: Automata since (at least IMO and everyone I asked), the first ending is pretty underwhelming and it appears that the second playthrough will not change the story that much.