Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the third installment of the open world action role-playing franchise, was supposedly in its last stages of development with a release date set for mid to late 2022.However, certain rumors have surfaced, which state that the development of the upcoming title was affected significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the title's official release has been pushed to 2023.NateTheHate2@NateTheHate2Nintendo Switch 2022 Predictions | Metroid Prime HD, New Fire Emblem, BotW2, XBC3, & More (ft. MVG)The table is set for Nintendo to have one of their strongest yrs. Some anticipated releases may see delays, but surprising new announcements will satisfy.youtu.be/lk00y9rmmH01:09 AM · Jan 16, 202213813Nintendo Switch 2022 Predictions | Metroid Prime HD, New Fire Emblem, BotW2, XBC3, & More (ft. MVG)The table is set for Nintendo to have one of their strongest yrs. Some anticipated releases may see delays, but surprising new announcements will satisfy.youtu.be/lk00y9rmmH0 https://t.co/a7CQ4Mf7b4In a recent podcast, an industry insider, who goes by the YouTube and Twitter moniker Nate the Hate, claimed that Monolith Soft is still working to fix a significant number of technical problems that have cropped up in the game.Further, the insider feels that while the title might have an official announcement soon, the game itself might not be ready before 2023.Nate the Hate also detailed that the delay in the Nintendo exclusive’s rollout was primarily due to issues with platform optimization.Xenoblade Chronicles 3 might be pushed back to 2023❖ Runa ❖@RunaRPGDay/night cycle test. The d/n cycle in this level is inspired by the one in Satorl Marsh, a beautiful map from Xenoblade Chronicles.#gamedev | #indiegame | #indiedev | #UE5 | #screenshotsunday9:56 AM · Jan 9, 2022505133Day/night cycle test. The d/n cycle in this level is inspired by the one in Satorl Marsh, a beautiful map from Xenoblade Chronicles.#gamedev | #indiegame | #indiedev | #UE5 | #screenshotsunday https://t.co/i0YeBJoPrFNintendo and Monolith Soft were earlier set to announce the title in 2021. Nate the Hate feels that though the developers are still ironing out various problems in the game, they may choose to make an official announcement in the first half of 2022.In an interview last year, Jenna Coleman, Melia's voice actor, also hinted at the fact that the game was close to finishing development. Hence, it was expected that an official announcement would drop a few months later.Unfortunately, that was not the case, and if the rumors are accurate, then Monolith Soft is still busy fixing issues.Breath of the Wild Sequel News@Botw2NewsNew clips of Breath of the Wild's sequel were shown during the #E32021 Nintendo Direct. The release date was confirmed for 2022.10:11 AM · Jun 15, 202138865New clips of Breath of the Wild's sequel were shown during the #E32021 Nintendo Direct. The release date was confirmed for 2022. https://t.co/567P4VUOlDIf the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 announcement does drop, then 2022 will be a great year for Nintendo Switch owners, as the platform will likely see the release of the highly anticipated "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2" later this year as well.