Skip to main content

Nintendo confirms ‘Xenoblade Chronicles 2’ will be released in 2017

On Tuesday, Nintendo broadcast a special live-stream at E3 2017, which saw a heavy focus on new games headed to the Switch this year. Among that number was Xenoblade Chronicles 2, a sequel to Monolith Soft’s critically acclaimed Wii RPG, which was re-released for the Nintendo 3DS in April 2015.

When Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was unveiled at an early Nintendo Switch showcase event, we learned that its protagonist was on a quest to find something called Elysium. The opening narration to the new trailer explains that this is the name for a paradise where an entity known as the Architect is thought to have lived among the denizens of the world.

The trailer then dives into some RPG staples: Airships, characters wearing impractical costumes, and aesthetically arresting locales. The original Xenoblade Chronicles was praised for its lush vistas and it seems that the follow-up will be no slouch in that regard.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The clip moved on to a fast-paced selection of scenes seemingly taken from both gameplay and cutscenes. We saw a fair bit of battle mode, which is significantly enhanced by some stunning visual effects, which look set to push Switch hardware to its limits.

We also saw a brief glimpse of protagonist Rex traversing various areas in the game’s overworld, notable for the diverse weather conditions that could be seen in various locations, and the sheer sense of scale on display. The idea that size matters was reinforced later on when we got a peek of an enormous creature that will presumably serve as a boss.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was among the first games to be confirmed for the Switch and it seems that we will not have to wait too long to experience the adventure. While Nintendo stopped short of specifying a release date, the trailer did confirm that the sequel will land during the holidays of 2017.

Editors' Recommendations

Brad Jones
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
What games will Nintendo Switch 2 launch with? We have some ideas
Mario and friends zip through a race course in Mario Kart 8.

We’re officially on “new console watch.” Reports from credible publications like Eurogamer say that Nintendo secretly showed developers its next system behind closed doors at this year’s Gamescom. While it’s only a rumor, it’s a realistic one. We’re six years into the Nintendo Switch’s lifespan and even the longest-running consoles turn over at eight. If Nintendo’s next system is one or two years away, it’s time to start lining up support from third-party developers.

We’ve speculated on features we’d want in a new system before, but the reality of a new platform has me asking another question: What games would you launch with something like this? The Nintendo Switch’s launch day was crucial to its long-term success thanks to a bonafide classic in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While the rest of its launch lineup wasn’t as impressive, Nintendo capitalized fairly quickly with titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 2. If Nintendo’s going to push Switch owners over to a new system, it’ll have to roll out the big guns.

Read more
The best RPGs for the Nintendo Switch
Marth glowing blue.

The Nintendo Switch is a smash-hit with a wide library of titles across all genres, so it should come as no surprise that it has amassed a wealth of great role-playing games. Many of them are ports of titles previously released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but others are exclusive to Nintendo's hybrid system -- such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

Whether you're looking for a turn-based classic or something new with a massive open world, the portable console has it all. Here are the best role-playing games on Nintendo Switch.

Read more
Nintendo confirms that it won’t be part of E3 2023
Pikmin and Bulborb in Pikmin 4.

Nintendo has confirmed reports that it won't be participating in E3 2023, meaning the gaming trade show will be missing one of its key vendors when it returns in-person this June.
"We approach our involvement in any event on a case-by-case basis and are always considering various ways to engage with our fans," a Nintendo spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge. "Since this year’s E3 show didn’t fit into our plans, we have made the decision to not participate. However, we have been and continue to be a strong supporter of the ESA [Entertainment Software Association] and E3."
After taking 2020 and 2022 off and being digital-only in 2021, this year was supposed to mark the grand return of E3, which was once a dominant game industry trade show that attracted every big video game company. Although Sony hasn't participated since 2019, it still came as a shock in January when IGN reported that both Nintendo and Microsoft would not be attending E3 this year as well. It appears that the report is true, as Microsoft has not confirmed any E3-related events outside of its independently run Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase.
Nintendo skipping E3 2023 not only takes away a vendor that dominated the show floor in previous years, but also raises questions about whether or not the company will hold an exciting Nintendo Direct around then. While Nintendo typically holds a big showcase with lots of first-party game announcements around June every year, in 2022 it only held a third-party driven Partner Showcase in June. Now that we know it won't be at E3 2023, we're left to wonder when exactly then next big Nintendo Direct will be. 
E3 2023 will take place between June 13 and June 16, but don't expect Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft to have a big presence there.

Read more