It's always nice to see them getting more attention. It really is amazing to see how far they've come and where they are now.
Hopefully next year is the year we see what they're next big game is.
I wish they'd go back to making narrative focused games instead of the Xenoblade open world stuff.
Xenogears is easily one of my favorite games - not because of big robots or because OMG the world is 10,000 square virtual miles but because of where the story goes and the characters we got to hang out with for the duration of the game (and OK, the soundtrack was also pretty spectacular). I have yet to touch a single Xenoblade game just because it doesn't seem anywhere close to that. I know I'll have a dozen people quoting me and claiming that the Xenoblade games are "amazing" etc etc but I know they won't be something I'd be interested in at all.
The Xenoblade games are all narrative focused, but just not as "big" as Xeogears or Xenosaga. Xenoblade 1's story is very watered down and characters aren't very deep, and it's straightforward compared to Gears/Saga, but you can tell it's still very much a "Xeno" game. While Xenoblade X's big story/development is in the side content and meant to be done alongside the main story as a compliment. They're both still great games.
But Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is the most like Xenogears/Xenosaga in it's characters, writing, story, setting, and themes. Xenogears, Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 are the games the have the most in common when it comes to that style. The only thing XC2 does differently is having more segments like Chu-chu's transformation, Dan, G-Elemnts transformation, etc. There's a little more comedy, but nothing that feels out of place for a Xeno game.
So if you were to try any Xenoblade game, I would highly recommend Xenoblade Chronicles 2, but all of them really are still good.
