Capcom and Tencent’s TiMI Studio Group have announced Monster Hunter Outlanders, a new mobile-focused title set in the Monster Hunter universe. While details are scarce, the game is described as a “fully featured open-world survival game,” signaling Capcom’s push to cater to smartphone and tablet gamers.
This isn’t the first time that Monster Hunter has appeared on mobile devices, but it is the first time a mainline title is targeted. Previous mobile games, like Monster Hunter Now (which is still ongoing and not shutdown as I incorrectly stated) and Monster Hunter Riders, were spin-offs or took a different approach, such as Monster Hunter Now, which resembled Pokémon in style, and Monster Hunter Riders, a straight RPG.
According to the press release, Monster Hunter Outlanders will all players to craft gear and partake in traditional hunting experiences where they can play solo or along with other players, up to a party of four.
Judging by the key art and screenshots, I can see some ironic monsters, such as the Great Jagras, Anjanath, and Rathalos. There’s also a glider that shows up, which should be used for traversing the environments. There’s also some nice-looking gear being shown, including one of my favorites; sword and shield.
With Monster Hunter Outlanders, Capcom, and TiMI Studio Group face a significant challenge: adapting the current generation of Monster Hunter to mobile platforms. My hope is that the game won’t rely solely on touch controls, as Monster Hunter’s gameplay style may not translate well to that format. Fingers crossed for controller support.
There’s currently no release date mentioned for Monster Hunter Outlanders.
