Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Trailer, gameplay, platforms & everything we know

We’ve got all the information on Xenoblade Chronicles 3 right here including a release date, trailer, and gameplay.

After 2020’s remake of the original Xenoblade Chronicles game, fans of the Xeno franchise can dive right back in with Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Revealed in February 2022’s Nintendo Direct, developers Monolith Soft have promised “a brand-new story that ties together the futures of the worlds depicted in Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2.”

Here’s everything we know about the third installment, including its release date, gameplay trailer, and platforms. We’ll also cover how the next chapter in the series will connect to the previous two entries.

Contents

• Release date
• Story & Gameplay
• Trailer
• Expansion Pass

Nintendo

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will follow on from both prior games.

Does Xenoblade Chronicles 3 have a release date yet?

Nintendo has revealed that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will release on July 29, 2022. This is a whole month earlier than expected which is great news for fans of the series.

You can check out the announcement and new trailer on Nintendo’s official Twitter page below:

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Story & gameplay

A direct sequel to both of its predecessors, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will bring players to Aionios, a world of war between the technological Keves and the magic-wielding Agnus.

Protagonists include Noah, a Keves soldier, who will battle enemies in real-time combat alongside five other party members. These characters can be customized with new classes, but also combine in pairs to form Ouroboros, unlocking new moves.

Monolith Soft

Combat occurs in the overworld, as with prior games.

It’s also likely to be one of the Switch’s best-looking games, if these early looks are anything to go by.

Trailer

You can see 20 minutes of gameplay footage here:

Check out the announcement below:

A two-minute trailer for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 dropped on February 9 as part of the first Nintendo Direct of 2022. If you missed it, you can rewatch the trailer above.

In the trailer, Nintendo showcased the characters, some of which look quite similar to two fan favorites from previous entries, Nia and Melia. It also gives a little inkling of the story, continuing that war-torn beat but with a twist.

Nintendo

Players can expect a huge range of locales.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Expansion Pass

During the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 direct presentation on June 22, 2022, Nintendo announced a DLC expansion pack that will include four waves of extra content that won’t be available to purchase individually.

The pass is priced at $29.99 / £26.99, and the first wave of DLC was released alongside the base game on July 29, 2022, featuring some outfit color variant cosmetics, as well as a handful of helpful in-game items.

The second wave of DLC will release on October 13, 2022, and will feature a brand new hero character, Ino, who is a mechanical warrior. Players will be able to add Ino to their party after completing her hero quest.

Challenge battles will also be added with the second wave on DLC and will feature consecutive waves of powerful enemies to defeat, which will be rewarded with valuable accessories and special outfits.

The third wave will also include a Challenges Battle, a new hero character, and new quests and outfits. It will release on April 30, 2023. 

Lastly, the fourth wave will introduce a brand new story scenario and will launch on December 31, 2023.

So, that’s everything we know about Xenoblade Chronicles 3. For more information on upcoming games, check out some of our below guides:

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 | Hogwarts Legacy | Forspoken | Assassin’s Creed Infinity | Hollow Knight Silksong | Sonic Frontiers | God of War Ragnarok