Nintendo isn’t done with the Xenoblade series just yet. And why would they be? With Gamescom in full swing, they’re teasing something new with a livestream. Could a Xenoblade Chronicles Switch port be in the works?
Even a whole year after launch, Nintendo isn’t quite done with Xenoblade Chronicles 2. In fact, despite the Nintendo Switch releasing the same year, it’s the best selling entry in the franchise yet. With a stand-alone expansion already set to arrive next month with Torna ~ The Golden Country, could Nintendo finally be set to unveil a Xenoblade Chronicles Switch port?
Gamescom has been in full swing for days already, yet Nintendo chose just a few hours before its Xenoblade Chronicles 2 livestream to tease an announcement for the show. Given the popularity of the Xenoblade series since the long-awaited sequel, there’s plenty of player requests the company could fulfill with this announcement, and many more it can dash once again. We know a port of Xenoblade Chronicles X is a possibility, but maybe a Xenoblade Chronicles Switch port will come first.
We don’t know how long the stream will go on for or when exactly Nintendo will drop the promised announcement, but we have a couple of ideas about what could show up real soon.
At 16:00 CEST, get an in-depth look at #XenobladeChronicles2: Torna – The Golden Country in our #gamescom2018 presentation. There could be a surprise in store, too… #NintendoGC https://t.co/iVspzkG6uZ pic.twitter.com/gLKEap48w3
— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) August 24,2018
Nintendo is set to show off the upcoming Torna: The Golden Country stand-alone expansion that hopes to fill in some of the historical gaps of the base Xenoblade Chronicles 2 game. There may be a vague connection to the greater Xeno series here, but Torna: The Golden Country is more of a direct prequel that’s set to offer dozens more hours of content to an already impressively large game. But we know exactly when it’s due out; September 21. So if we already know the content of the story and the release date, what else is there to show without spoiling the whole thing?
Since the original announcement of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, fans have requested an original Xenoblade Chronicles Switch port or remake. Nintendo did recently revisit the 2008 JRPG as the only New Nintendo 3DS exclusive title when the system released a few years back, but a refreshed version for the Nintendo Switch is high on the priority list of long-time fans.
Then there is the ill-fated Xenoblade Chronicles X. The vast open world of this 2015 Wii U title was an impressive achievement for the underpowered system, with the underlying tech and expertise not only helping Monolith Soft to develop Xenoblade Chronicles 2 at a speedy pace, but also caused it to have a major helping hand with The Legends of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It’s a title that suffered thanks to slim sales of the Wii U hardware, but it’s one that could very well be in line for a worthwhile port.
Then there’s the obvious inclusion of key Xenoblade Chronicles 2 characters in the upcoming Super Smash Bros Ultimate. This would be one of the least surprising announcements to come from the livestream, but one that will undoubtedly get fans riled up regardless. Similarly, amiibo of key franchise characters could be in the works, too. Only Shulk, the main character from the first game, had that privilege in the past thanks to his inclusion in the last Super Smash Bros release.
Could Rex, Tora, or Nia amiibo be in the works? Or will they be announced as the new Super Smash Bros Ultimate fighters? We’ll have to wait and see. The stream is already in full swing over here, so make sure to tune in if you’re a Xenoblade fan.
