Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Release Time, Pre-Load, and File Size

In a bit of news that is practically unheard of in the gaming industry, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is coming sooner than they initially said. If you're looking for the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date and more, here's what we know.

Seemingly darker and much bigger than previous games, there's quite a lot to look forward to. For this reason, we go over a little bit of the game and some of the details fans care about.

If you're looking forward to the game, here's our Xenoblade Chronicles 3 preview. You're finally only a few weeks from playing it for yourself.

What's the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Release Time?

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 launched on July 29, 2022. Nintendo eShop titles tend to arrive at midnight on the dot regardless of region, so you'll want to check your console then to play if you're planning on a late night session.

How Do I Pre-Load Xenoblade Chronicles 3?

To pre-load Xenoblade Chronicles 3, you just need to pre-order the game through the eShop. Retail codes won't work until the game goes live for play, so you'll only be able to pre-download the adventure if you've pre-ordered directly through the Nintendo eShop.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 File Size - How Big is XC3?

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 clocks in at 13.8 GB once downloaded and installed. That's with the v1.10 update included. Your save data will take another 70.3 MB. Any additional content (like Expansion Pass costumes) haven't been factored into this.

The game is officially 100 MB bigger than Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition in that regard, and only a few hundred megabytes bigger than Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Latest News

July 7, 2022

A new Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Direct was released, giving some insight into the story of the game.

Being almost 25 minutes long, it features gameplay, some of the story and a lot of the game's theming and atmosphere. It is darker and more existential than previous entries, so far.

May 19, 2022

Nintendo have revealed information about one of the new characters revealed in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. This is what they have to say about Isurd.

May 16, 2022 -

The Xenoblade Chronicles 3 file size has been confirmed as around 15GB. That makes it the largest mainline Xenoblade Chronicles game yet on the Nintendo Switch. Not by a huge margin, but it's still just under half of the onboard storage space of a launch model console.

18 April, 2022 -

The Xenoblade Chronicles 3 release date has moved up to 29 July, 2022. That's more than a month prior to when it was initially slated to come release in September. This was confirmed by a new trailer showcasing the earlier launch date, while also giving fans another glimpse of squad-based combat and giant boss battles. The wait for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 just got a whole lot shorter!

9 February, 2022 -

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is officially confirmed! Following previous rumours, Nintendo unveiled a first look at Monolith Soft’s latest during the Nintendo Direct presentation, announcing that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will release this fall.

8 February 2022 -

Nintendo has confirmed a new Direct presentation airs tomorrow on February 9. Scheduled to kick off at 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 10PM GMT / 11pm CET, that's expected to last for "roughly 40 minutes," focus on Switch games launching "in the first half of 2022."

2 February, 2022 -

A prominent leaker has claimed we could see some Xenoblade 3 news coming from a Nintendo Direct this month. This isn't the first time we've heard rumblings of a new Nintendo Direct presentation coming in February; and now, Zippo - who correctly predicted Persona 4 Arena Ultimax's re-release - advised a new Direct could happen as soon as next week.

While Zippo states they're "not sure of the content at this point in time," they believed this would feature Kirby And The Forgotten Land, Splatoon 3, Advance Wars 1+2, Mario Kart 9, and a new Fire Emblem.

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Gameplay and Story

Nintendo has confirmed this will focus on six soldiers hailing from two nations, taking part "in a grand tale with life as its central theme." Elaborating further, Nintendo offered this outline on the official website:

Bringing together the futures of Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, this title will take players to the world of Aionios, home to two hostile nations.

Keves: a nation where mechanical technology was developed. Their armies are composed of units consisting mainly of combat vehicles. They use units of small, mobile weapons operated by soldiers riding them.

Agnus: a nation strong in ether, a magical technology. Their forces are built around units that specialise in ether combat, and they fight with small, mobile, autonomous weapons that use ether technology.

We'll keep you informed as we learn more about Xenoblade Chronicles 3, so make sure to follow us.