Monster Hunter IP Expands with Open-World Mobile Game

There’s a new Monster Hunter game coming soon, and the best part: It fits right in your pocket! Read on to learn more about the upcoming Monster Hunter Outlanders.

Monster Hunter Outlanders Brings Open-World Monster Hunting to MobileFrom the Developers Behind Call of Duty: Mobile and Pokemon Unite

Monster Hunter Wilds won’t be the only Monster Hunter game players can expect on the horizon, as Capcom and TiMi Studio Group (a Tencent subsidiary) are teaming up to bring the series' monster-hunting to mobile in Monster Hunter Outlanders. Aimed at combining the "Monster Hunter experience" with the convenience of mobile play, Outlanders will be a free-to-play open-world survival RPG where players can hunt "anytime and anywhere" right from their smartphones.

The game is set in expansive environments where players can explore and hunt in an open-world reminiscent of mainline Monster Hunter titles. Screenshots and teasers show players gliding through lush grasslands, swimming on lakes, and observing monsters going about their lives in natural habitats. Timi Studio’s Dong Huang mentioned in their Producers’ Interview that the game will keep "as much of the Monster Hunter series’ well-refined gameplay as possible while optimizing various parts of this game to maximize the fun of its unique battle system."

While there is no official release date yet, Capcom and TiMi are planning a series of playtests to gather player feedback before launch on Android and iOS devices. To stay updated on the latest news and potential opportunities to participate in these playtests, interested players can sign up on the official Monster Hunter Outlanders website. Additionally, filling out a short survey about their gaming experience and Monster Hunter preferences may give them "a better chance to qualify for future beta tests!"

TiMi Studio’s track record with popular mobile games like Call of Duty: Mobile and Pokemon Unite raises great expectations for the Monster Hunter Outlanders’ visuals. Based on the available gameplay footage and screenshots, the game already looks impressive for a mobile game, with some fans even saying that it might rival the graphics quality of Monster Hunter Rise on the Nintendo Switch. Given the game’s impressive graphical fidelity, many players are now wondering if their phones can even handle it.

While the developers haven’t officially revealed the game’s minimum requirements, a survey on their website lists a range of supported Snapdragon processors, from the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 to the older Snapdragon 845, which can give players a hint as to what type of device they’ll need to run the game smoothly regardless of their graphics settings.

Everything We Know About Monster Hunter Outlanders

The open world will include "forests, swamps, and deserts, all of which are connected seamlessly." The world is even more vibrant due to the existence of dynamic climates and a living ecosystem, where you can even watch turf wars between two colossal monsters.

Players can expect returning monsters, such as Diablos, Kulu-Ya-Ku, Pukei-Pukei, Barroth, Rathian, and the series’ mascot Rathalos. And if these weren’t enough, a mysterious colossal monster hidden in clouds was also spotted in the trailer. Whether this will be a new monster to hunt or an old favorite remains to be seen, but they may be the reason why "certain environmental conditions" are present in Outlanders. These conditions can cause monsters to mutate and become even more formidable.

Combat has been carefully optimized for mobile devices. While the developers haven't provided detailed specifics in their Producers’ Interview, the available footage and screenshots suggest that many weapon mechanics will be preserved. The extent to which these mechanics will be adapted, however, is still unknown.

New to the series is a construction system that allows players to gather resources from the environment and construct houses or various items that players can use to traverse the open world. Think of Wild Hearts' Karakuris that assist players in exploration. It is currently unknown if this system will also assist in combat, as in Wild Hearts.

Unlike previous Monster Hunter titles, players must choose from a lineup of characters instead of creating their own. Each character will have their own personality, story, specialized weapons, and abilities. Weapons and armors from past entries will still appear, so players can still customize their characters however they want. The method of obtaining these characters is currently unknown, but according to IGN, the game will "feature in-app purchases," which could potentially make this a gacha game, where luck will play a role in acquiring desired characters.

There will also be new "buddies" unique to the game who can support players in item gathering and monster hunting. Aside from the Palicoes from past entries, the developers have shown off two other buddies: a little primate and a bird. The developers have yet to fully reveal their capabilities, but have promised more information on these characters and their buddies in future announcements.