The Monster Hunter franchise has by no means been hotter, and it’s simple to see why. After a gradual string of releases over the past twenty years, developer Capcom slowly refined and expanded upon the successful system, giving followers greater and higher video games because the years progressed. Latest outings like Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise have been big crucial and gross sales successes, and now it’s time for one thing new.
Now, MH creator Capcom is teaming up with cell developer Niantic (Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, Ingress) within the hopes of increasing the attraction and viewers of Monster Hunter, and who higher than the creators of Pokémon Go to appreciate that purpose? Monster Hunter won’t fairly have the prolific library of monsters that Pokémon does, but it surely has a large and devoted viewers already.
To be taught extra concerning the recreation, we spoke to Kei Kawai, who works as government producer of Monster Hunter Now and as Niantic chief product officer. Bringing the world of Monster Hunter to cell is a tough activity, so we needed to listen to extra concerning the challenges of adapting a recreation with so many components and a lot nuance to a cell gadget.
One fascinating component is studying that Niantic is the one which approached Capcom within the first place. Talking on the collaboration, Kawai says that “I pitched the thought for the sport to the workforce at Capcom, they usually agreed to the thought in that first assembly.” Given Niantic’s earlier success with Pokémon Go, it’s little shock Capcom noticed potential within the concept, and in line with Kawai, Capcom had “already been contemplating a location-based recreation” anyway.
In the event you’re an present Pokémon Go fan, you would possibly surprise why you must take a look at Monster Hunter Now. Whereas Kawai does clarify that “totally different IPs attraction to totally different audiences” in addition they keep that Niantic and Capcom have “labored arduous to provide gamers a really totally different form of expertise.” What does that entail precisely? Nicely, in line with Kawai, Monster Hunter Now’s “a brand new recreation constructed from the bottom up” whereas the principle shift is with “actual time battles and lots of motion.”
As a Monster Hunter fan for some years, I’m taken with how the notoriously advanced battle system interprets to cell, and Niantic and Capcom have clearly made this a high precedence. When requested about transferring the gameplay, Kawai explains that Monster Hunter Now has been in growth for “over 4 years,” lots of which was “trial and error.” In response to Kawai, early prototypes had matches lasting wherever between “5 and ten minutes,” although playtesting ultimately led to the present recreation’s most of 75 seconds. I’ve spent a number of hours tackling beasts on consoles, however I definitely don’t assume I wish to stand on the street for forty minutes within the hopes of slaying a Rathian.
As a substitute, the main target is on making “a recreation that is still true to Monster Hunter” however remains to be accessible to the cell viewers and expertise, with controls which might be “simple to begin and arduous to grasp.” One important component of that is the one-finger gameplay that replaces the common weapon assaults. Nonetheless, Niantic and Capcom are including nuance to this mode with “improvements from the workforce just like the gyro for the projectile weapons.”
The group is one component of Monster Hunter that followers adore, and this appears to be one other precedence for the Monster Hunter Now workforce. As Kawai explains, the present give attention to multiplayer and the present group are “what makes Monster Hunter such an important match for a Niantic recreation.” In Now, as much as 4 gamers can “match up rapidly with individuals round you,” and you may as well work alongside strangers. This collaborative gameplay is outwardly “key to defeating the higher-level monsters.”
One recurring component of Monster Hunter that I personally adore is the sample of flagship monsters representing a recreation and its cowl artwork. Not too long ago Monster Hunter Rise featured the fearsome Magnamalo, and I couldn’t assist however ask if Monster Hunter Now would possibly get its personal monster down the road. Kawai offers a suitably cautious reply, saying “That is actually a query for our buddies at Capcom,” although apparently the launch of Monster Hunter Now’s simply the beginning, and the developer would “love to incorporate new distinctive monsters within the recreation sooner or later.”
Monster Hunter Now has been in beta testing for a few months now, and whereas now we have additionally been taking part in a pre-release construct, we’re ready to provide a full assessment close to launch. In response to Kawai, this testing has been essential, and the Monster Hunter Now workforce remains to be making “remaining touches” to the sport, together with “fine-tuning the pace of progress and the strengths of the totally different monsters and weapons.” Very like different Monster Hunter video games, we anticipate the group goes to be essential in creating a good and satisfying recreation.
Whereas Pokémon Go is over seven years outdated, it’s definitely fascinating that Monster Hunter is seeing now as the right time to launch this cell title. Nonetheless, after the success of Rise, World, and even the discharge of a Monster Hunter film, Niantic want to use this chance to assist Monster Hunter “attain a broader and actually international viewers of smartphone customers and cell recreation gamers.”
Now’s positive to be many gamers’ first introduction to the collection, and as Kawai mentions, Niantic hopes that the title will “assist increase the franchise and produce new gamers into the world.” In any case, Go is partly answerable for an enormous resurgence in Pokémon’s reputation. In the event you’re in any respect frightened concerning the workforce behind this, Kawai assures followers that each collection producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and “all the highest Monster Hunter producers at Capcom” are giving Niantic “helpful suggestions all through the method.”
The Monster Hunter collection is one with a transparent imaginative and prescient, and it’s reassuring to know that so lots of its most proficient creators are overseeing this new enterprise. It’s evident that Capcom and the Monster Hunter workforce wish to construct on their present viewers and unfold the gospel of Monster Hunter, and Kawai confirms it, saying the workforce hopes to construct on the present viewers “by attracting a various viewers to the sport, together with households. There may be a lot potential on cell.”
One component of the sport that’s unclear thus far is how Niantic and Capcom hope to maintain gamers engaged over time. The Monster Hunter gameplay loop of making armor and weapons is unbelievable, however a cell recreation wants sure components to maintain issues recent. When requested how Now’s set to maintain followers taking part in, Kawai explains that Niantic is “introducing a season system and will likely be including new monsters, storylines, and weapons varieties to the sport over time.”
Kawai additional explains as they point out that “Niantic has an important monitor file of working dwell operations and in-game occasions for cell video games,” and it’s definitely true. After a considerably gradual begin, Pokémon Go is now consistently supported with common fascinating occasions, with inventive new options or duties to maintain gamers joyful. In response to Kawai, the Now workforce is “enthusiastic about working the sport as a service” and seeing what the workforce can obtain with such a “passionate group.”
Lastly, we couldn’t end the interview with out asking Kawai what the collection means to them, and fortunately it’s clear this title is being developed with lots of love and fervour. Kawai instructed us that the Monster Hunter collection “means lots to me personally,” and there’s a enjoyable (and novel) cause for that.
Kawai says “my cousin truly met after which married their accomplice by taking part in Monster Hunter collectively in school,” and in line with Kawai that’s the place they “acquired the thought for the sport.” Two individuals assembly and bonding over the collection is touching, and as Kawai additional explains the “Monster Hunter world clearly had the ability to carry individuals collectively in the true world.”
We additionally couldn’t assist however ask Kawai what their favourite monster is, they usually fortunately defined that “It must be Pukei-Pukei. I simply love its offbeat quirkiness!” We’ll have to attend only a bit longer to be taught extra about Monster Hunter Now, but it surely’s clear that the developer is passionate concerning the collection, and pushed to assist unfold it even additional. Maybe similar to Kawai’s cousin, it’ll assist carry you nearer to individuals in the true world, very quickly.
