Xenoblade Chronicles 4 will be ‘vastly different’ as director hints at new game-Michael Beckwith-Entertainment – Metro

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 – a message included with the game’s soundtrack provides a small hint of the future (Picture: Nintendo)

Although a sequel is a long way off, Xenoblade Chronicles’ director suggests the next game will not be sticking to the current formula.

It’s already safe to assume that there will be another Xenoblade Chronicles game. Even if Genki Yokota, co-director on Xenoblade Chronicles 3, hadn’t said as such, the series has proved to be more than profitable enough for Nintendo to want more.

However, with Xenoblade Chronicles 3 concluding a 12 year story arc, that began with the first game, it’s unclear what form Xenoblade Chronicles 4 might take.

While fans are not without their own theories, series director Tetsuya Takahashi sounds eager to make something ‘vastly different’ than the previous entries.

This is according to a special message included with physical copies of the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 soundtrack, which recently began shipping out to fans who pre-ordered it.

The message is written in Japanese, but a fan known as Mira (who runs a blog dedicated to translating info related to the series) has written up a full English translation.

Takahashi mostly spends time discussing the music, but it’s his comments right at the end that are the most intriguing.

‘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,’ writes Takahashi.

He also mentions how ‘A game that doesn’t take on new challenges also has no future,’ which further feeds into the idea of a Xenoblade Chronicles 4 being something of a departure for the series.

It’s unclear, though, if Takahashi is only referring to the music and overall aesthetics of the game or if it’ll go so far as to shift genres in terms of gameplay. Perhaps something a bit more action-orientated, like Final Fantasy 16?

He could also mean moving onto a whole new setting and universe, separate from the previous games. Although there’re some hints that that might not necessarily be the case.

Given Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s story DLC (which serves as the grand finale of the series so far) contains clear references to Xenosaga (Xenoblade’s spiritual predecessor), it almost feels like studio Monolith Soft is planning a return to that series at some point.

The post-credits cut scene of the story DLC even contains what is perceived to be a direct reference to the ending of Xenosaga 3, the final entry in the series.

Since everything points to Xenoblade and Xenosaga sharing the same universe, could this imply that Xenoblade Chronicles 4 will serve as a follow-up to Xenosaga as well?

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There is also growing hope for a Xenogears remaster or re-release, although that’s not something Monolith Soft has control over. While that was Takahashi’s first game as director, and has lived on through references and callbacks in Xenoblade, it remains a Square Enix property.

That said, Square Enix didn’t completely shut down the idea of a Xenogears remaster when asked during an investors meeting.

The company already has a strong interest in remastering retro games, including less well-known ones like Star Ocean: The Second Story. Between Xenogears’ cult following and the retroactive boost in interest it’d get from Xenoblade fans, Square Enix must at least be considering the idea.

Xenogears – is it time for an HD-2D remaster? (Picture: Square Enix)

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