The latest Nintendo Direct announced release dates for several titles, not least of which was Xenoblade Chronicles 3. This iteration of the popular action-RPG series from Monolith Soft debuted over a decade ago and will receive its conclusion in September, according to the February 2022 Direct. With such a momentous milestone approaching soon, it begs the question of what Monolith's next game series will look like. The finale of the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise may very well lead to a renewed possibility for a Baten Kaitos revival.
Baten Kaitos was a title created by Monolith in 2004 for the Nintendo GameCube. Its unique fantasy world featured a variety of characters and complex battle mechanics that the studio would deliberately move away from in Xenoblade Chronicles. It received a sequel, Baten Kaitos Origins, in 2006, but Monolith has not touched the series since. Now, some 18 years later, the release of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 signifies a chance for Baten Kaitos to come back.
The End of Xenoblade Chronicles
Xenoblade Chronicles has been Monolith Soft's primary focus for the past 12 years. The original title debuted on Wii in 2010, and its re-releases and sequels have appeared on the Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and Switch. Since the team at Monolith consecutively developed these games, the last time it would have had a chance to think about a Baten Kaitos sequel was before the first Xenoblade. The upcoming finale means several resources at Monolith should now be freed up to begin a new project. Baten Kaitos would be an excellent series for Monolith Soft to revisit and apply the lessons it learned from creating the Xenoblade games.
Popular Deck Builders and Baten Kaitos' Fandom
Baten Kaitos' gameplay is arguably more relevant now than it was at launch. The Xenoblade games rely on action-RPG gameplay for combat, but Baten Kaitos utilized a completely different system. It uses a combination of deck building and JRPG elements to create semi-real-time fights. While this was uncommon at the time, deck builders have gained significant traction in the past few years. Slay the Spire, Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars, Inscryption, and others have figured out clever ways to improve upon the genre. Baten Kaitos' gameplay could be updated and adapted to match these innovations.
Given the relative obscurity of the title, it's tempting to assume there's no demand for a new Baten Kaitos game. However, as recently as 2018, the game's director Yasuyuki Honne mentioned the prospect of returning to the series for a third entry. According to Honne, fans routinely message him inquiring about a revival. Not only that, the team had already begun drafting concept art, writing game design documents, and brainstorming a narrative starring a female protagonist, so another Baten Kaitos isn't entirely out of the question. Kensuke Tsukanaka, another Monolith staff member, has also expressed interest in the prospect of a third title, but both designers have encouraged fans to voice their desire for another game to Bandai Namco.
Xenoblade Chronicles has been a tremendous success for Monolith Soft. The games have taken the developer from obscure Nintendo subsidiary to JRPG powerhouse with iconic characters. Nintendo's acquisition of Monolith, however, was due in no small part to the creativity of Baten Kaitos and Baten Kaitos Origins. As the studio considers subsequent projects, it would do well to think about the impact of these relatively obscure GameCube titles. Perhaps it has already laid the groundwork for the next hit title on Nintendo Switch; fans will have to wait and see.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 releases September 2022 for Switch.
