A new interview with Monolith Software’s Tetsuya Takahashi and Koh Kojima has revealed that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 won’t be the last we’ll see of the series. The chat also revealed more information about the game’s upcoming DLC content.
The third entry into the Xenoblade Chronicles series launches tomorrow, and in a chat with Nintendo Production Group 2’s Genki Yokota, the discussion largely centered on the huge amount of content that fans can expect with the new installment. While the game is being touted as the culmination of the series, Yokota makes it clear that this isn’t the end. “Yes, it will still go on,” he said enthusiastically. “I want to keep it going as long as possible!”
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will be supported with post-launch DLC content through the end of 2023, including a major story expansion. In the interview, the developers noted that it could be as big as the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 DLC, Torna – The Golden Country, which took most players around 15-20 hours to complete. Those seeking to complete it to 100% could expect up to 40 hours of playtime. Torna – The Golden Country also introduced a new battle system, new locations, and new playable characters, and was sold physically as a standalone game after its release nine months after Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
As with the previous game, the third installment will also have an expansion pass. This will be sold for $29.99 and will grant access to all upcoming DLC, including outfit color variants and helpful items on release day, July 29. At least three large DLC packs are expected over the next year and a half.
When asked about the highlights of the game, Takahashi focused on the story. “It’s been approximately 15 years since we began development on the Xenoblade Chronicles series. I feel that this game represents everything we have done so far and is filled with answers to all our questions. At the same time, we have taken on a variety of new challenges in this work, and I believe that we were able to implicitly share a glimpse of what Monolith Software wants to achieve in the future.
Also, this is the third title in the series, but you can, of course, enjoy it on its own. We believe that both newcomers and those who have been playing the series for a long time will enjoy this title,” Takahashi concluded.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 launches on the Nintendo Switch tomorrow, July 29, 2022. Preorders for the game’s Special Edition went live on June 30, and the amount of traffic caused Nintendo’s website to crash. As expected, scalpers grabbed as many of the bundles as possible, selling them for exorbitant prices on eBay and other e-commerce sites.
