The Turbulent Rise of Xenoblade Chronicles 

Nintendo purchasing Monolithsoft has to be one of the biggest W the company ever had

i have only been a part of the xenoblade community for a year or two but it is undoubtedly one of my favourite video game series i have ever played.

Xenoblade shows that even if it takes a while, you can get great success if you keep pushing forward

I love the stories behind both Xenoblade chronicles and Fire emblem Awakening. It's somewhat inspirational on a spiritual level despite them just being games

Takahashi has the True Monado... No wonder he saw the successful future if the Xeno Series.

Playing xenoblade chronicles definitive edition right now and i haven’t been gaming a lot the past couple years and I’m truly loving the experience. Makes me feel like a kid again lol.

I remember watching chuggaconroy’s series while it was still going on and just falling in love with the game. Then when i was out to pick up my new glasses i saw xenoblade 2 when i passed by my local game store and just bought it on impulse. Best decision of my life!

Best jrpg series ever you can't change my mind, these games are so phenomenal and even though xc2 may have had some poor voice direction, the European voice acting gives the game an unparalleled sense of charm that no other game has compared to.And my god the stories are incredible and so relatable in the life lessons they teach. I'm not exaggerating by saying that these games changed my life for the better and I know I'm not the only one. I can't recommend this series enough.

This was genuinely such a good well put together video that was well paced bro. I did wanna say I was hoping youd bring up Smash tho as it was a big part of its massive jump in popularity

Nice video. It's very well edited. I actually got into Xenoblade when Chuggaconroy did his playthrough of it.

2:39 Actually, Xenogears does not use the ATB. The bar is just there to tell you when your characters can act. Once the bar is full, you have all the time you want to decide what to do.

15:15 I laughed hard at this part. Love how everyone acknowledges Rex's accomplishment. Seriously though, great video. This franchise is one of my favorites and I love seeing it get the recognition and praise it deserves.

Some unmentioned things -the original Xenoblade was also released on the WiiU as virtual console (after XCX/XC3DS and before the switch was announced) -shulk was added to smash WiiU/3DS (which likely boosted his game popularity) -when Pyra&mythra were released in smash ultimate, the demands for XC2 got pretty high (the game prices on Ebey went up really high because of this)

im glad that the series got the attention that it deserves. i started 2 as my first xenoblade game and saw alot of 2 content during 2020 which was so fun to experience

I started Xenoblade last year. And I played 1, 2, and 3 back to back in the span of about 2/3 months. It's easily one of my favorite franchises now... Behind Zelda 😆

Great video! I first played Xenoblade on the Wii U virtual console and immediately fell in love with the game. Now I've played through every Xeno title and it's quickly become my favorite series of all time. Takahashi and his team at Monolith Soft have really created something great that can't be put into words

Thanks for making a video on this goated game series! The video was really well done

Xenoblade was a battle against all odds, but it managed to happen and garner the attention that it deserved and I'm so happy that Takahashi finally was able to conclude some of his vision of the story from perfect works, the Klaus experiment saga is going to be over in just a day with the release of XC3 future redeemed, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the xenoblade franchise, what will be next only we can imagine, but I'm here to see what xenoblade 4 has in store for us in a couple of years

Xenoblade 2 made a huge impact in sales when it was released on the switch. Rex and the big family saved Monolith from being a side support company for Nintendo.

Back in 2017, one of my closest friends recommend me to grab XC2. However, I didn't fully beat XC2 until after beating DE and really got suckered into the series. I had since beaten Xenogears and XC3 and I cannot wait for Future Redeemed on Tuesday. I'm slowly working on X and I'm hopeful enough that Xenosaga will eventually get remasters on modern platforms (getting Episode 3 is way out of my bank budget haha)

fantastic history lesson. I picked up XC2 at switch launch and fell in love with the series instantly. I have played all the modern games (in order 2, torna, 1 DE, 3, and X) and now going to play Xenogears once I wrap up Future Redeemed. Hope to tackle the Xenosaga games someday too! Its a great JRPG series that is a must try for any RPG fan.

I still remember my first reaction when I saw the trailer for Xenoblade Chronicles 2. I was like "this kid in a blue scuba diving gear looks kinda lame, but the girl is hot and the locations are really nice, I guess I'll try it"... Yeah, it was the best rpg from Japan I've ever played and Rex is a Titanchad. I was not ready for Takahashi's wild ride. Played other games and DLCs and I love them as well. The sense of adventure. The world. The MUSIC. The characters. It's so memorable and engaging, it's hard to describe. I can't wait to see what Monolith has in store for us in the future, hopefully after Future Redeemed they blow us away with something insane on new Nintendo system. Maybe it's Xenoblade 4, maybe it's something completely new, but I trust they'll deliver.

My first exposure to the series was Xenoblade Chronicles 2, I didn't really plan to buy it but just decided to give it a try. At first I wasn't too keen on it but the more I played the more I grew to love it from the gameplay to the stories to the characters. I haven't gotten the Definitive Edition of the first game of XBC3 yet but I plan to.

I played and finished every game in the Xeno series. Can't wait to finally find the Xenoblade next week when Futures Redeemed is out.

9:49 The Last Story my boyyyyyy, so sad that this game is still on the Wii When I see what Xenoblade has become today, I'm sad to see that the other 2 games of OpRainfall did not had a similar fate I still hope for a resurection of Last Story and Pandora's Tower, but I know it's not going to happen :(

What's more amazing is that they also work on other projects like Zelda BOTW, TOTK, Splatoon, Animal Crossing, while working on Xenoblade games. I'm very excited for their next game.

Xenoblade Chronicles has always been a series that has stayed so close to heart. As it perfectly encapsulates the results of people with strong wills. I remember being there in the Operation Rainfall days chatting and participating with so many others online on their Facebook page and the forums trying to get this game localized. The day it finally got announced I was so excited, but I never thought I would be here this many years later loving this series the same way I have since day one. Here I am now getting to finish the journey with Future Redeemed, and while it's bitter sweet, I welcome the current conclusion to this amazing story. I'm excited for what the future holds afterwards 🔥 Thanks for making this video. It was a wonderful trip down memory lane and good reminder to always seize your destiny 💪

Xenoblade has really become Nintendo's Final Fantasy, and I couldn't be happier about that.

Xenoblade has encouraged me and pushed my life forward. Xenoblade 1 got me through games school. Xenoblade 2 is the reason I snapped out of a contented, settled feeling and made a big move to follow a dream career in Japan. Did it, I'm here now, and my next goal is to make it to Monolithsoft to help them make whatever comes next after Xenoblade 3!! I love this series with all my heart!

What a good video. I got into the series with 2 back in 2017 and has become one of my favorite franchises of all time. Every game is so good

In the early 2010's I fell out of love with Final Fantasy but I wanted something similar to fill the void. I tried the Tales of series but wasn't really a fan and then the Trails series which I liked a little more but still not as much as peak FF. Then finally around 2014 I bought Xenoblade Chronicles after hearing good things about it and I was blown away by how good the game was. Ever since then I've bought every game in the series on day one and put hundreds of hours into each game. I'm glad to see the series is continuing to grow and I'm happy but also sad that the current saga is coming to an end.

Xenoblade Chronicles Fans I have a hard time getting into the Xenoblade Chronicles series but I would give u guys and gals this I congratulate all of the fans and the Developers I may not get into it but overall you guys deserve everything and now Xenoblade Chronicles is a established Nintendo IP.

I think one small detail that helped and would have been nice if you had commented on is the inclusion of Shulk in Smash 4, that move brought a lot of people's attention to the franchise, and yes, that's how I was introduced to it. Nice video btw

Funnily enough, I actually got into Xenoblade from playing a lot of Shulk in Smash 4, started with XC 3DS, been playing every entry since... it's such a phenomenal series! I'm glad you made a video highlighting its rise :) Also 15:15 LOOOL

Not many people notice, but there is a NDS game, called "Xenosaga I&II" which is retelling the story of Xenosaga I and II, however the catch was the Xenosaga II part was heavily edited to fit the original lore that Takahashi intended. Xenosaga III was supposed to be the sequel of that game not Xenosaga II. Sadly no one translates the game yet, so hopefully someone will do it in the future.

What an amazingly put together video! In the grand scheme of things, I haven't been in the community for long (I joined up around the release of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, now my favorite game of all time) but seeing and understanding the past and what led this wonderful franchise to this point...it's honestly super inspiring and definitely exhibits the reason why you should never give up on what you want to achieve! Monolithsoft has become integral to the Nintendo games development ecosystem, and I hope the Xenoblade franchise will continue to grow and be known to everyone!

Amazing video! It gave me so much nostalgia

I definitley relived the era when Xenoblade Wii was supposedly never gonna come west side. That miracle plus Shulk being in Smash Wii U helped a lot.

I've been apart of this game for 10 years, now seeing Shulk finally grow up and seeing how well the franchise has done makes me the happiest camper in the world. I love this franchise and I can't wait to see where Takahashi takes it after Redeemed.

Great research and summary. Love that the denouement of you video essay ties in w the new DLC title. Thank you for sharing

I just randomly decided to play XC1 on the 3ds 3 years ago and now it's my number 1 franchise

Awesome history recap you done here...

Awesome video! I always love learning the histories behind my favorite games

Thank you, Satoru Iwata. If it wasn't for your Kind Suggestion of having Monolith Soft rename their Fledgeling game, Monado: The Beginning of the World, after previous Xeno games, Tetsuya Takahashi would never have finally fulfilled his dream of a 6 part epic game series based on his Perfect Works idea from Decades ago. Truly a GOATed Nintendo Executive that's still giving even almost 10 years after he's gone.

I just found your channel. This is such high quality bro. Keep grinding and you will make it to the top.

The entire Xeno Series went from sort of Hidden Gem, to established IP. If it wasn't for Smash 4 I would have never discovered the Xeno Series, and I'm so happy that I did. Playing back from Xenogears to Xenoblade 3, it's become arguably my favorite JRPG series, and I really hope the series just continues to grow in recognition and popularity. While it's not on the same level of popularity as the JRPG big 4 (Pokémon, Final Fantasy, Persona, and Kingdom Hearts), it inserted itself quite nicely into that next tier category of games with series like Nier, Fire Emblem, the Mainline Shin Megami Tensei games, and Dragon Quest.

Biggest surprise of the Xeno franchise is seeing MS turn Rex into one of the most ridiculed protagonists in gaming into quite possibly its biggest Chad

The issue is the three games were already "localised", they just wanted it to be ported. Also Europe is "the west". I find it weird that Americans act like there wouldve been no way for them to have played a game fully translated and voiced in English without Project Rainfall.

That's so funny! I remember learning about Xenoblade Chronicles through a Reddit most when searching must have Wii games, and the other two games that were mentioned aside from Xenoblade Chronicles were The Last Story and Pandoria's Tower, all of which hadn't released in America at the time. The Last Story is also amazing, and I just bought Pandoria's Tower in March before the Wii U Eshop closed. I had forgotten about that one and did not want to miss out on that one. I remember learning about how amazing it was that it made it to the USA when it did, and that it was sold as a Gamestop exclusive. I didn't know until it was too late and missed out on it, but thankfully managed to snag a used copy on a Black Friday sale! It didn't click with me when I started and quickly put it down and eventually continued months later, and then got into it not very long after and couldn't put it down! And to think it became my favorite rpg franchise! I wish that the Xenosaga games would get ported, because I knew about them back in the PS2 era, but didn't have a PS2. I listened to the music ost often, but somehow it didn't click with me until years after Xenoblade 2 released that Xenosaga and Xenogears were made by Monolith Soft! Oh my gosh! I completely forgot about those details and title "Monado Beginning of the World"! I remember that now! Also, nice finish there!

How would you rank the Xenoblade Chronicles games from best to worst? (Can include Xenogears/Xenosaga as well if you wish) Also light spoilers of XBC 3 DLC as clips are used. Also join the LEGEND club if you're cool 😘 ru-vid.com/show-UCNPO5imMXg9ukckhbGQvasQjoin

Great video, It's nice to see the series get the praise it deserves, I managed to get the Wii Version of Xenoblade and also Xenoblade X on Wii-U, I haven't had the chance to get any of the Switch games as I could only got a Switch console until now, I'm surprised on how some of the Switch games skyrocket in price hopefully someday I could get the games

I picked up xenoblade chronicles 3d for the 3ds a few years ago and played it on and off for about 2 years before reaching the end and it was an absolutely incredible experience it was pretty much an open world game on a handheld with a story unlike anything ive ever seen heard or read and shortly after i decided to get a switch to play the other games and couldnt be any happier to have found this excellent series through a random purchase of a 3ds game

I've been helping my mom dig through a forgotten closet, and deep inside I found a fairly pristine copy of Xenogears with original manual in there. It's a particularly worthwhile find, considering CIB copies going for 100-180.

I love this franchise but man I really hope The Last Story and Pandora's Tower get ported to Switch, those other 2 games are amazing as well as Xenoblade.

Great video, thanks for going over the entire history, there wes a lot I didn't know about besides operation rainfall. Can't wait to see what your next video will be about. I'm really feelin' it. =P

I’ve always hoped Square would give Xenogears another chance and actually finish it this time. The HD-2D aesthetic would fit it perfectly if they were to remake it. If the development wasn’t handled so poorly I think it could have been one of the best JRPGs of all-time.

I've been a massive demo fan for a few years now, I got introduced with 2 and since have played 1, X and Gears and am working on 3 and plan to play saga after, im glad someone made this, as I've been wondering how xeno came into light.

Man so sad to see the dark sci fi fantasy elements go. Xenogears and Xenosaga both had amazing sense of horror that made it feel special. New Xenoblade games feel more akin to tales of series in terms of characters and plot.

Im kinda agree with Reggie in this one, I don't think the Operation Rainfall was that decisive, it was just a bit relevant as a movement at best. The real MVP here was Nintendo Europe. Back in 2010 when people saw how good Xenoblade looked (Japan release) NoA already said they had no plans for bring it to the west, it was already a sad news at that point, but then NoE said "fuck it" and the localize it , and the game sold decently with Special Editions included. That was the most influencial test.

I jumped in around the Wii's NA released. I think this is the series I trust the most to make good shit. Even my by-far least favorite entry is still an undeniably well-made game.

i really hope xenoblade X gets a port to the switch, it has some very cool mechanics that the other games kinda ignored, and its still stuck on the Wii U

Got into Xenoblade back in 2012-13 when Chuggaconaroy was doing a let’s play of the game. It was like a weekly TV show for me. I was watching as it came out. I became a huge fan after that. I wasn’t able to actually play the game until Definitive Edition. It’s one of my favorite franchises out there. Xenoblade 1, 2, and 3 are some of my favorite games of all time.

I first played xenoblade 1 in 2011, it feels very nice that it's so popular now

I only got into the series in the intervening time period between 2's release and Torna, but undoubtedly what drew my attention was the British cast. Something I just hadn't seen for a JRPG English dub, or at least not without NOA being tied to it. NOE made it their own, and the series is all the better for it.

Thanks, comment for the algorithm. Keep the good work👌

Great work dude.

Xenoblade is incredible, and Rex is one of my favourite protagonists of all time.

The game that really got me into Nintendo, believe it or not. I randomly stumbled upon it and thought how cool the cover art was, but couldn't play it as I didn't own a Wii and it was Japan only. Years later decided to look it up on RU-vid and at the time Chuggaaconroy started a Let's play. I immediately fell in love with it.

Thank you for a wonderful history lesson! Love all things XENO!

What's crazy about Xenoblade and Monolith Soft is that we've gotten something Xenoblade related every year since the Switch released. 2017: Xenoblade 2 revealed and released 2018: Torna DLC revealed and released 2019: Xenoblade Definitive Edition revealed 2020: Xenoblade DE released 2021: Pyra and Mythra announced for Smash Ultimate DLC 2022: Xenoblade 3 revealed and released 2023: Xenoblade 3 DLC revealed and released (in 2 days from this post) That's a level of consistency only Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, and Kirby has. It's crazy to think of Xenoblade as being one of the most consistent Nintendo franchise to have something related to it revealed or released on a yearly basis.

I love a lot of the JRPG games I've played such as Persona 5, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy 7 and its Remake, Tales of Arise, but none can compare to how much I love the Xenoblade Chronicles series. I may not have played Xenogears and Xenosaga 1-3 but I plan on playing them one day but for Xenoblade Chronicles, I played all of them. If Smash for Wii U/3DS didn't announce Shulk getting into Smash, I wouldn't have known the series today. I played XC1 on the New 3DS and loved it so much that I got tge Wii version on Virtual Console and unsurprisingly, the Definitive Edition as well. While I've yet to complete XCX, I do enjoy it as well. It may be different than the trilogy but it was I still think it's a good game. XC2, while the most anime of the trilogy, still has that heart and soul that made XC1 fantastic. And finally, XC3 being the magnus opus of the series. It felt like a grand conclusion of the journey that we traversed since the beginning. This series made me laugh and cry in many ways that I learned that good stories can touch a person's heart. I will always be grateful of Nintendo and MONOLITHSOFT for making my favorite video series of all time.

I think the inly things missing were the inclusion in smash bros getting a lot of interest in the games and the fact that the games had a reputation for pushing the systems they were on to the max, and impressing as a result, instead of just being limited by them. Great video and informative though! and the way you tied in Future Redeemed to the story of the franchise itself was *chefs kiss*

This video was amazing! As a Xenoblade fan; this video was really well done! ☺️

4:06 And then that became a recurring theme of story endings.

The "rise" nah bro this became anime the RPG ever since Xenoblade 2.

I've been following Xenoblade for 12 years now...and good god it feels strange to say that. Just happened to see a recommended video for Gaur Plain's theme and I wanted to know more, which led to Rainfall, and finally playing it in 2012 at launch. (Still have a firm memory of taking it out of the package and just staring at it for a good 20 seconds, like holy cow this is real) Shockingly enough hype didn't sour the experience, as it would become my favorite game ever, dethroning Super Mario RPG after almost 20 years

For me is the Xenoblade Trilogy the best Trilogy of all time and also the most important and formative games of my life. These games completely changed the way I look at games with botw. I don't need a game with blatant 4K graphics and 120 FPS knowing that the game just won't be good anyway (I'm looking at you Activision Blizzard, EA, Ubisoft,...) Give me A Game who is good and I have my fun even if it looks like Pokemon Violet, for example. How many young people these days are looking at games is also just very wrong anyway.

I think you also should have talked about the xenoblade characters being in smash bros because i think that helped the xenoblade series alot. Because lots of people may not have know of the existence of xenoblade

Been a JRPG fanboy for decades at this point. Only recently picked up the Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy after hearing so much praise surrounding the games. Never played Xenogears or any of the others. Original picked up my switch for the latest Pokemon titles after recently getting into them. It sounds like and I certainly hope I won't be disappointed. I'm a rare breed of JRPG fan also. I wasn't keen on the switch to action based combat. I also thought FF XIII was the pinnacle of the ATB system and wish it had stuck around. I prefer Persona 5 combat over FF VII Remake. That said, I'm not entirely opposed to action JRPGs. I enjoy the Tales series (love Vesperia) and like Star Ocean. Loved a Tri-Ace game called Infinite Undiscovery and was a big fan of Fairy Fencer.

One possible reason for such a slow start is that people figured it was nothing but a cheap knockoff of the Final Fantasy game series and that meant they didn't want to play it. I figured that is all it was when I first heard of the games earlier this year. Then I found some videos and while although there are many parallels to Final Fantasy (mainly in being the same game type) it is different enough to not fall under the cheap knockoff category.

Xenoblade is defo one of the best RPG series out there now, and the Xeno series' history dating well over 20 years is something truly inspiring for the genre, and how it's now become a household name! Also, you'll hear it here first, the next Xeno series of games will be called Xenodreams (it sounded better in my head lol)

My friends tried to tell me that the series finally “clicked” with me with Xenoblade Chronicles 3. But I disagree. I think the devs just did something different with XC3 that they didn’t do in the previous games. I’m not quite sure what it was. The combat system is definitely WAY easier to understand. And the story and the characters. XC3 is just a special game.

To add, Monolith Soft became being the gigachad they are by releasing XC2, Torna, XC DE, FC, XC3 and FR (plus working on Splatoon 2 n 3, ACNH) in between of Zelda BOTW and TotK (which they also worked on) is just magnificent. Monolith also released XC3 2 months early despite having the no overtime policy. Also recently they announced that all staffs would get a salary raise too! Monolith Soft is definitely my favourite gaming company out there n im so excited to see what's next from them!

I still remember preordering xenoblade 1 for the Wii from GameStop with the red(?) controller. Good times.

Should probably have talked about Shulk being added to smash 4 as a factor for the rise, similar to earthbound, not many people in the west knew the game even if it was localized years before. I remember after I watched the smash trailer I was so happy when everyone else was asking who was Shulk.

Xenogears to this day is my favourite game of all time. It opened my mind to a new way of thought and a thirst for knowledge that continues to this day, and that soundtrack not even the Xenoblade series comes close in my opinion. I hope that one day Xenogears gets the remake it deserves.

I started with two, and the game sat on my library for quite a bit. I tried to play it, but learning it felt like a lot. I had just gotten my switch and was playing smash and BotW. Once i picked it up, and got into it, i fell in love with the franchise.

I have been a massive fan of this franchise for around 8 years now. I watched chuggaconroy play 1 and decided to jump in. I have been blown away with every single game and can’t wait for the dlc that release tommorow

I've known about the Xeno franchise for years (well over a decade by now), and this series has always interest me. I guess Xenoblade has the luxury of releasing in the age where any kind of game will be expected by the masses of the States. I only recently bought XBC 3D and I'm ready to be impressed.

Frame 1 Trails screenshot is an instalike

When i bought Xenoblade 2 back in mid 2019, i didnt think much of the first 1-3ish hours "Other than listening to Counterattack", but whenever it was I got to Gormott and i saw the sprawling field on our way to Torigoth, i fell in love with the world alone. I am so glad i saw this game randomly scrolling through the EShop. Ver easily rose to my favorite game of all time, now only beaten by its successor

I'm a simple Dragon, I see a Xenoblade retrospective and I click. I originally got into the fandom back when Xenoblade X released in 2015. I'd just graduated highschool and the wait for Breath of the Wild (I remember when we used to call it Zelda U) was brutal. I loved that game to death. Sure, the story wasn't anything to write home about, though I've come to appreciate it more over the years. I loved the exploration and the combat, so much so that I really fell in love with the game. So, when I discovered that Xenoblade 1 was on the Wii U E-shop I jumped on that and played it right through. I got lucky and finished right before coming across a used Nintendo Switch at EB Games (before it got rebranded to Gamestop), snagged a copy of Xenoblade 2 and played on through. From there, the rest is history. Monolithsoft is my favorite game studio, followed by Nihon Falcom, the Zelda team (though Monolithsoft is actually working on Zelda games now too) and Team Cherry, and I cannot wait to see what they're going to do next.

Last year in February after the Xenoblade chronicles 3 announcement i remember buying Xenoblade chronicles definitive edition. Where Xenoblade chronicles de was my beloved introduction it was Xenoblade chronicles 2 that i resonated with the most. Lastly Xenoblade 3 was simply amazing. Within the span of a year Xenoblade chronicles quickly became one of if not my favorite gaming franchise of all time.

You could say this passage of fate was quite the wild ride

Soo excited for future redeemed Xenoblade sweep!

Amazing video! I really hope Xenoblade can advance further and eventually become just as mainstream as Pokemon, Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. It more than deserves to be.

Been playing games on all systems since the original NES and yeah this is easily my favorite series.

I was one of the first members of Operation Rainfall to help get momentum for Xenoblade to get a localization in the West along with Last Story and Pandora’s Tower. Glad to see Xenoblade became a lucrative franchise that is currently building. I would love to see another Last Story, but it might not ever happen.

Started in 2021 with DE and it is now one of if not my favorite JRPG. Mind you, i even played godlike games such as NieR Automata and FF7 + 7R in the same quarter and xenoblade stuck out the most. (FF7 was close)

The Last Story was so good too. I hope it comes back in some way!