TheMonster Hunterfranchise can be a bit of a tough sell to western gamers, but in Japan, the series is one of Capcom’s most profitable and consistent IPs. Something aboutMonster Hunter’s blend ofDark Souls-style unforgiving combat and its deep,Pokemon-esque bestiary has made the series a potent threat in Japan, where it consistently outperforms more globally successful games. Yet, asMonster Huntercontinues to rise in popularity, Capcom’s action RPG has begun to make inroads in the west as well, most recently withMonster Hunter Generations.
Now, a brief announcement from Capcom has indicated thatMonster Hunter’s aggressive evolution into a globally recognized and successful property will continue. The publisher confirmed a recentrumor aboutMonster Hunter’s future today, stating thatMonster Hunter XX, the updated version ofMonster Hunter Generations, will also be coming to Nintendo’s Switch console.
Capcom’s announcement was brief, only revealing thatMonster Hunter XXwould be coming to the Switch. Presumably, the company will have much more to discuss about the series' move onto the Switch at aMonster Hunterevent coming up this weekend in Japan, but for now, just knowing thatMonster Hunteris coming to the Switch is enough to cause fans to speculate about the series' future, both in Japan and in the west.
As it currently stands,Monster Hunter XXhas yet to be localized in the west, despite the reasonable success ofMonster Hunter GenerationsandXX’s popularity in Japan. It’s still unclear whether or notMonster Hunter XXwill be localized, and whether or not that will be for a 3DS, Switch, or dual release - but Nintendo’s decision to make the Switch region-free gives hardcore fans of the series the option to importMonster Hunter XX, if nothing else.
The move to the Switch is a natural one for theMonster Hunterseries, whichCapcom has been developing for mobilemore recently in an effort to increase its appeal. The Switch’s portability and positive reception worldwide makes it the perfect platform for Capcom to continue to expandMonster Hunter’s reach, and hopefully for western gamers, that expansion includes a localized version ofMonster Hunter XXon the Switch in the near future.
Monster Hunter XXis available now in Japan for Nintendo 3DS, with a Switch release coming at a later date.
