So there was an interesting section in the inteview (note everything im about to say came out of Google Translate so there are probably errors)



-The interviewer asks about the job advert that went up last year for the next Xenoblade game

-Asks about the focus on "Map Design"

-Takahashi explains that for every game since Xenogears, Monolith always start with the map first

-That way, they can get an estimate of: 1. how many areas there will be 2. how long a player will stay there 3. how long the game will be 4. how expensive the game will be to produce.

-The Example given is; if you have a 10 hour game, with 10 areas; then each area will have to have enough engaging content for an hour of gameplay. And then if each area takes 100mil Yen to make, the whole game will be in the ballpark of 1Billion Yen.

-By getting this out of the way first, they can design the whole game-flow, and then build the characters on top of that. Instead of building characters, then artificially making a world around them.

-Interviewer asks how long it takes to get through all that.



The important part (assuming GT didnt screw with it)



-Takahashi states that the next Xenoblade has been in production for 10 months.

-The map design is finished, as well as the "everything to go with it"; so probably the story, characters,etc

-Currently they're making the assets and putting it together

-He estimates it'll take 2 and half to 3 years in total to finish the game.

-Xenoblade 3 (assuming its that) will likely be out Christmas 2021 (note he didnt say that directly, thats just when the dates will line up)





Exciting



There's probably more as well, still going through it. These Japanese interviews are long and serious stuff.