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Today Nintendo presented a special Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Direct (the recording starts at 25:00).

The 15 minute pre-recorded video offered a new trailer for the upcoming JRPG, as well as more details of the class and combat systems. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is coming to the Nintendo Switch on December 1.

“With Xenoblade Chronicles 2, we are giving fans yet another engaging adventure that can only be found on Nintendo Switch,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior VP of Sales and Marketing. “This sequel is perfect for playing at home or while traveling during the busy holiday season.”

The new trailer that kicks off the Direct showcased the DLC that’s also arriving on December 1 – original Japanese voice acting with English subtitles.

The rest of the video takes a deep dive into the RPG’s class, skill, and combat mechanics, as well as gathering resources and fast-travel using landmarks.

Protagonist Rex can be joined by two other party members called Drivers. Other allies are designated as Support for each Driver, which come as either Tank, Attacker, or Healer, and help determine the Driver’s class. Each weapon style has four Arts (skills), and you can choose three of them. Since a Driver can have three Supports, that’s nine Arts per Driver.

The Direct also announced a Season Pass for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 called an Expansion Pass. The Expansion Pass will cost $29.99 and include new items, modes, and quests throughout the next year. Note that DLC packs cannot be purchased individually.

  • Support Items – December 2017
  • New Quests – January 2018
  • New Rare Blade – Spring 2018
  • Challenge Battle Mode – Summer 2018
  • New Story and Adventure – Autumn 2018

Cross-promotion with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was also revealed. On November 9 players can earn Rex’s outfit through a free DLC side quest in Breath of the Wild.

A Special Edition for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 includes a 220-page hardbound art book, metal game case, and soundtrack CD for $99.99. It’s also available December 1, along with a Xenoblade Pro Controller for Nintendo Switch ($74.99).

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 launches December 1. It’s rated T for Teen.


This article was written by

Eric has been writing for over nine years with bylines at Dicebreaker, Pixelkin, Polygon, PC Gamer, Tabletop Gaming magazine, and more covering movies, TV shows, video games, tabletop games, and tech. He reviews and live streams D&D adventures every week on his YouTube channel. He also makes a mean tuna quesadilla.