Developer notes from Xenoblade series creator and Monolith Soft director Tetsuya Takahashi have been translated and shared online, and they reveal an interesting take on the future of the series — that the next game will be "vastly different" from previous entries.
The message comes from the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Limited Edition soundtrack and has been translated by Mira (via My Nintendo News), a blog dedicated to translating and looking into the Xeno meta-series, which includes Xenosaga and Xenogears — both also created by Takahashi.
The soundtrack comes with a booklet that includes the message from Takahashi, but unlike the Trinity Box, the notes here are only included in Japanese. Mira's translation, then, shares some insights on the music of Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Specifically, the director talks about this when he's reflecting on the game's "big" song — 'Carrying the Weight of Life' — and the game's theme of "'not be afraid of change and walk into the future,'". He talks about why he chose to use the iconic track only twice in the game, "when it was fitting for the situation, and when it felt suitable to me, personally. It’s a compromise between “service” and “goal,”... "
Takahashi then follows up these comments by looking ahead, and using that theme of change to look into the future of the series he's worked on for over ten years:
"Rather than playing on defense, going on the offense; change rather than maintain. This is a stance that I have continued to hold for thirty years. If there is another “Xenoblade,” it will likely be something vastly different from what came before. In style and in music, I would like to make my next goal something that will betray everyone’s expectations, in a good way."
What could "vastly different" mean for the Xenoblade series? There's a consistent look and feel across all three mainline games, with an MMORPG-style take on turn-based combat, so perhaps Monolith Soft will change the direction of the gameplay? More action-oriented? It's hard to say.
Takahashi admits that striking a balance between "a way to reveal your work [and] a way to service users" is one of the most challenging parts of game development, and his reflections on Xenoblade 3's themes reveal his thoughts on that.
Regardless, what we can take from this message is that if Xenoblade is to continue — on the Switch 2 or whatever it ends up being called — it'll be a big change for the series. With Monolith Soft's vast experience (working on other Nintendo titles such as Splatoon 3 and Tears of the Kingdom) we're sure it will turn out to be an incredible experience.
What would you like to see from the next Xenoblade game? Let us know in the comments.
[Thanks for the tip, Greatsong1!]
[source xenomira.wordpress.com, via mynintendonews.com]
Comments 66
Finally, a Xenoblade fun racer
Man, I love monolithsoft.
If they don't turn this series into a minigame collection, then it'll be clear Takahashi was exaggerating here 😛
Great news! Xenoblade 3 felt a but too much of the same for me. It kinda was the same feeling as with Skyward Sword, it felt a bit too safe after so many similar experiences within a short period of time (Xeno 1, Xeno X, Xeno 2, Torna, Xeno remake). Good game though, just nothing outstanding, if you have played the rest of them.
Also, a new IP would be awesome too, Monolith! Perhaps like Baten Kaitos? Or that medieval RPG that was announced long time ago?
X-2 confirmed!! 😱 (coping)
Annoyingly clickbaity headline makes it sound like he’s discussing an actual in development project when he’s speaking purely hypothetically: “If there is another “Xenoblade,” it will likely be something vastly different from what came before.”
Needlessly sloppy reporting guys!
Xenoblade is one of my most beloved game series. I know it sounds silly, but these games have gotten me through some tough times in life. I look forward to whatever Monolith Soft has next for us, whether it is similar or different.
Man addicted to the latest xenoblade game.
I hope that the next installment will be on the next switch.
@WreckitRyan it’s not silly, Xenoblade DE helped me during a rather dark time in my life what with the relapse and my wife asking for separation but I just lost my self in the game put in about 250 hours and came out in the other side a better person.
Splatoon has so much lore, and they helped with Splatoon 3. I'd love to see them make a Splatoon spinoff game. It would probably sell better than any Xenoblade game, unfortunately.
Not interested. 3 (+ DLC) was a great ending.
X sadly won't be ported.
This makes me happy. I enjoyed 3 but this format is really starting to get repetitive now. Doesn't help that the games are 100+ hours long. I just hope the next iteration is better than Xenoblade X which was decent but also had too many design flaws.
@MirrorFate2 Never say never.
Monolith Soft new action RPG turned into Xenoblade Chronicles 4?
I thought the game already ended pretty well with Xenoblade 3, do we really need any more?
It would be better if they made some new IP instead.
@Switch_Pro Funny enough, Xenoblade 1 had the most complex battle mechanics, then 2 watered it down to a laughable degree, and 3 found a balance between the two, but as a fan of deep battle mechanics 1 is my favorite in the series.
Edit: Just wanted to clarify that I liked all three games, I just enjoyed my time with 1 the most.
I will definitely be in the minority on this but I’d love it if they just went straight action RPG for the combat in the next one. Xenoblade 3 was my GOTY last year, absolutely loved it but honestly did not care for the combat. Was just an obstacle to the exploration/story for me which was what I really enjoyed about it.
Would be an unpopular shake up for the series so I know it won’t happen but I’d be happy with it haha. That world and story with a more Zelda style approach to combat would be a dream for me.
Well...yeah. Considering XC3 is intended to be a "conclusion" of sorts, including what's in the Future Redeemed addon (Haven't played the latter yet), of course the next series entry will be completely different. Unless it's XCX2 or its equivalent. I fully trust Monolith at this point.
Xeno Dating Sim confirmed.
Brighid is best girl.
@Tyranexx Still hoping for an X remaster that finishes the game's story since the Wii U version had no proper ending due to budget and time constraints.
I'm not sure if they have the right skillset for it, but I'd really like to see Monolithsoft's take on a Capcom or Fromsoft style arpg. Their team of composers have already put out multiple full soundtracks' worth of masterpieces spanning I don't even know how many genres, so I'm all for whatever changes they make as long as they keep the same people on.
I just want some mechs again....
I still really want this game, but I also want a lot of other games, so...
I still hope they do a Switch port / remaster of Xenoblade X!
As long as the combat system feels unique I think I'll be fine.
@yuuji77 Well they said that Xenoblade 3 was supposed to be the end of the Klaus saga. A new game will likely start a brand new story altogether.
@pzadvance Given the tease at the end of Future Redeemed, they're almost definitely planning something else in the Xenoblade universe. The question is whether we'll be waiting two years or ten to see what that game looks like.
@Magician Weird way to spell Miyabi…
Great news
I also hope they keep the anime artstyle
Just want a new X entry. I feel like the main series did what it set out to do.
@EaglyBird Duly noted, though hopefully most people know how to use spoiler tags. I'll probably get to FR sometime this fall now.
@LilyGoMEOW YES. XCX basically ended on a cliffhanger of sorts. It's begging for a sequel. And a port of the first game while they're at it.
Xenoblade X on Switch while Switch and its successor are in transition.
XCX 2 on Switch 2.
And whatever they want for the future, but RPGs sometimes, please.
Quote is taken out of context constantly. The actual quote makes it clear that it's just the nature of the series. Each game does something drastically different than the last. On top of this, the actual quote is in reference to 3 being different than 1 and 2 with it's music, as it mentions the ost "Weight of Life" and how little it plays in game.
But before that please give us a Xenoblade Chronicles X port and a Xenosaga Remastered.
No more XC games please. I'd like another game like XCX, but call it something different.
I'd love to see a remaster of the trilogy on the next Nintendo console helmed by saber interactive or Panic Button, off topic I know, but we're talons xenoblade and would love an up scaled 4K presentation of those games.
On topic though, I would also love to see what Monolith software do next whether it's a xenoblade title or not. I'll always support there work with my wallet.
I'm probably one of the only people who kind of hopes we get a XC4 instead of XCX2. X just never resonated with me, and I hold zero interest in a sequel for it. Wasn't a fan of the fact that X had less of a story focus, and on top of that the vibe of the game was just entirely different but not in the good way like 2 and 3's vibes.
I trust them. It will be great eitherway.
@LilyGoMEOW I liked the orb stacking system in 2, 1 was a bit all over the place, each character was vastly different, so there's variety there. 3 was not my favourite, it played better than the other two but was maybe a bit TOO streamlined. Also, not gonna lie, a bit too many party members in 3, I would like the next game to stick to 3. I like all three though.
@EaglyBird How did I guess something like that was coming? XD
A Xenoblade MMO would be amazing, or perhaps the addition of drop in and out multiplayer. Gameplay-wise, its pretty much perfect. I would love to see mechs again Xenoblade X. Also, I would like more interesting side quests...just less of them. Maybe quests could be better written, more immersive and have more voicework like the Hero quests in 3.
Xenoblade X-2, this time as a real MMO
Oh, well that’s a roundabout way of saying XCX Remake Complete Ultimate Edition because what we played so far was just Act I (of 2) and there’s like 6 more chapters! Right? RIGHT?
(Think along the lines of aLttP’s world of darkness or the 2nd half of Final Fantasy VI)
Hopefully they can make an open world to explore like zelda, and bring back playable mechs. There should also be more customisation with equipment and weapons, but keep jobs like in xbc3.
Lol this doesn’t sound like a X sequel at all.
I enjoyed the last 2 Xenoblade games. And I hope Nintendo would port them to PC lol.
I hope it's more like Xenoblade 1 or X, and at the least a thousand times less chatty. 3's story was probably decent (if cheaply cloying based on what I experienced) but I started skipping dialog and cutscenes after ten hours or so because I just couldn't take another glacial conversation with that awful voice acting. The first game was full of dialog but not nearly as bad, and at least the voice actors were having fun hamming it up with the silly lines.
That's what Xenoblade needs. I looooove 1, 2, 3 and X, but now we need something different. I can't see myself playing a Xenoblade 4 so similar to 1, 2 and 3
@EaglyBird Very true. And broken clocks can be fun.
Vastly different huh? Ok... Let's start with re-releasing Xenoblade Chronicles X, so we can finally get to the long awaited sequel Xenoblade Chronicles X2 afterwards.
@EaglyBird
Xenoblade Chronicles: A TellTale Series!
Just kidding.
Honestly, I'd like to see them revisit Mira for Xenoblade Chronicles X's sequel. A re-release is a broken record request, but one I still wanna make too.
I tolerated the battle system in all of these games, but I never thought the combat was especially fun.
A Xenoblade story with more action oriented gameplay (maybe like Ys) would be a dream!
Also, how does Nintendo not have an MMO yet? Do they not realise the potential for NSO subscriptions?
Xenoblade Warriors incoming
I wouldn’t know, they still haven’t shipped my copy of the soundtrack that was supposed to be released weeks ago…
I feel like 'traditional' mainline Xenoblade game design peaked with XC3 and FR. While I wouldn't say no to more games in that vein, I also feel like there's not a tremendous amount of room for improvement.
So changing things up a bit probably isn't a bad idea.
In game development, as with life, clinging to the past or remaining stationary will eventually lead only to disappointment and regret. You have to accept change, move on, evolve, and embrace what tomorrow brings.
@EaglyBird Believe me, I feel the same way sometimes about my own brain. XD
@Monolift Soft
You had me at "next" ♥
....but what about Xenoblade Chronicles X? You can't leave us cliff hanging. Sequel bound to happen at some point, right?
I'd be fine with porting XCX to Switch with an added epilogue like Future Connected that ties up loose ends and explains why the Lifehold still works after being trashed and drowned.
@WreckitRyan Xenogears (the original PS1 game that started it all) was seminal experience for me as a teenager. So much so that I named my first child after the character Elhaym. While I didn't get as heavily invested in Xenosaga, I have with Xenoblade. That daughter now plays them and finds them important to her. Full circle.
@LilyGoMEOW hmm i thought 3 was more watered down then 2, either way great games
@Aneira @MirrorFate2 Good news
@masterLEON Omg how did you call it wtf
@MeloMan Nintendo actually listened to you holy carp
@MirrorFate2 Wrong
@Amognus I’ll gladly take partial credit for now unless they announce the Definitive Edition will indeed have like 6 more chapters. Then I’ll gladly print out my comment and stick it to my refrigerator, Lol
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