Overnight Nintendo hosted a new Nintendo Direct, specifically to detail what is coming to players when Xenoblade Chronicles 3 releases next month, first check out the latest story trailer for the game

With this next entry in the saga, fans of the series will happy to discover that this new game actually connects the futures of the two previous mainline Xenoblade Chronicles games.

But if you are someone who has never put any time into the series before, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 also serves as an entry point for anyone looking to become engrossed in an immense RPG world with dynamic characters, a rich narrative and epic scope.

The direct took time to feature the world of Aionios, which has was described as a place filled with breathtaking and natural splendour that stands in contrast to the grim conflict waged between the two nations. Traversing Aionios, the locations players visit are saved as landmarks that can quickly be selected and travelled to, making traversing this giant world more manageable. It’s possible to wander freely, or follow a trail to the next destination by enabling a navigation feature. When exploring, players will encounter a range of surreal landmarks and diverse wildlife. And just like the lands they inhabit, the lifeforms here range from docile to dangerous. Some creatures, like the Demonic Krenolur, make no secret of their ferocious tendencies.

At the end of the presentation, the Expansion Pass for the game was announced, which will deliver 4 additional content drops over the next 18 months. The first content drop will occur on release day for the game, with the rest without confirmed dates, here is what you can expect to find in each wave.

DLC Wave 1

Release date: 29/7/2022

This wave of DLC contains the following content:

• A collection of helpful items

• Color variations for existing outfits

DLC Wave 2

Release date: by 31/12/2022

This wave of DLC contains the following content:

• Challenge Battle mode against difficult enemies

• A new hero character and accompanying quests

• New character outfits

DLC Wave 3

Release date: by 30/4/2023

This wave of DLC contains the following content:

• Challenge Battle mode against difficult enemies

• A new hero character and accompanying quests

• New character outfits

DLC Wave 4

Release date: by 31/12/2023

This wave of DLC contains the following content:

• New original story scenario

In what feels like a rare inclusion, the game will support amiibo and tapping any compatible amiibo, players will be rewarded with helpful in-game items for the adventure in Aionios. If you happen to own the Shulk amiibo, a character’s sword will appear as the Monado, the iconic weapon from the original Xenoblade Chronicles, when using Noah’s Swordfighter class.

Nintendo also released an insane 177 new screens from the game, so we put some of them below.

In order to get the full breakdown, with visuals, be sure to watch the entire presentation below.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is releasing on July 29th, so there is only a month and change to go until release.