Definitive Edition release date, story, gameplay and what’s different

Xenoblade Chronicles was one of the last games stuck on the Wii U, with fans of the Xenoblade Chronicles main trilogy dreaming of the day it was ported. It offered one of the largest open worlds in gaming, a vast array of fun activities to complete, mechs to fly, a controversial but incredible soundtrack, and an epic sci-fi story with a custom protagonist.

Fortunately, out of nowhere, Nintendo announced XBCX is coming to Switch, a big reveal that was accompanied by a beautiful trailer and a handful of interesting facts to excite fans until the release date. All of this information can be a little complicated to search for, so combining it in one place can be helpful. Fortunately, everything is blooming Xenoblade fan or die-hard enthusiast needs to know about the next Definitive Edition can be found below.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition release date

It will be released in March 2025

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition will release on Nintendo Switch exclusively on Thursday, March 20, 2025. This is 142 days after the official announcement of XBCX the Switch has arrived, meaning fans won’t have to wait long for it. It also means Xenoblade fans will have to wait nearly three years between major releases, as the incredibly revised Xenoblade 3 Chronicles released on July 29, 2022.

Players can pre-order the game digitally or physically via the official website Nintendo websiteas long as they are in the USA. Physical pre-orders are not currently available in the UK via the Nintendo website. It costs $59.99, which puts it in line with the cost of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition. Naturally, the cost is quite high for a remaster of a 2015 game. However, there is a lot of new content coming this Definitive Edition for fans to look forward to.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Trailer and Story Details

A sci-fi adventure with Mechs

The announcement of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition came with a flashy trailer, showing off the new enhanced visuals that closely resemble those of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition. It also showed off the vast environments that players will explore, introducing fans to the world of Mira and New Los Angeles, a brief story, and also teased a fun addition for those who played the original. It’s a great trailer, one that does a good job of showing just how distinct this Xenoblade Chronicles spin-off isas well as their exclusive mechas.

Xenoblade Chronicles is more of a science fiction game than the Xenoblade Chronicles trilogyand is not connected to these games. It’s set in the year 2054 and follows a group of survivors who crash-land on the huge and diverse open-world planet Mira after fleeing Earth after it was destroyed in the crossfire of a war between two alien species. The player is a silent, personalized protagonist who joins the BLADE organization and its band of misfits as they try to build their community in the city of New Los Angeles and make a home in Mira.

There’s a wonderful cast of characters to meet and memorable villains to face. It’s a story full of big themes, epic scenes and exciting twists. which make it one of the best JRPGs of all time. Although it is an independent adventure, one that nods to the other Xenoblade but can be enjoyed on its own, it carries many of the themes and ideas discussed in those games. That’s a big deal XBCX is finally on Switch, not just for fans, but for all the people who missed it the first time around.

How Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is different on Switch

Visual improvements and new story content

THE Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition has several important differences from the original Wii U title. The most notable are the visuals, which are a step up from the original game. Character models look much better with faces that more closely resemble those of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Editiontextures have been improved across the board, with New Los Angeles looking more impressive. However, for the most part, it doesn’t feel much different from the original, with the jump from Wii U to Switch being less dramatic than the first game’s transition. After all, the Wii U version looked amazing.

However, more important than the visual update is the new story content being added to the Definitive Edition release. While Nintendo has been pretty tight-lipped about what the content of this new story will be, it appears it will focus on the game’s post-credits sequence, which left players with an unsatisfying cliffhanger in the original game. In the Definitive Edition trailer, that post-credit sequence of Lao lying on the beach appears, although it has some important differences, namely that the person approaching him is actually visible and speaks.

In addition to this new story content, players will also be able to access online modes – as long as they have a Nintendo Switch Online account. This online content, which was available in the original game, allows players to join up to 31 other people on various missions. This includes squad tasks, online missions, and global Nemesis battles. It’s fun to see these returns on Definitive Edition release as they were a fun addition to the original game.

It is worth noting that the Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition came with a new DLC called Connected Future which lasted around 15 hours. Added a lot of content cut from the original game, including an entirely new area. Although Nintendo has not said whether the Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition will receive the same treatment, it is not difficult to imagine that he will. Regardless, it’s great to see such a beloved Wii U game on the Switch, and it Xenoblade Chronicles fans finally have access to all the games in one place.

Sources: Nintendo.com, Nintendo of America/YouTube, Nintendo of America/X, GameXplain/YouTube