Summary
Monster Hunteris one of Capcom’s more exciting franchises, and there are a fair amount of new directions that the games can take in the future. TheMonster Hunterseries has been seeing a renaissance with the success ofMonster Hunter WorldandMonster Hunter Rise. While it has traditionally been popular in Japan, the series' rising profile overseas as well opens several opportunities going forward. The next step forward forMonster Huntercould involve stepping out of its traditional blueprint. In fact, there are a lot of ways thatMonster Hunter’s world can be rife for spin-offs.
The development ofNiantic’s mobile titleMonster Hunter Nowis an experiment for the series to expand from its base formula.Monster Hunter’s core gameplay is based on tracking monsters through sizable, open environments and engaging in long, intense battles, requiring both strategy and reflexes to succeed.Monster Hunter Nowis taking the same general idea and compressing it into a gaming experience that is more accessible for mobile players to take on for a few minutes at a time. It’s a direction that’s sure to offer something significantly different from mostMonster Huntergames, and it raises the question of what other spin-offs could accomplish.
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Monster Hunter Could See Many Spin-Offs in its Future
One decent spin-off idea would be similar toAnimal Crossing: New Horizons' creative features, or perhapsZoo Tycoon. A player could be tasked with creating an island and using it as a habitat for some ofMonster Hunter’s monster species. They could design terrain, foliage, and food sources in accordance with their preferred monster species, and let them roam free. It sounds like a fun idea for a free-range game, basically letting players have their ownMonster Hunter-themed virtual terrarium. Such a game could also include challenges for players to create islands along certain guidelines, or rehabilitate islands that are falling apart.
Capcom could also find inspiration by putting its own spin on thelife simulation gameplay ofThe Sims. Players could put themselves not in the shoes of a hunter, but instead live the life of a monster. They could choose their species and where to place their nest, and go about the life of their chosen beast. Survival would be an obvious priority, so food, water, and shelter would all be important things to take into account. It would have more of a survival theme than typicalSimsgameplay, butMonster Hunterhas so many fascinating creatures that playing the role of one could prove remarkably fun.
Another possibility could come in the form of a new form of adventure in the vein of thePokemon Mystery Dungeonspin-off series. Such a game could provide an alternate take on the series, with more intelligent monsters that have their own society and methods of communication. In this world, monsters could team up, do battle, and go on adventures. In addition to playing through the story, players could figure out new battle strategies, potentially devising ways to use monster abilities in combination with each other. This hypothetical game could provide an adventure from an interesting perspective, focused solely on the monsters.
TheMonster Huntergames are a lot of fun as is, and the series is rife with opportunities for future spin-offs. When it comes to thenext steps for theMonster Hunterfranchise, breaking the mold and going in new directions could be the key to expanding on success.Monster Hunter NowandMonster Hunter Storiesare two examples of the franchise being open to experiments, and there is still plenty of potential ground that could be covered in the future. Spin-offs could be a vital part of makingMonster Huntereven better.
