Nintendo is releasing a Switch 2 edition of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 on December 3, with a new character and a Heroes' Vault roguelite mode. Owners of the original Switch game can buy an upgrade pack instead of the full game.
Nintendo used its September 2026 Nintendo Direct broadcasts to confirm a Switch 2 edition of Xenoblade Chronicles 3. The edition launches December 3, both physically and digitally, and arrives with two additions: a new character named Shimmer and a Heroes' Vault mode. That mode uses roguelite gameplay, with players unlocking upgrades by defeating enemies. The release follows the pattern set by Definitive Edition and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which the Switch 2 line treats as paid upgrades for owners of the existing Switch games rather than a fresh purchase. Owners of the original Switch game can buy an upgrade pack.
The two stories covering the announcement disagree on the new character's name and on the mode's name. One report calls the character Shimmer and the mode Heroes' Vault. The other calls the character Kaguya and the mode Heroes Record. Both agree the edition itself is set for December 3, 2026, and that a roguelike-style mode is part of the package.
The Switch 2 edition was confirmed in the same broadcast that announced a Switch 2 version of Meccha Chameleon, an indie hide-and-seek game from solo developer LEMORION. Nintendo paired that release with the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 announcement in one Direct.
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Nintendo announced during a Nintendo Direct livestream on Wednesday that the Switch 2 edition of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will add a new character, Shimmer, and a Heroes' Vault mode with roguelite gameplay where players unlock upgrades by defeating enemies. The Switch 2 edition launches December 3 physically and digitally, and owners of the original Switch game can buy an upgrade pack.
Nintendo announced during its September 9, 2026 Nintendo Direct that the hide-and-seek game Meccha Chameleon, created by solo developer LEMORION, will be released for the Switch 2 immediately after the broadcast ends. The game launched on Steam on June 10, 2026, and several outlets report it sold over 20 million copies, with 4Gamer.net specifying sales of 15 million in less than a month. The Switch 2 version's surprise drop follows the game's rapid rise among streamers. Sources describe Meccha Chameleon as a drawing and hide-and-seek game with simple rules that is fun to play in large groups. The Nintendo Direct also revealed the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, scheduled for December 3, 2026, which adds the new hero Kaguya and the roguelike-style mode Heroes Record.