Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has a new release date. But, before you start feeling despondent about yet another game delay, you should know that it’s actually good news. Before, Xenoblade Chronicles was due out in September; now, it will launch on July 29. That’s a good two months earlier than expected, which should make a lot of Japanese RPG fans happy.
The information comes from a new Xenoblade Chronicles 3 trailer, which Nintendo posted on its official YouTube channel. We’ve also embedded it below:
The trailer itself is pretty standard stuff, although it contains footage we haven’t seen before. It kicks off with a montage of story cutscenes, then transitions into gameplay footage, where we get to see the real-time battle system in action. From there, it goes back and forth between story and gameplay teasers, with plenty of ominous voiceover and grandiose music. Then, right at the very end, we see a date: 7.29.2022.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s new release date is remarkable for two reasons. First of all, it’s almost unprecedented for a major game to move closer in the release schedule, rather than further away. Nintendo is no stranger to delaying high-profile games, as we just saw with the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel. In an era of public health-related game delays, it’s almost unprecedented to hear of a title that’s ready sooner than anticipated.
The second reason is because the next few months look pretty quiet for major game releases, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 could give players something to look forward to this summer. Up until today, the biggest release July release looked like Live A Live — another Japanese RPG, this one from Square Enix, but with a decidedly more niche audience than Xenoblade.
As for Xenoblade itself, it’s a series that’s been going on since 2010 on the Wii. The first game got a re-release on Switch a few years ago; the second game debuted on Switch in 2017. (There’s also a Wii U spinoff called Xenoblade Chronicles X, but that’s a whole other story.) The games are expansive JRPGs, with intricate battle systems, affable party members and huge worlds to explore. It’s all typical JRPG stuff, but it’s typical JRPG stuff executed with a lot of heart and polish.
Tom’s Guide will have a Xenoblade Chronicles 3 review closer to launch — which is now a lot sooner than we thought. Until then, the new trailer should give you a good idea of what to expect, or you can pick up the first two games on the Nintendo eShop.
Next: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is finally here — and it is the perfect reason to dust off your Switch.
