The latest Nintendo Direct gave Xenoblade fans plenty to chew on, starting with Nintendo Switch 2 Editions for all three mainline Xenoblade Chronicles games. I’m really looking forward to these, especially Xenoblade Chronicles 3, which I called my 2022 Game of the Year and one of the best games I’ve ever played. Between all three, these upgrades might just warrant another full playthrough.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition leads the way, with a Switch 2 Edition that runs in 4K on compatible TVs and full HD in handheld, both at 60 FPS. It adds a high-speed vehicle for crossing the game’s huge areas, new racing modes that pay out in-game rewards, fresh equipment designs, and new voiceover for its Heart-to-Heart scenes. The digital version is out today, and existing owners of the original Switch release can pick up an upgrade pack instead.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s Switch 2 Edition follows digitally on July 30, with Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s arriving December 3. Physical versions land July 30, October 1, and December 3 respectively, and preorders for the upgrade packs are open now. Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s Switch 2 Edition will also add mercenary battles that let players control Blades, a new rare Blade and Blade quest, and new equipment designs for Pyra and Mythra. Meanwhile, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 adds new defensive battles against waves of enemies, a new Hero and Hero quest, and newly voiced event scenes.
The bigger news, though, is Xenoblade Genesis, announced as a new beginning for the series and set for Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027. Nintendo is keeping further details under wraps for now, but it marks the start of a fresh saga, arriving after the Xenoblade Chronicles games wrapped up their long-running Klaus storyline. The trailer is an interesting one, with iconic Xenoblade open-world environments scattered throughout, but it looks like it’ll revolve around students. I can’t help but get some Fire Emblem vibes from this.
