Gaining notoriety due to the Operation Rainfall campaign, Xenoblade Chronicles was not only one of the best games on the Nintendo Wii but one of the best JRPGs of its generation. Quickly flourishing into a juggernaut Nintendo/Monolith Soft franchise, Xenoblade gave rise to an action RPG franchise. That series is finally continuing on the Nintendo Switch with the latest entry, Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Xenoblade 3 was only recently announced, but it’s already raising a lot of questions among the fandom. Returning to bring the title to life are many of the same people who’ve made the series so far such a fantastic set of JRPGs, ensuring that what might be the conclusion to the Nintendo and Monolith Soft trilogy maintains the series’ standard of excellence. Most excitingly, though, is that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will be releasing very, very soon.
The Plot and Setting of Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Much of the plot for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is still unknown, though it is set after the events of both Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The exact setting is the world of Aionios, which is split between two nations: the more technological Keves and the ether and magic-oriented Agnus. The protagonists are Noah and Mio, who, along with their group of friends, represent each nation.
It’s worth noting that the world of Aionios sounds very reminiscent of Aion, a powerful Artifice from Xenoblade Chronicles. This means that the world is likely directly tied to the events of the last game in some way, especially given how the design of the machines looks like those from the first game. Like with Xenoblade 1 and 2, however, there doesn’t seem to be any connection to the Wii U title Xenoblade Chronicles X.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Debut Trailer
The game’s first trailer was just recently shown at the latest Nintendo Direct, giving a glimpse at the long-awaited sequel. This trailer was story-oriented instead of gameplay-oriented, showcasing the characters and their feud with each other. Even still, many questions about the plot and who these new cast members are remains to be explained. However, the setting and imagery are all highly reminiscent of Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and 2, with the final scene of the cutscene being evocative of the covers from those titles. The setting of certain scenes also resembles Gaur Plains from the first, suggesting that things will come full circle. This is only bolstered by the broken sword of Mechonis and the body of the Urayan Titan.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 News to Know & Release Date
Though the early ideas that led to Xenoblade Chronicles 3 would begin in the late 2010s after Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was released, it would only just be officially announced in the February 2022 Nintendo Direct. This followed a game pitch idea by series creator Tetsuya Takahashi, whose work with the series began with the title Xenogears for the original Sony PlayStation. He’s joined by many of the previous games’ staff members, such as the same composing team and art designers Masatsugu Saito and Koichi Mugitani. Speaking of music, the flute theme heard in the game’s trailer is apparently a key part of the story, so listening to its melody is an in-road into the narrative.
Though it’s only now being officially confirmed as having been in the works, gamers won’t have to wait for too much longer to play the latest Xenoblade on their Nintendo Switch. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is currently set to release in September of this year, with the Fall release schedule likely being the same across the world. Before it comes out, those who haven’t played the first two chronological entries or who want to relive the experience can check out both Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on the Switch, as well.
About The Author
