Nintendo announced today that the JRPG sci-fi epic Xenoblade Chronicles X would be the first in the series to receive a Switch 2 update, adding 60 fps (a first for the series outside of modding) and native 4K while docked.
Xenoblade Chronicles X had a rather tumultuous lifespan. The original Xenoblade Chronicles released on the Wii back in 2010 after a fan-driven petition known as Operation Rainfall helped bring attention to Nintendo to move forward with bringing three Japan-exclusive JRPGs to the US: Monado (later renamed Xenoblade Chronicles), The Last Story, and Pandora’s Tower. It received modest reviews and was enough for Nintendo to bring developer Monolithsoft in as a developer.
Xenoblade Chronicles X released on the WiiU in 2015 for the much-maligned Wii U and became one of that doomed system’s only noteworthy exclusive titles. More of a spiritual successor and not a direct sequel, the game received middling reviews thanks to issues like long loading times and difficult-to-read text, among other minor issues. It also required several downloadable graphics packs to run optimally on the hardware. It retained a small but passionate fanbase while the next entry, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 for the Switch, went on to become the most popular title in the series, thanks in part to its two most prominent characters, Pyra and Mythra, appearing as playable characters in Super Smash Bros.
Xenoblade Chronicles X was left in obscurity on the WiiU with its few fans doubtful that the game would ever receive a modern port. Game director Tetsuya Takahashi in previous interviews had stated that porting Xenoblade Chronicles X to the Switch initially would be “Expensive and cost-prohibitive,” noting that the game was originally optimized for the WiiU hardware, which included the use of the gamepad.
A Definitive Edition was announced via a shadow drop trailer in November of 2024 and released on March of 2025, including a host of quality of life improvements including fast load times, improved graphic fidelity, modified in-game character models to bring the character designs in line with the rest of the series, improved text visibility, adjustable game sound levels which the original lacked, and improvements to the battle system to make gameplay quicker. They also added a significant amount of story onto a brand new Epilogue Chapter to resolve the cliffhanger the original game ended on, adding a brand new character and side missions.
Most technologically impressive is the Definitive Edition, which compressed the file size of the game from 23GB on the WiiU to 14.8GB on the Switch. This is improved upon for the Switch 2 edition. Whereas other games from the Switch 1 that are upgraded for the Switch 2 use a translation layer to help them run at 60 fps, the Switch 2 Edition of Xenoblade X runs on native Switch 2 code.
The upgrade for Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is available now for $5 in the Switch 2 Online Shop. A physical Switch 2 Edition of the game is releasing on April 16.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is currently on sale at select retailers for $39.99
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Great game, one of my favorite wii u games. Loved the multi-player. That game doesn't hold your hand to the extreme. The music is hilarious. Sounds like something you'd hear from "Kill la Kill" the anime. Cant wait to play it on the switch one day. Awesome article.