Niantic and Capcom today revealed “Monster Hunter Now,” a mobile game launching this September that brings the exciting experience of Monster Hunter to streets, parks and neighborhoods around the world. Look for it on Android and Apple phones within five months from now.
Sometime in September 2023.
Watch the Monster Hunter Now trailer here:
Read the full Monster Hunter Now press release:
Monster Hunter Now will be distributed by Niantic and licensed by CAPCOM. The global launch is scheduled for September 2023 and the game will be available on the App Store and Google Play. Interested players can sign up now at monsterhunternow.com for a chance to be selected for upcoming closed beta tests of the game.
For anyone who’s ever dreamed of hunting monsters in the real world, “Monster Hunter Now” brings that fantasy to life. Taking the role of a hunter, players will venture forth and team up with fellow players in order to take down the fiercest monsters in the world, adding a social element to the thrilling experience. Since “Monster Hunter Now” can be played on smartphones, you can easily invite your friends to join.
Monster Hunter is CAPCOM’s most popular video game franchise with more than 90 million units sold globally, and is one of the most popular action role-playing game series of all time.
“Monster Hunter Now is a new and unprecedented Monster Hunter game that entices players to go out with their Palico and encounter incredible monsters in the real world,” said Ryozo Tsujimoto, Producer of the Monster Hunter series for CAPCOM. “Niantic’s AR technology delivers a ‘here and right now’ hunting experience, something that can be played casually, while honoring the game play and hunting action that only Monster Hunter can offer. Let’s get out into the real world and enjoy hunting!”
“Monster Hunter Now will be the ultimate experience for anyone who has dreamed of facing off against epic monsters and battling them with friends,” said John Hanke, Founder and CEO of Niantic. “Filled with fantastical creatures, engrossing hunting and opportunities for teamwork, with the best possible graphics on mobile devices, Monster Hunter Now is the perfect franchise to bring into the real world.”
Monster Hunter Now is designed for everyone to enjoy at their own pace, whether you are a long-time Monster Hunter player, someone who hasn’t played for a while, or even a newcomer to the series. You can also play when and where you want. For instance, in Monster Hunter Now, there’s an item called the Paintball. By using a Paintball on a monster that you encounter, you can bring the monster back home and hunt it alone or with someone else. And even when you’re walking around without playing the game, your companion can mark any monsters you pass by with the Paintball, so you can enjoy hunting them even after returning home.
Built on Niantic’s Lightship platform, “Monster Hunter Now” uses industry-leading location-based technology and AR that overlays the real world with fantastical and fierce creatures.
Capcom hopes Niantic can bring that Pokemon Go magic to Monster Hunter, something that hasn’t happened with any non-Nintendo franchises including Harry Potter, NBA, etc. Fingers crossed they can pull it off.
And it would be nice of Niantic to start actually listening to its Pokemon Go fanbase instead of ignoring them like they have when fans requested unlimited remote raiding at affordable prices be kept in the game, when instead Niantic raised prices on digital goods and even limited the use of said goods instead of listening to its fanbase’s pleas. Especially when they make all their money from Pokemon Go…
Are you looking forward to Monster Hunter Now when it arrives this September?