Debuting in 2004, theMonster Hunterfranchise has had a long history of multi-platform releases, with even its first entry initially releasing on PS2 and being ported to the Wii years later. Over the last almost two decades,Monster Hunterhas released a plethora of standalone titles specifically designed for handheld consoles like the PSP and Nintendo DS, with the most recent example beingMonster Hunter Rise. ButMonster Hunter Riseis about to do what few otherhandheldMonster Huntergameshave done before and get ported to other consoles.
Blurring the lines between a handheld and home consoleMonster Huntergame,Monster Hunter Risewas an impressive title when it launched on the Switch in 2021, and with Capcom just announcing that the game is headed to PlayStation and Xbox early next year, even more fans will be able to see that for themselves. However, this could mean that a bigger-budget, larger-scaleMonster Huntergame isn’t currently in the works, which will be a disappointment for those expectingMonster Hunter World 2.
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Fans May Be Waiting a While for Monster Hunter World 2
Originally releasing for the Nintendo Switch in 2021,Monster Hunter Risereceived a PC release January of this year. Back then, many fans believed that it was only a matter of time before the game would also head to other consoles as well, and Capcom has just proved them right. In January 2023, fans will be able to playMonster Hunter Riseon their PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with the game even coming toXbox Game Passat its release.
Many fans are taking this news as a subtle announcement thatMonster Hunter World 2is not coming out any time soon. Before its release,Monster Hunter Worldwas marketed as the franchise’s big return to the console landscape. BeforeWorld, theMonster Hunterfranchise had spent about five years being 3DS exclusive, with no large-scale mainline entries for quite some time.Monster Hunter Worldwas set to be the franchise’s return to form, and the hype surrounding it was immense.
When it released in 2018,Monster Hunter Worldwas a gigantic hit, delivering on all of its promises. Being a marked step up from the 3DS entries,Monster Hunter Worldwas truly the first large-scaleMonster Huntergame in years, and fans instantly fell in love with it. WithMonster Hunter World’s release being such a big deal, fans had begun to believe that Capcom would continue to release smaller-scaleMonster Huntergames on handheld consoles, while the big mainline entries were reserved for standard consoles and PC. WithMonster Hunter Riseheading to PlayStation and Xbox in just a month’s time, fans now aren’t so sure about their theory. This announcement would seem to suggest that another mainlineMonster Huntertitle is quite a ways off.
Thankfully,Monster Hunter Riseis much more than just a handheldMonster Huntergame. Though it may not be as visually impressive asMonster Hunter World,Monster Hunter Riseshould certainly be considered a mainline entry, introducing a slew of new traversal and combat mechanics while retaining a fully-fledged open-world approach. WithMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreakalso heading to PlayStation and Xbox in Spring 2023, there’s plenty of new content for fans to dive into, and there’s more than enough to keep fans going until another mainlineMonster Huntergame eventually releases.
Monster Hunter Riseis available on PC and Switch, and is releasing June 24, 2025 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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