If you’ve ever wanted to play Monster Hunter in real life, good news: Niantic is working on Monster Hunter Now, an augmented reality version of the popular franchise.
Monster Hunter Now is expected to ship on iOS and Android devices later this year and will combine Niantic’s expertise in augmented reality with Capcom’s iconic monsters. While some of the mechanics of the franchise’s latest title are still up in the air, other features were announced by Sakae Osumi, senior producer at Niantic’s Tokyo studio in an April 17 press briefing.
The game will allow players to team up with friends to take down monsters but with a twist; Monster Hunter Now looks to lean more into real-time combat compared to their previous games. By defeating monsters, the players will gain materials that can be used to improve equipment or create entirely new pieces of gear in preparation for the next hunt. Early screenshots show an AR overlay on the real world, revealing locations where you can mine Ore—a common material in the Monster Hunter universe—used to craft and upgrade equipment.
One thing highlighted as a “novel mechanic” is the use of Paintball. Using these Paintballs on monsters you pass will let you tag a monster, then hunt it later from home without the need to return to its real-world location. This will allow players to take the hunt home with them, where they can return to the game alone or with friends.
While Niantic said that multiplayer and social aspects of hunting will be offered, the Pokémon Go developer didn’t mention how close these people would have to be, or if they could play with another player remotely.
You can register for the close beta of Monster Hunter Now here. The beta is expected to begin on April 25, while the full game will launch in Sept. 2023.
