Monster Hunter Now puts a Pokemon Go-style twist on Capcom's action series

Pokemon Go developer Niantic is turning its attention to Capcom's Monster Hunter franchise to produce Monster Hunter Now.

Announced earlier today, Monster Hunter Now is coming to Android and iOS devices  in September 2023. A limited closed beta kicks off next week on April 25, and you can sign up for the test session now, although the beta is capped at 10,000 total players.

Yes, this is Niantic's Pokemon Go-like spin on the Monster Hunter series. Except whereas Pokemon Go has a focus on capturing monsters, Monster Hunter Now is only concerned with slaughtering them, as you and your friends team up worldwide to take on fearsome foes.

It sounds like Monster Hunter Now will work pretty similarly to Pokemon Go - you'll head to a real-world location to face off against a creature like a Rathalos or Kulu-Ya-Ku, except all the battles here are played out in real-time, with ducking and dodging outstretched claws and talons crucial to survival.

A Pokemon Go-like take on Monster Hunter makes a lot of sense: Capcom's series is still riding the high of Monster Hunter World's record-breaking sales, and Monster Hunter Rise has just debuted across consoles, in particular arriving on Xbox Game Pass. A pivot to mobile for a shot at an even bigger audience makes perfect sense for Monster Hunter.

Considering Niantic's recent endeavours, like Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, haven't come close to the same success as Pokemon Go, it'll be interesting to see if Monster Hunter Now can find a global audience.

Check out our new games 2023 guide for a look ahead at all the big games set to arrive throughout the rest of the year.