One of the more low-key announcements during Nintendo's E3 2017 presence was the release date for Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which was revealed to be hitting store shelves during the Holiday 2017 period. It may not seem like it, but the success of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on the Nintendo Switch will have a big influence over the future of the console and its games lineup. Xenoblade Chronicles X was one of the few compelling reasons to own a Wii U, and it is an important RPG launch on a console that has already staked an early claim as the go-to device for the genre heading into late 2017 and beyond.

It appears that Nintendo is well aware of that, however, and has called in some big names to ensure that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will be, top-to-bottom, a finely crafted JRPG experience. Monolith Soft's E3 2017 trailer credited Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Kingdom Hearts 3 director Tetsuya Nomura with a role in character design, implying that the famed video game developer had a hand in a character named "Ira", or "Torna" in English. Now, however, Xenoblade Chronicles 2's official Japanese Twitter account has revealed that Nomura's designs will play a much larger role - "Torna" is the name of an entire organization within the game.

tetsuya nomura character designs torna xenoblade chronicles 2

The tweet also shared a few images of what appear to be Nomura's character designs within the game, and they look oddly traditional compared to some of the game's futuristic setting and weaponry. They're not out of place when it comes to Nomura's eye for flair and aesthetic, however, and having such an experienced designer working with Monolith Soft is the latest reassurance that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is being treated like the big release it should be by Nintendo.

It remains to be seen just how large a role the organization designed by Nomura will play in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, but the characters revealed thus far give off a very stylish vibe and should get fans excited about what's to come for the Xenoblade series. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 remains one of the most exciting games in the Switch's 2017 lineup, and the talent working on it and the series' pedigree should have all the makings of a late 2017 hit.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 releases Holiday 2017 for Nintendo Switch.

Source: Siliconera