Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is coming two months early

DeAngelo Epps
By

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 got a big bump to its release date today. In an announcement made via Nintendo of America’s official Twitter account, the company revealed that the latest entry in the Japanese role-playing game series is now hitting the Nintendo Switch on July 29. It was originally set to launch in September.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Release Date Revealed – Nintendo Switch

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 originally was announced during Nintendo’s February Direct, where it was given that initial September 2022 release date. Nintendo didn’t cite a specific reason for this rather substantial launch date bump, and simply stated that fans will be able to play “sooner than expected.”

Recommended Videos

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the latest game in the somewhat confusing Xeno series. The franchise started on PlayStation 1 with Xenogears, jumped to PlayStation 2 with Xenosaga, and is now a Nintendo exclusive with Xenoblade 1, 2, and 3.

Related

An accompanying trailer for the title shows off more about the story, characters, and the new strategic battle system. The battle system in particular seems like a step up from previous titles, allowing players to control up to seven party members during enemy encounters.

The case of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and its “negative delay” is a rare case when it comes to gaming as of late. Nintendo recently pushed back the release date of its upcoming strategy role-playing game, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp to an undisclosed date due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The game originally was to release on December 3, 2021, but was pushed to April 8, 2022, and now is awaiting a hopefully final release date.

Players can return to the Xenoblade series with this fresh title earlier than expected on July 29 on Nintendo Switch.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
DeAngelo Epps
DeAngelo Epps
De'Angelo Epps is a gaming writer passionate about the culture, communities, and industry surrounding gaming. His work ranges…
Baldur’s Gate 3: PS5 release dates, file size, preorder, and early access
A party of heroes stands on a cliff in Baldur's Gate 3.

If you've been patiently waiting for Baldur's Gate 3 to arrive on PlayStation 5 while PC players got an early start, you won't have to wait much longer, unlike Xbox players. By now you don't need us to tell you just how amazing this game has shaped up to be, and are more than likely already prepared with your choice of character and just waiting for the green light to finally dive into this massive CRPG. But if your excitement has gotten the better of you and you don't know exactly when Baldur's Gate 3 will be ready to play, how to preload, or even if you can get in on the game a little early, we've got you covered.
Baldur's Gate 3 release time

Baldur's Gate 3 will come out for all PS5 players officially on September 6 at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET. Anyone who purchased the Digital Deluxe Edition gets 72 hours of early access, meaning you can start playing on September 3 instead.
Baldur's Gate 3 file size

Read more
Is Baldur’s Gate 3 coming to Xbox?
A mage holding a flaming object.

After years in early access only on PC, Baldur's Gate 3 is finally here in its final state. This CRPG has the internet buzzing about just how long and varied the experience can be. What's even better is that it can be played in co-op, though with limited cross-platform features. Those looking at the game may notice that there is only ever mention of a PC and PlayStation 5 version, which obviously raises the question about Xbox consoles. Baldur's Gate 3 doesn't have any exclusivity deal with PlayStation, so why isn't it on Xbox, and will it ever be?
Will Baldur's Gate 3 come to Xbox?
https://twitter.com/Cromwelp/status/1685821620756021249?s=20

The latest update from Larian states that it will be able to release Baldur's Gate 3 on Series X and S sometime before the end of 2023, but with the S version not having split-screen coop.

Read more
Baldur’s Gate 3 and Hades have made me an early access believer
Astrion holds his chin in Baldur's Gate 3.

Until recently, early access games -- which allow players to buy, play and provide feedback on games during development -- still had a bad rap in my mind. Half-baked games that took advantage of the process (like DayZ, Godus, and The Stomping Land) are what still came to mind whenever I'd see an early access label on Steam or the Epic Games Store. I'd refused to even play many early access games because I was worried they’d go unfinished or not live up to expectations.

I'm finally coming around though, and that's thanks to two recent success stories. Hades, one of my favorite games of the past decade, and Baldur’s Gate 3, the Dungeons & Dragon RPG currently taking the gaming industry by storm, both started as early access games. Each came out of early access as such fully formed, enriching experiences that it’s begun to reshape my perspective on how powerful a tool early access can be.
The benefits of early access
I remember actively not being that interested in Hades back when it was announced in December 2018, and that was because it was an early-access title. The joke was on me; I felt like quite the fool when I finally got around to playing it at launch in 2020, and it became one of my favorite games of all time. I was in a similar boat with Baldur’s Gate 3, which I originally got access to on Google Stadia but didn’t play that much until its August 3 launch. Fool me twice and all that.

Read more