The launches on July 29, after having its release date moved forward, in what was likely an attempt to give it some space apart from the release of Splatoon 3 in September.
The Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Special Edition is quite basic as far as special editions go. The set contains the game, a steelbook case, a special oversized box with unique art, and a hardcover art book. There are no fancy statues, nor any digital items that can be claimed in-game. This doesn't necessarily mean that there won't be DLC content for the game in the future, as Xenoblade Chronicles 2 received the expansive Torna - The Golden Country expansion after release.
The official preorders for the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Special Edition set are live, providing a link to the official Nintendo website. It seems that the Xenoblade Chronicles fans are a lot thirstier for an art book than Nintendo realized, as the preorder rush crashed the web page for the game. Visiting the website right now will bring up a page saying "We have a lot of visitors right now. Hang in there…we'll be with you soon! (And please don't refresh or close this page unless you'd like to leave the line.)," leaving players in a queue.
These kinds of website crashes are common, such as The Witcher website crashing following the reveal of The Witcher 4, or the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition shutting down Rockstar's website after its announcement. It's more surprising that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 would cause a similar reaction, especially as the contents of the Special Edition are standard fare for more expensive editions of games. Perhaps all of that Xenoblade Chronicles representation in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has finally paid off.
The 2022 video game schedule is looking increasingly bare, thanks to more and more games being pushed back to 2023. The exception to this is Nintendo, as the Switch has a stacked line-up of games throughout the rest of the year, including Splatoon 3, Bayonetta 3, Live a Live, and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild might have been delayed, but 2022 has plenty of Switch games, and the fans seem pleased with what's to come if the response to Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is anything to go by.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will be released for the Nintendo Switch on July 29, 2022.
Source: Nintendo of America/Twitter, Nintendo
