Despite having a release window for September, Xenoblade Chronicles 3‘s release date was moved up to July. It was a strange move from Nintendo, as games have rarely ever moved up on the calendar. However, the newly announced release date for Splatoon 3 now explains the likely reason for this decision.
Nintendo and XBC 3 made headlines when it was revealed that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 would be released on July 29, 2022. In a previous Nintendo Direct, the game had been given a September 2022 release window. Nintendo, like most gaming companies, has had to delay certain titles – like Breath of the Wild 2 – but rarely has a company moved a game’s release date up by two months. At the time, it was an odd move that got a lot of attention, as it was unclear why exactly Xenoblade Chronicles 3‘s release date had been bumped up on Nintendo’s 2022 schedule.
Now, this seems somewhat clear – since Splatoon 3 is releasing in September. Both games are highly anticipated first-party titles from Nintendo. Traditionally, Nintendo has kept these kinds of exclusives to monthly releases on the Switch, so it wouldn’t make sense to release Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Splatoon 3 in the same month. These are two very different games, but it could still result in people having to choose between the two if they were released too closely together. From a business standpoint, it just doesn’t make sense – it would theoretically hurt Nintendo’s sales of both titles.
Release Dates For Splatoon 3 & Xenoblade Chronicles 3 May Explain Changes
Of course, the question still remains: Why didn’t Nintendo just release Splatoon 3 in July? While there doesn’t seem to be an official answer just yet, there is a somewhat obvious explanation. It’s entirely possible Splatoon 3 wouldn’t be ready in July, so its launch date was swapped with the release date for Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Previously, Splatoon 3 had been given a “Summer 2022” release window, and while September 9 is still technically summer (autumn officially begins on September 22), it seems likely that the release dates for Splatoon 3 and XBC 3 were simply swapped.
There’s been no official confirmation that either title had development issues, but in an age where pandemic-related delays are prevalent, it certainly seems possible. Now that both games have a specific release date, though, it seems unlikely that either will change. And in the meantime, Nintendo fans can look forward to Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Splatoon 3 both coming out later this year.
