Monster Hunter Rise is setting itself up for another great year. After releasing its Sunbreak expansion in June, Monster Hunter Rise went on to release three free title updates in August, September, and November, adding new events, new layered weapons, an expanded follower system, and powered-up monsters like Chaotic Gore Magala and Risen Teostra. Now, Capcom has returned with a trailer recapping 2022 and giving us a preview of what’s to come in 2023.
At the end of the trailer, we find out that the next free title update will arrive in February, bringing an Elder Dragon back from previous Monster Hunter titles and adding at least one more powered-up monster. The silhouette preview is just a spiky smudge so that Elder Dragon could basically be anything. And then in the spring, another free title update that Capcom is unwilling to provide details for just yet.
"Before I knew it, it's already been half a year since #Sunbreak's release, time really flies!" Monster Hunter Rise director Suzuki said on Twitter. "Everyone from the dev team extends our most sincere gratitude to those who joined us in the hunt this year. Here's to even more spectacular hunts in 2023!"
We won't even have to wait until February for momentous Monster Hunter Rise moves. Earlier this month, Capcom confirmed Monster Hunter Rise will hit both PlayStation and Xbox consoles on January 20, 2023. This will include improved graphics for current-gen consoles, with quality mode offering 4K resolution at 60 fps, or performance mode offering 1080p resolution at 120 fps on Xbox Series X and PS5. DualSense integration will be available for PS5 owners, and 3D audio will also be standard for current-gen consoles. Monster Hunter Rise will also hit Xbox Game Pass on the same day.
The only thing January's release won't bring is cross-play, a noteworthy omission in an era where cross-play is becoming the new standard.
Monster Hunter Rise is available now on PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch.