Since Xenoblade Chronicles 3's characters and story are brand new to the franchise, players looking to jump into the critically acclaimed series for the very first time will have to decide whether they should play the trilogy in order or not.
The Monolith Soft series first debuted in 2010 with the release of Xenoblade Chronicles on the Nintendo Wii. The game follows the story of Shulk and the mystery surrounding the powerful Monado sword. Following the massive success of the open-world title, the JRPG received its sequel Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on the Nintendo Switch in 2017. The title introduced the new Blades system and centered around Rex and Pyra's quest to discover the truth behind paradise Elysium. Following the release of the Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edtion remaster in 2020, the saga finally returned with the launch of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in July 2022.
Just like previous entries, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 features a new cast of characters and a central plot that is separate from the other games. Despite this, the 2022 JRPG sequel's storyline eventually ties back into the previous games as the continuity of the Chronicles saga is complicated. Below is an explanation of whether players need to play XBC 1 & 2 before they start Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Do You Need To Play Xenoblade Chronicles 1 & 2 Before Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Although each Xenoblade game is technically a standalone story, their worlds are actually connected by a central overarching plot. Because of this, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is littered with Easter eggs and characters that reference previous entries. The JRPGs also always feature a major revelation in their stories, which reveals how each of the games is connected to each other. So those wanting to get the absolute best experience out of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 should play XBC 1 & 2 first.
However, with Xenoblade Chronicles 3 leaks & spoilers being posted all over the internet, some players may just want to play the game now to avoid being spoiled. Because the main campaign has a new cast of characters and a 100-hour story campaign that stands on its own, players will be able to dive into the JRPG as their first entry and still understand almost everything going on. Compared to XBC 1 & 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 also features the series' most polished gameplay and graphics. It is recommended that players do eventually go back and play the previous two titles though, as they are excellent JRPGs in their own right, and help flesh out the series lore.
While Xenoblade Chronicles 2's gameplay is also vastly improved over the series' first title, newcomers will still benefit from playing the franchise in chronological order if they choose to play XBC3 after playing the previous games. But it's also okay for players to dive straight into Xenoblade Chronicles 3 first as well, as Monolith Soft has gone out of their way to design the 2022 JRPG to be accessible to everyone, including those new to the franchise.
