Topic: Xenoblade Chronicles Gets Official North American Release Date

[Patchkid15]

North Americans knew they were getting the game, but didn't know exactly when until now.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/29163

Xenoblade Chronicles will be releasing in North America on April 6, according to the game's North American website.

Previously given a tentative April release date, North Americans can breathe a sigh of relief that the game's launch is finally almost here. As previously revealed, the game will be available only at Nintendo's online store and GameStop.

Xenoblade Chronicles was released across Europe in September 2011. 

[Enner]

Ah, April 6th, 2012 it is!


The website is pretty neat. It has video and text describing the world, battle mechanics, and other systems. A treat for me is the character viewer that have voice samples for the English and Japanese voice acting. Both voice tracks sound really good; I'm torn as to which one I will play with first. It's probably going to be English since I enjoy the unexpected characterization taken with Riki. "Riki live to serve!"
It is a bit of a shame that the voice samples aren't normalized.

[KDR_11k]

Riki is the only one who I feel is voiced badly in the English version, he sounds very screechy when it's clear that Nopon sound different.

[motang]

On a Friday? Oh wait the GameStop dude told me that they are changing the release dates for video games to Friday slowly so they won't collide with DVD/Blu-ray movie and music album releases.

[Ceric]

I be glad if they move from Sunday to Friday.  Its hard to find things Sunday and I would like to just pick my stuff up going to work.

[Shaymin]

Even moving from Tuesday to Friday would be good - means I don't have to blow a day of vacation since I'll likely be off on the weekend and can marathon this.

Wrestlemania (with the Pantheon match) and Xenoblade in the same week = BEST. WEEK. EVER.

[Mop it up]

Ah, I didn't know that April 2nd wasn't the official date. Oh well, Monday isn't usually a good day for releases, so hopefully being on Friday means that stores will have the copies to sell.

[Vahne]

Releases on my Birthday

[KDR_11k]

Europe has all releases on thursdays or fridays because of the shipping schedules, the shipments arrive on thursday* so stores can unpack them and put them on shelves right away or after they close for the day. Releasing a game on a tuesday here causes retailer confusion. E.g. Space Marine came out on a tuesday but because shipments come in on thursdays and retailers are used to sticking stuff on shelves right away the game was up for sale on the thursday of the week before the official release.


*= This also applies to re-stocking, if a store runs out of a game your next chance to pick it up is on a thursday.

[xcwarrior]

Nintendo wanted to do a Sunday release, but when they noticed it was April 1, they figured they better not screw with their fans.

[Ian Sane]

Friday is good because the weekend is really the only time I have to play games these days anyway.  Though since I ordered online from Nintendo's store and it has to ship across the Canadian border who knows when I'll get it.

[Fatty_The_Hutt]

I had a torturous session on the phone with Nintendo this morning to cancel my online pre-order placed back in December. I have instead pre-ordered Xenoblade from a local Gamestop directly so I can save the $7 shipping cost.
 
It was easy enough to order the game directly from Nintendo's website but, Holy Hannah, what a pain to cancel.
 
There is no option to cancel the order online. You have to call. That right there is my major criticism. It's a hassle. Also, I had to click a link in my confirmation email to go to the website to look for some FAQ's about canceling (the email didn't say how) but the link just took me to a general site which I then had to spend minutes navigating to actually get the prized info that, if I needed to cancel, I had to call. They couldn't have put that in the email itself? ReallY?
 
Then I got a new person on the phone that had never done a cancellation before. She was upfront about it. I don't blame her. Sadly, it took a long time. Twenty minutes on the phone.
 
I was assured I would receive an immediate automatic email confirming my cancellation, just like the one that confirmed the order in the first place. Its been about an hour. I am not holding my breath for the email to arrive. I did check on the website and it shows my order has been canceled, so its probably OK.
 
Geez Nintendo, just let people be able to cancel online. What vendor doesn't do this? I can't think of one.
 
 

[rlse9]

The way Nintendo has handled everything related to online so far, it's almost surprising you didn't need to send a letter by snail mail or carrier pigeon...

[ejamer]

Even moving from Tuesday to Friday would be good - means I don't have to blow a day of vacation since I'll likely be off on the weekend and can marathon this. ...

Just don't expect to finish (or even come close) in one weekend marathon unless you have a guide and ignore anything non-essential.  This game is massive.

[NWR_insanolord]

Based on what I've read/heard on RFN/seen of my roommate playing it, you could probably play it non-stop from when you get it Friday afternoon until you have to go to work/school/whatever Monday morning without beating it.