Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Release Date May Be Further Away Than Hoped

The third mainline installment in Nintendo's Xenoblade Chronicles may be releasing on Nintendo Switch at a later date than previously expected. Over the past year, a number of leaks and rumors have emerged and have suggested that Nintendo and developer Monolith Soft are currently working on Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Given the nature of these leaks, some fans assumed that a launch for the game in 2022 could be feasible. Unfortunately, according to one video game insider, the title likely won't be coming about until next year instead. 

In a recent podcast from Nate the Hate, who is someone that has previously had inside scoops related to a number of upcoming games, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 won't be a game that should come to Switch until next year. The reason for this delayed launch, according to Nate, is because Nintendo has had "optimization issues" with the game. Originally, Nintendo is said to have wanted to formally announce Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in the early part of 2021. However, that clearly didn't end up happening due to a number of development constraints. 

Speaking more to when we might see Xenoblade Chronicles 3 now, Nate suggested that Nintendo could opt to reveal the title in the first half of 2022. He then states that a release in December of this year could still happen, but it's starting to seem more likely to be a game that would instead come to Switch in 2023 instead. At the end of the day, the game's launch window all hinges on how much lost development time transpired in recent years. 

Again, it's worth stressing that all of these details should be taken with a grain of salt as there is no way to verify that they could be true. That being said, as mentioned previously, a number of teases and leaks from Nintendo have suggested that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is very much real, so it should surely release at some point down the road. When that arrival happens, though, is what remains to be seen. 

Are you hoping that Nintendo is working on Xenoblade Chronicles 3 right now? And if so, how do you feel about it being part of the Switch lineup for 2023? Let me know down in the comments or message me on Twitter at @MooreMan12.