Niantic is working on a 'Monster Hunter' augmented reality mobile game

Image: Niantic

Niantic is taking the magic of Pokémon Go and bringing it into the Monster Hunter universe. The company collaborated with Capcom to create a "real-world hunting action RPG" called Monster Hunter Now. The gameplay is similar to Pokémon Go and the now-defunct Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, where you can team up with friends and strangers to play and use materials you gather to craft weapons and armour. 

The game will be free-to-play with in-app purchases. It will feature a simplified combat similar to Pokémon Go, with you tapping and swiping on your phone. You can fight in portrait or landscape to replicate the experience on PCs and consoles. While versions of those games have battles that last over five minutes, the maximum battle time on mobile will be 75 seconds. Niantic is now accepting sign-ups for its closed beta testing, which starts on April 25. If there are no issues, Monster Hunter Now will launch sometime in September.

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'Monster Hunter World: Iceborne' will get 'Monster Hunter' movie content

There is some cross-promotion happening between the Capcom game Monster Hunter World: Iceborne and the upcoming Monster Hunter movie. The game will be offering downloadable content based on the film, even as the adaptation doesn't look to be too faithful to it.

The game will let players embark on a two-part event quest that features the Black Diablos and Greater Rathalos, two monsters featured in the film. There will also be special bonus items and a player skin based on Mila Jovovich's character Captain Artemis. The DLC will come to Iceborne on December 4, ahead of the film's premiere in the US on December 25.

Source: The Verge

Here's your first look at the 'Monster Hunter' movie

We're finally getting a look at the film adaptation of Monster Hunter. Sony and IGN released a very short teaser that shows what looks like will be a climactic battle against a gigantic Black Diablos. The Paul W.S. Anderson production stars Milla Jovovich as Artemis and T.I. as Link, along with action legend Tony Jaa, Ron Perlman, Diego Boneta and Meagan Good.

The trailer doesn't show the game series' signature swords, but promo photos have shown these weapons, which means we might see them somewhere in the movie. Monster Hunter is slated for a theatrical only release in December, but it won't be surprising if COVID-19 affects these plans.

Source: Engadget