Highlights
- Monster Hunter fans eagerly await the announcement of a new console title, as the mobile title Now isn't the same as a proper release.
- Capcom plans to release an unannounced title by March 2024, and it could potentially be a new Monster Hunter game.
- The next Monster Hunter should take advantage of the capabilities of modern consoles and continue the franchise's momentum.
Right now, Monster Hunter fans everywhere are waiting for a new title to be announced. Monster Hunter World and its Iceborne expansion have been complete for several years, and early in the summer of 2023, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak reached the same place. While Monster Hunter Now just launched for the mobile market, it isn't the same as a new console Monster Hunter title, which fans already suspect is in development.
In a quarterly earnings report, Capcom revealed that it plans to release an unannounced title by the end of March 2024, which is expected to sell millions across its lifetime. That date is approaching fast, and Capcom hasn't announced anything yet which matches that description. Since Monster Hunter World and Rise both launched in the first three months of their respective years, many fans suspect that a new MH will reprise the timeslot again. The current console generation itself is quickly nearing its halfway mark, and it would be a shame for Monster Hunter to miss out on a native PS5 and Xbox Series title.
Modern Consoles Are Ideal For A Bigger and Better Monster Hunter
Although there technically are versions of Monster Hunter Rise available for PS5 and Xbox Series, they came about as a consequence of the game ending its Nintendo Switch exclusivity. The PS4 and Xbox One were more than strong enough to run it, just as they are for Monster Hunter World. A Monster Hunter title pushing the series' ambitions forward on modern hardware hasn't been released yet, but it should at some point. As the PS5 and Xbox Series enter their third year of life, launching a Monster Hunter title that can receive support for the rest of the console generation would be the best move possible.
The versatility of the RE Engine means that work done for Monster Hunter Rise should carry forward into future Monster Hunter titles, expanding their potential content. Even though a hypothetical Monster Hunter World 2 would be built on that engine instead of the original World's MT Framework, it may still end up with more monsters and areas than World had at launch. Few new mechanics will be necessary to justify an MH World 2, as the power of the PS5 and Xbox Series combined with RE Engine should ensure it accomplishes everything it set out to do.
A New Monster Hunter Should Launch Soon
The only things left are when the next Monster Hunter title is revealed, and what it's going to be. Either Tokyo Game Show or The Game Awards are good stages to unveil something as large as a new Monster Hunter title. Monster Hunter World 2 is the obvious choice for the game's identity, as the subtitle has strong recognition already and reflects the current globalized era of Monster Hunter releases. It also signifies an effort to target the best available hardware like World 1 did, with more flexible PC and potentially Nintendo Switch 2 ports coming later.
The next major Monster Hunter game doesn't need to be part of the World line, but it needs to make its nature as the next main title for the series clear. As good as Monster Hunter Rise was, it didn't hit quite as hard as Monster Hunter World, and Capcom needs to keep the franchise's momentum up for it to keep expanding its player base. Regardless of what Capcom chooses to do, the announcement of the next Monster Hunter should be coming soon, and hopefully it takes the latest console generation by storm.
