Nintendo surprised fans on Tuesday with the announcement of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition for the Nintendo Switch, slated for release on March 20, 2025. This release completes the Xenoblade Chronicles series’ presence on the Switch platform.
A newly released trailer showcases enhanced visuals and teases additional story content. While Nintendo remains tight-lipped on the extent of these additions, they confirm “added story elements,” hinting at a deeper narrative experience. The trailer features a mysterious hooded figure on a beach, leaving fans intrigued and eager for more information.
Preorders for both physical and digital copies are now open on the Nintendo eShop for $60.
Nintendo’s previous port of Xenoblade Chronicles to the Switch as Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition revitalized the classic JRPG, enhancing its features and adding a substantial epilogue. While Xenoblade Chronicles X, originally released on the Wii U, hasn’t achieved the same widespread acclaim, it stands out as a unique entry in the series. It boasts a distinct sci-fi focus, a massive explorable map, in-depth character customization, and a fresh setting: New Los Angeles on the alien planet Mira. The game also featured multiplayer elements, allowing players to team up online for specific missions and Global Nemesis Battles, and utilize other players’ avatars for squad formations.
Until recently, Xenoblade Chronicles X remained the sole entry in the franchise unavailable on the Switch, a situation exacerbated by the closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShops. This effectively made the game inaccessible for digital purchase or play on modern consoles.
Beyond the exciting news of a beloved Wii U title being remastered for the Switch, the release date offers potential clues regarding the Nintendo Switch’s successor. With Xenoblade Chronicles X launching in March specifically “coming to Nintendo Switch,” it suggests the rumored “Switch 2” might arrive later in 2025. However, given the Switch’s current life cycle stage, a cross-generation release remains a possibility.
