Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Release Date Moved Up From September To July

Nintendo has pushed the release date for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 up by a couple of months. 

When Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was announced earlier this year, Nintendo said it would hit Switch sometime this September. However, in a new three-minute trailer released by Nintendo today, the company reveals that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will now be released on July 29. A rare move for the company, this represents a push forward of at least a month, possibly two, depending on when Nintendo planned to release the game in September, a date we’ll likely never learn now. 

“Why are Noah and his friends being pursued by ‘monsters’ by the forces of the two nations they hail from?,” the trailer’s description reads. “Witness the introduction of the mighty Ouroboros forms, the oversized entities your party can become during battle in this epic continuation of the Xenoblade Chronicles series. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 arrives on July 29.” 

Nintendo has also shared some new details about what’s seen in the trailer:

“The new trailer for the game reveals the background of the group’s journey in Aionios, a vast and sublime natural world, and reveals new details about the battle system: 

• Battle with up to seven characters: Like in previous Xenoblade Chronicles games, battles start by facing enemies directly in the overworld. Players can control Noah’s party of six, as well as additional characters they’ll meet during the adventure. Each character has their own role in battle, which allows for diverse strategies. 
• Class Change: Noah is a swordfighter, specializing in close-range attacks, while Mio is a Zephyr, drawing enemy attention while evading their strikes. Thus, each character has their own class with their own strengths. Progressing in the adventure, players can change their characters’ classes, creating a customized party. 
• New Interlink System: Each of the tag-team pairs – Noah and Mio, Lanz and Sena, Eunie and Taion – can make use of the Interlink system if certain conditions are met. They will then combine into a giant form called Ouroboros. Each Ouroboros has its own powerful move set, and deciding when to transform can be the key to winning a battle.” 

Nitnendo says a Special Edition of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will also be available via the My Nintendo Store. It will include package artwork from Masatsugu Saito, a full-color 250+ page hardcover art book, and a steel case. It is not currently available for preorder yet, but Nintendo says new details about this Special Edition will come in the future.

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