The Nintendo Switch title Monster Hunter Rise will eventually arrive on the PC, according to producer Ryozo Tsujimoto. Although the latest title in the Monster Hunter series will be released on the Switch on March 26, Tsujimoto told IGN Japan in an interview that PC players can expect to get their hands on the game in early 2022.
“We received a lot of requests for a PC version of Monster Hunter Rise, especially from foreign players, so we decided to develop a PC version, which we plan to release in early 2022,” said Tsujimoto. “This is still in development, so I would like to share more detailed information when the time is right.”
No other details of the PC version were available.
While Monster Hunter has been a killer franchise in Japan, Monster Hunter: World 2018 and its Iceborne expansion have brought the series to global success, with World selling over 16.8 million units worldwide, and another 7.2 million sales to Iceborne. It is encouraging to know that Capcom is listening to fans of the series around the world when considering platforms for new entrances like Rise.
Monster Hunter Rise was designed specifically with the Switch’s features in mind – for example, Tsujimoto said in the interview that during development “we considered the characteristics of the Nintendo Switch, which can be used as a portable device, and with that in mind we focus on hunting at a faster rate than before. “
It is not clear how these aspects will translate into a PC version. But Rise’s emphasis on action results in rigid core mechanics that should be fun to play regardless of platform, and the game has become even more welcoming to new players than the already accessible Monster Hunter World.
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For example, in addition to the Palico feline companions from previous games, Rise introduces the Palamutes, canine creatures that assist the player in battle and that can even be ridden like a horse, making exploration much faster and more dynamic. “We especially wanted to have fun traveling on the Palamute, available in multiplayer,” said Tsujimoto. “Getting the performance you need from [Switch] hardware required some adjustments, but we were able to eventually achieve them through continuous development. “
While the Switch hardware comes with technical limitations, Rise is a beautiful game with impressive art direction and a complex ecosystem that allows monsters to interact organically with each other. It is notably the first Monster Hunter on a portable system to present perfect maps with no load between areas, a challenge that the development team worked hard to accomplish. Therefore, there should be no reason to worry that a PC version will be harmed by the origins of the game’s Switch.
Capcom has succeeded with previous versions for more powerful hardware, such as when Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate 2011 received a stunning HD update for the Wii U in 2012. So, perhaps a PC version of Rise could receive a similar makeover.
To learn more about Monster Hunter Rise, take a tour of Kamura Village in the video above, with surprising new details about its facilities, such as the Gathering Hub, the canteen and the training area! Also, check out our Monster Hunter Rise preview of the game in general.
Ryuichi Kataoka is a freelance writer for IGN Japan. Daniel Robson is chief editor of IGN Japan.