Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Release Date, Trailers, Gameplay, And More

The Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date is quickly approaching, and even sooner than fans initially expected. Still, it's been over four years since the last main game in the series, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, was published by Nintendo in December 2017, meaning players are undoubtedly ready for the franchise's next adventure. With the new game just on the horizon, here's everything fans need to know about Xenoblade Chronicles 3, including its release date, trailers, gameplay, and more.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Release Date

When Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was first announced, it was slated to launch sometime in September 2022. But, a couple of months later, Nintendo made the shocking announcement that, in a rare occurrence for the video game industry, the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date would be moved up.

Now, we know that the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date will instead be on July 29, 2022, nearly two months before the previously-announced release window. In addition, the game will launch with a Special Edition, which fans can purchase from the Nintendo Store. The Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Special Edition will include a SteelBook and an art book, alongside the game itself.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Trailers

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was first announced with a reveal trailer during a Nintendo Direct in February 2022. This debut trailer highlights many of the game's new characters, showing them engaging in combat and exploring the open world of Aionios.

The second trailer, which premiered in April, gave a few more hints regarding the story of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, along with providing players a more in-depth look at the game's battle system and new mechanics. Of course, this trailer also confirmed the updated Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date.

In June 2022, we got another in-depth look at the game thanks to a Nintendo Direct that showcased a tonne of story and gameplay. It went more in depth about the size of the world, and explored some of the different aspects of it, such as random encounters of warring factions, mobile bases that you can explore, and a dynamic time sytstem that causes different to spawn at set times. 

It also explored combat more, providing info on the main classes. which are: Swordfighter, Zephyr, Medic Gunner, Tactician, Heavy Guard, and Ogre. You can also switch between classes to create a more balanced team to help for certain situations. 

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Characters

The two main characters of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 are both off-seers, meaning they are flautists who play special dirges to mourn fallen soldiers. Noah is an off-seer from the nation of Keves, while Mio is an off-seer from the nation of Agnus.

Throughout the game, the main protagonists will be accompanied by two of Noah's friends, Lanz and Eunie, and two of Mio's allies, Taion and Sena. In addition, footage of the game's combat menu has confirmed that Valdi, Zeon, and Riku & Manana (functioning as a duo) will be playable characters. These take the place of seventh party members called heroes, that come with unique classes and abilities. 

Besides these playable characters, it appears that some characters from previous Xenoblade Chronicles games will make appearances in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Melia from Xenoblade Chronicles appears to be the leader of Keves, while Nia from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 appears to be the leader of Agnus. 

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Gameplay

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Like previous entries in the series, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will be an open world adventure with action role-playing gameplay. Battle mechanics from previous games will return, such as Chain Attacks, which allow players to link together multiple attacks in one turn. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will also bring back Overkill Chains, which grant players extra experience and loot whenever they deplete an opponent's hit points before the end of a Chain Attack.

However, it appears that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will also introduce a handful of new mechanics in order to mix up the series' traditional gameplay formula. For example, players will be able to fight with up to seven characters in their party. Previously, players could only battle with up to three active party members.

Additionally, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will introduce a new Interlink system, which allows characters to morph together to form Ouroboros with powerful attacks. Interestingly, characters can only Interlink with specific characters from the opposite faction. The pairs who can create Ouroboros are Noah and Mio, Lanz and Sena, and Eunie and Taion.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Story

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In Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the nations of Keves and Agnus are at war, despite the fact that Keves' apparent leader, Melia, was at one point an ally of the anti-war protagonist Shulk. Despite the ongoing war, characters from the competing nations will team up to explore Swordsmarch, a land that has been pierced by a sword.

Nintendo has confirmed that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 takes place after the events of the previous two entries in the series and that it will "connect the futures" of those two games. In addition, Nintendo described Xenoblade Chronicles 3 as a "grand tale with 'life' as its central theme."

While more precise story details have not yet been confirmed, players will undoubtedly be able to learn more about the plot of this game and how it relates to previous titles in the series following the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date in July.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Platforms

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Like with previous games in the series, Nintendo will be the sole publisher for the next entry in the Xenoblade Chronicles series. As a result, the upcoming game will launch exclusively on the Nintendo Switch come time for the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date.