Monster Hunter

Monster Hunter (モンスターハンター, Monsutā Hantā) is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fantasy-themed action role-playing video games, beginning with the first installment Monster Hunter for the PlayStation 2, released in 2004. Multiple devices are used to play the series, including personal computers, home consoles, portable consoles, and mobile devices. The series is developed and published by Capcom. The games are primarily action role-playing games. The player takes the role of a Hunter, slaying or trapping large monsters across various landscapes as part of quests given to them by locals, with some quests involving the gathering of a certain item or items, which may put the Hunter at risk of facing various monsters. As part of its core gameplay loop, players use loot gained from slaying monsters, gathering resources, and quest rewards to craft improved weapons, armor, and other items that allow them to face more powerful monsters. All main series titles feature multiplayer (usually up to four players cooperatively), but can also be played single player. Early Monster Hunter games sold well in Japan and other Asian countries, popularized by the series' use of ad hoc multiplayer features on portable consoles, and became a cultural phenomenon. The early games in the series have been critically well received in Western markets, but generally languished in sales, in part due to the games' steep learning curve. However, with Monster Hunter: World (2018), Capcom aimed to attract a global audience using the power of advanced home gaming consoles and computers and released the title simultaneously worldwide. World became the best-selling Monster Hunter game within three days of its release, and became Capcom's single best-selling video game of all time with 21 million sales as of July 5, 2022, including more than 70% outside of Japan. By May 2024, the series has sold more than 100 million units, with nearly half attributed to Monster Hunter: World and Monster Hunter Rise and their expansions. The 2025 entry, Monster Hunter Wilds, the first in the series to release worldwide and all platforms simultaneously, became the fastest selling Capcom game within three days of release. Games in the Monster Hunter are generally catalogued as either part of the mainline series aimed for console players, and portable versions for hand held consoles. A number of spinoff games featuring different gameplay genres have also been developed for consoles, computers, and mobile devices. In addition to games, the franchise has an anime based on the spinoff game Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village, Monster Hunter Stories: Ride On based on the spinoff title Monster Hunter Stories, a manga, Monster Hunter Orage, and a book, Monster Hunter Episode. A feature film directed by Paul W. S. Anderson was released on December 3, 2020. An animated film, subtitled Legends of the Guild, was released on August 12, 2021, on Netflix.