Hunters and Riders, get ready! The Monster Hunter Digital Event – April 2021 just wrapped up and brought us hefty news drops, which debuted gameplay info for Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (coming July 9) and broke down the plethora of content in Monster Hunter Rise Update Ver. 2.0 (coming later tonight!)

Before we get started with today’s news, we’d love to hear your thoughts so far on Monster Hunter Rise, Monster Hunter Stories 2 and the Digital Event. So if you care to share your opinion, please fill out this brief survey; it should only take a few minutes to complete and we really appreciate your feedback.

Monster Hunter Survey – April 2021

If you’ve already watched the full Digital Event – April 2021, you’re actually caught up on today’s news. But if you haven’t watched it yet and want to do so, here it is:

Now onto the news!

Unraveling Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

The latest trailer for Monster Hunter Stories 2 continues to unravel some story details, and welcomes returning characters Lilia and Reverto. It also featured a surprising number of Hunters that you’ll encounter in your journey. Who are they? What is their motivation for pursuing Razewing Ratha? Will they be an aid or an obstacle in uncovering Ratha’s secret? So many questions… and we hope you’re ready to seek out the answers on July 9.

We’ve also debuted gameplay details for Monster Hunter Stories 2, giving you a glimpse of how we’ve improved upon the turn-based combat mechanics of the first game. In addition to the three attack types (Power, Speed, and Technical), you can also target specific monster parts to get part breaks that can prevent enemy attacks and add even more depth and strategy to battles. The big new addition, however, is the Battle Buddy system, which allows you to bring a buddy (and their Monstie, if they have one) to battle alongside you. This will open up new combos and opportunities for you to explore as you take on some of the tougher challenges in the game.

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The hunt continues in Monster Hunter Rise Update Ver. 2.0

Speaking of tough challenges, I hope you’re ready for the arrival of the classic Elder Dragon trifecta and new Apex Monsters in Monster Hunter Rise! These additional monsters (along with a number of features) are coming in hot as the update will be available later tonight (April 27^th after 5:00pm PDT / April 28^th after 1:00 BST). Here’s the breakdown of what’s included:

Starting with the aforementioned monsters, Chameleos, the stealthy and poisonous Elder Dragon makes its surprise return after a long hiatus in the series. We know you’re very curious to see how the Ancient Phantom has adapted to the new game systems… and we’re just as eager to see your reactions to it!

Teostra and Kushala Daora are also returning, rounding out the Elder Dragon trio. New hunting tools have come into play since we last saw these monsters, so be sure to try out new tactics… and be ready for anything.

Let’s talk Apex Monsters now. Since launch, we’ve only encountered Apex Arzuros, Apex Rathian and Apex Mizutsune as part of the Rampage. However, our Kamura scouts have started to spot them in the wild, and we need you to take care of these major threats. This time you won’t have the help of Hunting Installations, so bring your best gear and work together as team to take them down!

Meanwhile, Apex Rathalos and Apex Diablos are storming the Stronghold as tougher Rampage Quests are added to the mix. To those brave enough to face these foes: good luck!

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Fashion Hunting Begins!

We know you’ve been dying to customize your looks without having to compromise on stats and armor skills, so we’re happy to be adding the option to craft Layered Armor in Monster Hunter Rise! After downloading Version 2.0 and unlocking your Hunter Rank Cap, you’ll be able to earn Outfit Vouchers, that can be used to craft a Layered Armor version of any of the armor sets in the game!

Also, we’ll be adding new downloadable Event Quests for you to take on. Each quest can be accessed either online or offline after being downloaded, and will provide a unique twist to the quest itself and/or rewards. And… watch out: some of the rewards will be Layered Armor, so stay tuned for those!

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To wrap things up for today, we wanted to narrow down the window for our upcoming Monster Hunter Rise Update Version 3.0, now slated for launch by end of May 2021! This next update will bring in new challenges as well as an additional ending to the Monster Hunter Rise story arc. More info on that coming at a later date, so keep your eyes on our Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.