Niantic is making a new real world Monster Hunter game. Today, Capcom and Niantic Studios announced Monster Hunter Now, a new mobile game that combines Niantic’s AR gameplay with Monster Hunter’s unique style of battling monsters. Unlike Pokemon Go and other Niantic games that promotes collecting and PvP-style gameplay by visiting real world locations, Monster Hunter is billed as an “Action RPG” game, in which players try to collectively battle and hunt monsters in real time. Notably, the game’s hunts will only last 75 seconds and players will be able to be matched with other players when they’re playing. The game is being billed as more casual than the typical Monster Hunter game, but still features many elements of a classic Monster Hunter game.
Hallmarks of the Monster Hunter franchise, including iconic monsters such as Rathalos, support from Palico characters, and the ability to craft and upgrade equipment and weapons, will be in Monster Hunter Now. While players can battle monsters in real time and in the real world, they will also be able to “paint” monsters in order to bring the monsters to other locations so they can battle with friends at school or work instead. Player can also collect resources at various Waypoints (real world locations tagged by players of other Niantic games) to upgrade their armor and weapons. The game will also have story elements, along with a mix of new and existing characters from the Monster Hunter franchise.
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Niantic and Capcom have been developing Monster Hunter Now for four years, with Niantic’s Tokyo Studio leading the development of the game. Like other Niantic games, Monster Hunter Now will be a free-to-play game, although there will be some monetization elements.
Monster Hunter Now joins a growing number of Niantic projects that includes Pokemon Go, NBA All-World, and Pikmin Bloom. While Niantic’s other games haven’t reached the same heights as Pokemon Go, Monster Hunter Now should have an easier time picking up fans, in part because Monster Hunter remains one of Capcom’s biggest franchises.
The beta test for Monster Hunter Now will start April 25th, with registration launching today. The full Monster Hunter Now game will launch in September 2023.
