Update: Xenoblade Chronicles coming to North America via Gamestop Exclusive, Official announcement made

UPDATE:  Nintendo of America has now made an official announcement that Xenoblade Chronicles is indeed coming out April 2012, exclusively through Gamestop.  Full PR below:

XENOBLADE CHRONICLES COMING TO NINTENDO’S WII CONSOLE IN SPRING

It’s man vs. machine in a new game coming to Nintendo’s Wii console in spring. Xenoblade Chronicles asks players to use the Monado blade to take on a seemingly endless series of invading Mechon robots in a sweeping role-playing adventure.

The main character is Shulk, a weapons researcher who must confront the Mechon by wielding the ancient Monado blade. It’s the only weapon that has any effect against the Mechon, and it also enables Shulk to see the future.

Players can customize their characters with a variety of weapons and armor choices, as well as headgear, boots and gloves. As in many role-playing games, players can then gain experience and upgrade their characters. Players can watch their enemies, learn their tactics and unleash real-time counterattacks.

The vast open world of Xenoblade Chronicles is ripe for exploration. Players can avert their focus from the main story and venture out looking for other challenges and side quests. Hidden areas and unique monsters are scattered throughout the game’s massive world, which players can explore freely.

Xenoblade Chronicles has already launched in Japan and Europe, and has received unanimously positive reviews, including several perfect scores.

Xenoblade Chronicles will be available exclusively through U.S. GameStop retail locations, http://www.gamestop.com and http://www.nintendo.com at a suggested retail price of $49.99 in the United States. Additional information about the game will be announced in the future. For more information, visit http://xenobladechronicles.nintendo.com.

Neogaf poster Square Triangle posted an image today that shows Xenoblade Chronicles is coming to the United States via Gamestop, apparently as an exclusive release for the retail chain. This comes after months of denial from Nintendo of America, who has been pretty adamant with the word no when asked about the possiblity of this RPG coming out in the US.

Fans organized a campaign to try and convince NOA to release the game starting back in June with Operation: Rainfall, and after the game was announced for a European release, fans were left wondering why Nintendo of America was so hesistant to pull the trigger, considering the translation work was already done.

Adding further evidence to the game’s possible release, Nintendo updated their Facebook page today with a number of Xenoblade images. Also, a search on Nintendo of America’s homepage for the also reveals a listing, with an April 2012 release date, the same as the leaked Gamestop image from Neogaf.

No official word has come down from Nintendo of America just yet, but an announcement seems to be looming on the horizon. We’ll be sure to update you here when and if that occurs.

Quick Edit: It might as well be offical, the link to Xenoblade Chronicles on NOA’s website also has a trailer, with an ESRB rating of Teen attached now.