Hey Exofighters, welcome to Hammerheads HQ #5!

For those of you that have completed Exoprimal’s story, we hope you enjoyed your time with last weekend’s Savage Gauntlet Trail 1! That was a lot of T. rexes for Downtown!

In today’s post, we’re taking a look forward as we prepare for Title Update 1’s arrival on August 16^th, bringing Alpha variant suits as well as new modules with it. We’ve got fresh details on how you’ll unlock Alpha Variant exosuits, as well as detailed new info straight from Exoprimal’s Director Hiraoka on the new modules as well as four of the Alpha variant suits!

New Modules and more Alpha Variant Suits

Title Update 1’s new variant suits change the combat range and strategy of each of the default suits by giving them different weapons, so we took a moment to speak with Exoprimal’s Director Hiraoka to get the finest of combat data on these upcoming additions.

But, before we talk about the suits themselves, let’s confirm how you’ll unlock them!

Unlocking Alpha Variant Exosuits

Once Title Update 1 is live, all 10 of the Alpha variant exosuits will be available to unlock and use in the wargames. To unlock and use the Alpha version of a given suit, you’ll need to get the base version of that exosuit to suit level 20. If you already have your favorite exosuits at level 20 or higher, you’ll be able to immediately access the Alpha versions for use in the wargames.

Now you know how to unlock the new exosuits, let’s see what exciting new info Director Hiraoka has to share on the new modules and a selection of the Alpha variant suits!

Director Combat Data – Additional Modules

Hey everyone!

Title Update 1 will see the addition of new modules. This includes the base modules that any suit can equip, suit-specific modules for the Alpha variant suits, and action modules that either the default or Alpha variant suits can use.

These modules can be unlocked by raising your level. For base modules, this means your player level, while for the suit and action modules, you need to level up the relevant Alpha variant suit.

Let’s take a look at one of each type module.

The Renewal base module increases the HP that friendly suits will have after you recall them during battle when they are downed. Equipping this module on a tougher Tank suit or, say, Nimbus, which can use its Holo Warp to quickly reach downed allies, is sure to help your team shore up its front line defenses.

Next is the D – Linear Thrust action module for Deadeye. Equipping this lets you repulse enemy Exofighters and small dinosaurs when using the charged Thrust Attack. It’s almost as if Deadeye is able to use Zephyr’s Linear Strike! This module can be equipped by both the standard and Alpha variant of Deadeye.

A total of 34 new module are being added in this update, so I hope you look forward to trying them out on both kinds of suit and coming up with new loadouts and strategies!

Director Combat Data – Alpha Variant Intel

Zephyr Alpha: Energy Chakram

The default Zephyr is specialized for melee attacks, and you need to get close to enemies in order to hit them with its Tonfa Blitz attack. Since the suit has low HP,  you need to make good use of Turbine Step to avoid taking damage. Another key factor in using this suit effectively is keeping an eye on the cooldowns of Linear Strike and Sky High, and using those moves at just the right moments when you need a burst of attack power.

In contrast to the close range style of the standard suit, Zephyr’s Alpha variant is more mid-range and uses the chakram on its arms to shoot energy halos. These have a critical distance at which they can do the most damage, so unlike the default suit, you’ll want to manage your distance from the enemy and not be too close-up.

Since Linear Strike or Sky High won’t connect at a distance from your foes, Turbine Step changes from a dodge move to a gap-closer that lets you take advantage of opportunities to get up close, use melee moves, and then get back to your critical striking distance.

Roadblock Alpha: Fortress Shield

Roadblock in its default form is the epitome of the Tank role, drawing in enemies with its taunt and taking their attacks for the team. Using its shield to hold back hordes of Raptors or a Triceratops is one of those quintessential Exoprimal moments that makes this such a reliable exosuit.

While the default Roadblock is designed to become the frontline, the Alpha Variant lets you place a shield called a Sentinel Wall to create that line. This means you can draw enemies in towards your shield while you yourself move to another position, and your strategy is centered on where to place the shield rather than where you should be.

Retrieving the shield causes it to explode and damage nearby enemies, so choosing the right moment to do so is a fun and useful technique!

Krieger Alpha: Charge Shotgun

Krieger’s default K-40 Repulsor Minigun is effective at suppressing enemies using its wide-range firepower, and its active skills Dome Shield and Stunlock Missile work well in combination to stop an enemy onslaught in its tracks.

For the Alpha Variant, we’ve replaced its weapon with the A-40 Pulverizer, a massive shotgun. Each shot is more powerful than those of the minigun, but the ability to charge shots is the most unique aspect of this weapon.

Uncharged shots have a wider spread, allowing you to damage multiple enemies in front of you, while charged shots compress the shot into a pinpoint attack on a specific spot which not only causes damage but can even knock smaller enemies back. This makes Krieger’s Alpha variant great at tackling specific enemies that need to be taken care of.

Witchdoctor Alpha: Duality Beam

Witchdoctor’s default Neuro Rod generates electricity that has a paralyzing effect across a wide area, so it doesn’t require especially precise aiming to be effective. This lets players focus more on their positioning relative to their teammates and the timing at which to use this move.

This contrasts with the Alpha Variant of Witchdoctor, which uses a Quantum Rod. It’s a bit more like Skywave’s Aether Lance in that it both damages enemies and heals allies. Its range is also changed to be a direct beam, so players will need to be more precise about who they are aiming their attack or heal at. That said, even its normal attacks have a healing effect on allies, so if you position yourself well, you’ll be able to put out more heals than with the default suit.

In addition, the longer you keep attacking an enemy, the strong the effect becomes, so moving around to keep your beam focused on one enemy will become a crucial technique on the battlefield.

Intel Summary

That was quite an intel drop from Director Hiraoka! So, to summarize:

• 34 new modules, some that work with both base and Alpha suits, with others are designed specifically for Alpha variants.
• Alpha variant suits have new weapons to carve out dynamic new strategies.
• Unlock a suit’s Alpha Variants by getting the base version of the suit to level 20.
• Total playable exosuits are being doubled from 10 to 20 on August 16^th!

The wargames are evolving. We look forward to seeing how you incorporate these new exosuits in your battles against the dinosaurs and rival exofighters.

Stand by for Dimensional Integration

That wraps up the latest Hammerheads HQ post!

We hope you all enjoyed this deeper dive into the new content coming to the game as part of Title Update 1!  

We’ll be back again soon for our next community post, as Director Hiraoka details the remaining Alpha Exosuits ahead of their arrival!

In the meantime, follow Exoprimal on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for the latest Exoprimal news.

On behalf of the Exoprimal community team, thanks, Exofighters, and we’ll see you in the wargames!

Exoprimal is live and the dinosaurs have arrived! We trust you’ve been collecting the finest quality combat data for Leviathan, whilst avoiding being turned into a crunch dino snack! From everyone on the team, we’d like to say a big thank you for your amazing support, passion and feedback since launch!

In today’s post we’re going to be chatting launch, taking a look at the upcoming Savage Gauntlet PvE exclusive mode and even getting a first deep dive into one of the new Alpha Variant Exosuits coming as part of free Title Update 1 in August!

Exoprimal Launch – Carnage Module Online

To echo what we said in the post’s opening, thank you to everyone who has already joined us in the wargames! We hope you’re having a ton of fun as you clash with dinosaurs and Exosuits alike.

For those of you who have suited up for the first time and dived into your first couple of matches, the wargames will evolve as you play through Exoprimal and discover more of its story. Completing your introductory wargames and initial progress of the Analysis Map will add additional dinosaurs, increased swarm density, new locations, more Final Missions, and even greater threats.

After all, Leviathan can’t have its favourite test subjects getting devoured immediately! But fear not, once you’ve got your first few wargames completed and the Analysis Map updated; Leviathan, *REDACTED* and the dinosaurs won’t hold back as the swarms turn your mini-map red and your screen a writhing mass of teeth and claws.

But this is just the start of your time with the Hammerheads and Leviathan’s wargames! Let’s take a look at what’s on the horizon:

That’s right, new Exosuit variants, maps, Final Missions, Capcom Collabs and more are on the way!

Let’s delve into a bit of what’s coming now.

Savage Gauntlet – Endgame PvE Challenges

Get ready for Savage Gauntlet, a dynamic new mode coming to Exoprimal on July 28!

A separate mode from Dino Survival, Savage Gauntlet is a pure PvE mode designed to put veteran 5-person Exofighter teams to the test in special rotating weekly missions.

It’s just you, your team of 5 and the dinosaurs. No rival Exofighters, no dominator. What will determine your success is mastery of your exosuits and your teamwork as you take on endgame content specifically designed with encounters and challenges on the upper end of the difficulty spectrum.

You can play this mode purely for fun and to test your team in high intensity PvE dino chaos, but this mode also comes with leaderboards! So, if you’re feeling competitive you can show exofighters from dimensions far and wide just how strong and robust your combat data generating skills are!

As mentioned, these missions will rotate each week, bringing with it new dino encounters for you to overcome and a fresh leaderboard to climb!

Savage Gauntlet is an endgame experience with difficulty that reflects that and as such, will be unlocked for exofighters who have completed the game’s story.

A Message from the Director – Skywave Alpha Variant Intel!

On August 16, free Title Update 1 comes to Exoprimal and with it 10 new Alpha Variant exosuits, one for each current suit – no one’s missing out!

Each Alpha Variant exosuit has new playstyles, weapons, abilities and looks! We’ve spoken to the game’s director, Takuro Hiraoka, and got a deeper look into one of the suits, Skywave.

The concept of the variant suits is giving them different weapons to bring new range and strategy to each one compared to the base suits,” he explained before going into more detail using Skywave as an example.

By default, Skywave has abilities that allow it to attack or interfere with enemies while healing allies, including its default weapon the Aether Lance, and the active skill Optics Jammer. So the main strategy when using this Exosuit is deciding whether to be attacking or healing at any given time.

However, the Alpha variant’s main weapon is the Tempest Lance, which allows you to choose between two different moves depending on whether or not you’ve charged the attack up: an offensive attack or a charged bolt which hampers enemy movement. This means players will have to switch between using their main weapon on enemies and their active skill when they want to heal their allies. So, all in all, you have to get into quite a different strategic mindset with the Alpha, which I think should be a lot of fun.

Skywave is categorised as a Support suit, but the Alpha variant has less of a focus on healing, so I expect to see this lead to some changes in team composition as well as players rethinking their rig loadout to perhaps add in more support functions.

Stand by for combat mission

That wraps up the latest Hammerheads HQ post!

We hope you’re all having a brilliant time with the wargames and thank you again for joining us in the battles against the dino threat!  

We’ll be back again in the near future for our next community post, but in the meantime, follow Exoprimal on Twitter and like us on Facebook for the latest Exoprimal news.

If you’re keen to see a little more of the Alpha Variant suits, you can get a little look at them in action here:

Thanks, Exofighters, see you in the wargames!

• Exoprimal Community Team

Welcome to the wargames.
Teams of five players face off against overwhelming dinosaur hordes, terrifying Neosaurs, and even opposing squads in a battle of the ages!

Welcome to Bikitoa Island

People. Technology. Under threat. From dinosaurs. Set against the backdrop of a near-future world, humanity has been pushed to the brink by a strange phenomenon: swarms of dinosaurs pouring from vortexes that seem to appear at any time and in any place. Thanks to the efforts of the Aibius Corporation, their next-generation artificial intelligence, Leviathan, and the variety of powered armor called Exosuits that they’ve developed, skilled Exosuit pilots known as Exofighters are well-equipped to jump into danger and exterminate these threatening dinosaur hordes.

Meanwhile, an Exofighter patrol unit known as “The Hammerheads” has been circling the mysterious Bikitoa Island for weeks, unaware that their daily uneventful patrol is about to put them on a crash course with the truth about Bikitoa Island, Leviathan, the Aibius Corporation, and possibly even the cause of the dinosaur outbreaks… if Ace, their star Exofighter, can survive long enough, that is.

A Race for Survival

In the game’s main mode, Dino Survival, you’ll be thrust into a series of life-or-death wargames run by the next-generation artificial intelligence, Leviathan, who will put squads to the test with ever-evolving missions in a race against an opposing team. As you play, you’ll also unlock data fragments that will help unravel the mysteries of the world of Exoprimal and help The Hammerheads achieve their ultimate goal of escaping Bikitoa Island. At its core, Exoprimal is all about working together with your five-person squad to adapt to ever-changing conditions. Both your Exosuit and your rig – an attachment that grants an extra ability – can be swapped out at any time during a match to adapt and overcome the challenges that lay ahead of you. You’ll need to be adaptable facing the many threats ahead, which include super swarms made up of thousands of raptors, terrifying creatures called Neosaurs that have been mutated on their trip through time, or even opposing squads of Exofighters!

With that in mind, at launch the game will include a feature that was added thanks to player feedback. The Final Mission Selection feature gives players three preference settings for matchmaking in Dino Survival that can influence how a match ends: PvP, PvE, and Random. When PvP is selected, opposing squads may be put in direct competition with each other to see which team will survive and which team will be flagged for… mortal sunset. Meanwhile, when PvE is selected, you’re likely to see matches where a winner is decided based on which squad completes their objectives the fastest. Exofighters who are ready to mix it up can select Random, which will also provide an experience point bonus. You can change this setting at any time before starting matchmaking for a Dino Survival match, and it won’t affect your story progress, so select whatever suits your mood!

Crush Your Metrics

On July 28^th, we’ll also be adding a new mode to the game called Savage Gauntlet. This challenging PvE mode puts squads to the test with late-game missions that rotate weekly. Savage Gauntlet is designed with experienced players in mind, so you’ll need to have completed the game’s story before you can unlock it. By then, you should have a good understanding of how Exosuits work along with the module system that allows you to customize each Exosuit’s performance to your liking. Modules are powerful enhancements that can be slotted in to provide passive buffs or, in some cases, change how a suit’s abilities work. Certain modules are universal, so you can use them across multiple Exosuits as well!

Each Savage Gauntlet mission can be played multiple times, so it’s a great opportunity to get a trusty squad together, take your favorite Exosuits to the next level with modules, and go for the best time possible. Outstanding Exofighters may even be rewarded for their efforts.

Dino-mite Content Updates

Following Exoprimal’s launch, each new in-game season will be accompanied by a free Title Update! Each season brings with it a new Survival Pass, while Title Updates introduce additional contents such as Exosuit variants, modules that customize how Exosuits play, maps, enemies, final missions, and even crossover content with other Capcom franchises!

Seasonal content kicks off with Season 1 at launch on July 14^th, and, as mentioned previously, you’ll see a new game mode called Savage Gauntlet added on July 28^th. On August 17^th, Exoprimal will see its first major Title Update! This free update introduces 10 Alpha variant Exosuits that change up how each suit plays, complete with alternate designs and weapons compared to their base models. The best part? They’ll all be available at once, adding a whole new dimension to gameplay.

Season 2 kicks off in mid-October and brings the next Title Update along with it. World Warriors and time travelers will collide with a Street Fighter 6 collaboration. You’ll also see a new map, a new final mission, and additional rigs (weapons and abilities that you can change out at-will during a match) and modules that will authorize even further customization of your Exosuits.

In January 2024, Season 3 will include a monstrous content drop. Beta variants for Exosuits will be added while also introducing a major new foe, the Neo Triceratops, plus a collaboration with the Monster Hunter series! We’ll have more information on that in a future update.

Exoprimal is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Steam. The game is also available starting today with Xbox Game Pass for console, PC, and Cloud. It’s time to suit up, adapt, and survive! We’ll see you in the war games – it’ll be massively fun!

Rashid of the Turbulent Wind makes his Street Fighter 6 debut on July 24. With a whirlwind of moves that will send him soaring, Rashid leaves all opponents in the dust.

First appearing in Street Fighter V, Rashid returns to the series searching for a new outlook in life. Having an epiphany, he realizes he wants to find the strongest warriors out there and to record what their meaning of strength looks like. So starts his journey to becoming a vlogger, always carrying around his trusty camera to livestream and capture the spirit of strength.

Rashid retains much of his previous move set from Street Fighter V, but the winds of change have blown in a gift of new moves. Rashid’s trademark ability to soar throughout the stage from all angles is intact, but with even more options to bring about the hurricane.

His unique fighting style is characterized by parkour and nimble movements while also utilizing whirlwinds/air currents to trifle with his opponents. He has many techniques to attack while moving forward, and has a unique Run action that is used from a forward step, giving him plenty of ways to approach his opponents.

For example, Arabian Cyclone is a new special move that can be used on its own where Rashid performs a spinning kick conjuring up a small whirlwind, and can also perform into Rolling Assault and Wing Stroke, which were previously available as V-Skills in Street Fighter V.

As for other additions, Rashid has a feature that allows him to improve his mobility and enhance his moves by creating and using a whirlwind/air current. Rashid’s V-Trigger I from Street Fighter V, where he summons a large advancing whirlwind, is now his Level 2 Super, Ysaar. Like its previous iteration, when some of Rashid’s special moves meet the large whirlwind, their properties change.

Rashid also has a double jump with the new Arabian Skyhigh to keep opponents guessing on where he’ll land from the air. Finally Rashid can switch sides with Side Flip, which can also be followed up with a Front Flip to take Rashid into the air once again. He wants you to capture his best angles, after all.

Super Rashid Kick is his Level 1 Super where Rashid offloads a devastating kick while soaring forward and up through the air.

Altair returns as Rashid’s Level 3 Super where he twirls around and summons a tempest that lifts up opponents before he barrages them with a monsoon of powerful blows.

Meet Rashid in World Tour where your avatar can learn his moves, speak to him about his life, and increase your bond with him through presents and missions. Max out your bond with Rashid to obtain his Outfit 2, which should look familiar to fans of his.

Rashid will be unlocked for owners of the Year 1 Character Pass on July 24. By proxy, this also means anyone with the Deluxe or Ultimate Edition! If you’re on the fence, try out Rashid for free for one hour with one Rental Fighter ticket, which can be obtained in the Fighting Pass. Speaking of the Fighting Pass, the Rashid Arrives! Fighting Pass is available now until July 23, featuring items and cosmetics themed around our favorite new Footuber.

The storm alert has now been issued for July 24 when Rashid joins Street Fighter 6.

Headquartered in San Francisco, the Capcom USA office is in a melding pot of cultures, histories, and people of all backgrounds. With Pride being such an important celebration in San Francisco’s history, we want to spotlight a few Capcom Creators who belong to the LGBTQIA+ community. Take a moment to read these statements from our brave creators on what Pride means to them.

BishiDove (they/them)

Channel – Twitch.tv/BishiDove

What does Pride mean to you?

It’s about so many things. It’s about togetherness and unity, finding our common ground, and celebrating each other. It’s about finding your true self and accepting and loving that person. It’s also about resistance, fighting for what’s right, and equality. This Pride year is especially tumultuous but that is even more reason why we need to love and uplift each other, especially trans folks. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community is also about constantly learning, growing, and being okay with not knowing everything all the time. Our community and language are always evolving, and I think accepting that and being open to change is a valuable skill. Through the LGBTQ+ community, I’ve found life-long friends, a better understanding of myself and others, and unconditional love and marriage with my spouse. Despite the hardships that come along with being LGBTQ+ sometimes, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. 

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

My favorite Capcom character is Edgeworth from Ace Attorney! I love that he starts off as essentially an antagonist who eventually becomes our dear friend. I always got excited to see him on screen and loved his dynamic with Phoenix.

TragicOnTwitch (she/her)

Channel – https://www.twitch.tv/tragicontwitch

What does Pride mean to you?

Coming out 3 years ago as Ace was a huge step in my journey of accepting my authentic self. Getting to be part of a community that is loud, proud, supportive, and accepting continuously encourages me to not hide who I truly am.

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

This is a difficult answer – but I’d have to say, Jill Valentine! She’s inspired me since RE1 to be a strong and brave woman that doesn’t back down. Plus, she’s the master of unlocking!

Faye (her/she)

Channel – https://twitch.tv/Faye

What does Pride mean to you?

Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community has been one of the most essential parts of me growing up. In the past, I felt extremely alone and confused about where I stood in my life but after seeing more and more coming out to who they truly are had helped so much and made me understand I wasn’t alone in my feelings. Everyone has had their fair share of trials and tribulations, but somehow this community perseveres and I’m proud of that.

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

Sakura Kasugano from Street Fighter! She knows she’s not necessarily the best fighter but understands that there are ways of fighting that suit people, making them unique. Also, the fact that she’s always smiling and trying to learn from almost everyone she meets is just such a good way to look at life in general. She’s an inspiration.

DEERE (she/her)

Channel – https://twitch.tv/deere

What does Pride mean to you?

Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community is about authenticity. What makes us all different is what makes us special, and we should be proud of that. My passions, as long as I can remember, have been video games, beauty, fashion, and pop culture and as a kid, I felt like an outsider to my peers. With Capcom games I always felt like I had a home: The characters, clothing, makeup, fashions, and storylines are all so wild, flamboyant, and CAMP! Now, I feel so blessed to be able to combine all my favorite things as a streamer and Capcom Creator and do what I do. Not only to simply express myself, but through being a drag queen that streams video games for a living, I challenge the status quo and get to be free. I’m not trying to fit in or meet others’ expectations. The cherry on top is creating visibility for my community, which gives an example of a happy queer person doing their thing. The only way that things will change and improve for us is through being unapologetic and not backing down in the face of adversity, and together we can continue to make positive safe spaces for ourselves! 

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

My favorite Capcom character is Poison! She shows strength through defiance. She is sure of herself, and she doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her because she is in charge of her own life and destiny. She doesn’t take anything too seriously and is out to have a fun time and make some cash. I think she can teach us all something about confidence! Plus, she rocks chains and leather and spiky pink hair; she’s FIERCE!

AceStarthe3rd

Channel – https://twitch.tv/acestarthe3rd

What does Pride mean to you?

Being part of the LGBTQ+ community means that I have a family of people that understand what it means to love freely. I think that it’s incredibly liberating to be able to express who I am and create a space where others like me can feel the same. Being part of this community gives tangibility to a major aspect of my identity, and I will always cherish it for that.

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

My favorite Capcom character is MegaMan.EXE because he’s just so darn cool! He’s got an awesome visual design, he’s an incredible fighter, he’s an excellent friend to people around him, and he always tries his best. Ever since discovering him as a child, he’s been my absolute favorite Capcom character!

Dylan Zaner (he/him)

Channel – http://twitch.tv/8bitdylan

What does Pride mean to you?

It means finding found family and truly embracing who you are. It means not being afraid when staring into the face of adversity and being unapologetic in each step you take in life. 

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

Poison, it meant so much to me to see someone like Poison in a fighting game. She embodies the true spirit of the LGBTQIA+ community by being authentically herself while showing her strength throughout. She does not back down from a fight, and she stands up for what she believes in. A true inspiration to the community and a great representation in the fighting game space.

Hannah Rose Davis (she/her)

Channel – https://twitch.tv/hanrosedav

What does Pride mean to you?

Being part of the LGBTQ+ community means being part of the representation of someone questioning or unsure of themselves wanting to feel validated or seen regarding encompassing their entire existence or how they want to identify themselves as. It means feeling validated in your own body, mind, and basic sense of emotional need all humans have. I am proud to be part of a safe space where we can make others feel valid and encourage them to be themselves regardless of who is looking or watching. Everyone deserves to have a community and system of support no matter who you love or how you identify yourself. 

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

My favorite Capcom character is Leon Kennedy because as much I love his stunts and cool gun tricks, he is not only in all the best RE games in the series, but his persona and one-liners are what make him one of the most charismatic and coolest characters that ever came from Capcom. Everything he says and does is so camp and fun for anyone playing his side from RE2 all the way to RE4 Remake (yes, that includes RE6 as well).

Richard McIntyre (they/them)

Channel – https://twitch.tv/thormungandr

What does Pride mean to you?

Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community to me is all about embracing unique identities both individual and external, whether that’s through stories or experiences. It means being able to empower others to celebrate their diversity and create a sense of community and empowerment where people can be open, and work together to nurture a culture of inclusivity. The community has allowed me to find myself in both creative endeavors and through the expansive ever-growing community, where I am celebrated, not criticized for being different. 

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

My favorite Capcom character is Mega Man. I grew up playing all of the games, and I loved the fact that it was one of the few games where it didn’t matter what color Mega Man was in the game, he was always cool, and his powers were almost always useful. Not only that, but Mega Man was what really started my love of platformers and it was always evolving and changing from series to series. 

Just when I thought I couldn’t like the character anymore, they found a way to make him cooler.

Jordan Blaza Olsen (she/her)

Instagram – @thegirlwithagreatsmile

What does Pride mean to you?

Being part of the LGBTQ+ community, as an older brown trans woman, to me means representing that it does get better. There are a lot of sad and tragic stories about trans women of color and I’m still here because of a lot of support and help from people and organizations who care. We have to stay strong and keep doing our best, ask for help when we need it, and take care of each other.

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

My favorite Capcom character is Kulve Taroth because she is old, wise, beautiful, and fierce.

Thank you to all of these amazing individuals who are brave enough to share their stories. At Capcom USA, we’ll continue to spotlight our Capcom Creators from different backgrounds, but also different fandoms. See you in the next blog!

Work together, or be flagged for mortal sunset as Neo T. rex food.

Welcome to the third Hammerheads HQ post! We had some exciting Exoprimal news recently from both Summer Games Fest and Capcom Showcase, including the news that we’re hosting a second Open Beta Test from Friday June 16^th, 00:00 UTC to Sunday June 18^th, 23:59 UTC!  

The second Open Beta Test is another great opportunity to try out Exoprimal for free and get a slice of the dino-slaying action that awaits you at launch on July 14^th. We’ve also mixed things up from the previous beta, removing some of the PvP focused end missions and adding in something that’s sure to get those of you that enjoy co-op play and boss fights very amped up. More on that shortly…

Exoprimal Open Beta 2 – This week!

That’s right, Leviathan has summoned up fresh dinosaur super swarms for you to clash with this week!

Open Beta 2 is open to anyone and everyone who wants to try a slice of Exoprimal ahead of launch on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Steam PC!

Depending on when you see this post, the beta’s pre-load / download is available now, so head over to your preferred platform’s store page and get ready for combat! Like in the previous Open Beta, you’ll need a CAPCOM ID in order to play Exoprimal. If you already have a CAPCOM ID account you’re all set! If you haven’t made one yet, you can head to the official CAPCOM ID site to get started.

As mentioned earlier, we’re changing things up a little bit for Open Beta 2. Some PvE alternatives for missions have been added, including a battle so fearsome you’ll need 10 Exofighters working together to even stand a chance.

Prepare yourselves to face the Neo T. rex amidst dinosaur super swarms! In this fight, both squads of five must work together as a single team of 10 Exofighters and work together to overcome a truly fearsome co-operative challenge – one that Leviathan is exceptionally eager to get combat data on.

Topple the Neo T. rex together, and both teams will receive a co-operative win and live to fight another day! Fall at the jaws of this monstrosity, however, and you’ll all experience immediate employee liquidation. To aid you in advance of your clash with a Neo T. rex, we spoke to Exoprimal’s Director Hiraoaka to get some top tips to make sure you and your team come out in one piece, or at least, as few pieces as possible.

A Message from Director Hiraoaka – Surviving a Neo T. rex Encounter!

“Hello, everyone! Exoprimal director Takuro Hiraoka here with some tips for the second Exoprimal Open Beta Test. I’d like to focus on the 10-player co-op Neo Tyrannosaur battle that will sometimes appear as a special mission while playing the beta.

Let’s start with the basics: the body of the Neo Tyrannosaur is covered in growths. These are its weak spots, so you need to aim for them if you want to do any damage, as the rest of its body is invulnerable. The choice of which are is easiest to target will depend on the Exosuit you’ve chosen, so try to think strategically about what abilities you have and how best to use them.

As for the Neo Tyrannosaur’s attacks, you need to watch out for not only moves using its body such as bite attacks, but its laser beam, which is something you probably wouldn’t find on a normal T. rex! You might want to make sure your team’s tank is ready for that one, or perhaps have someone use a craft chip to put up a wall.

If you see a WARNING! sign on the screen, that means that an AOE (Area of Effect) attack is incoming, so be aware of your surroundings and think fast about how to avoid it. You may be caught off guard the first time, but if you stay calm you should be able to figure it out. Not panicking is key!

The Neo Tyrannosaurus is one of the strongest Neosaurs in the game, but between 10 Exosuits, you should be able to beat it. I hope you enjoy this special mission where you join forces with the opposing team to take this beast down! Note: The Neo Tyrannosaurus battle in the open beta test has been designed specifically for this test, so you’ll be able to enjoy something a little different when you encounter it it in the full game.”

Take note of these tips and you may well emerge victorious from your epic clash. But, be warned, as Director Hiraoaka mentioned, this particular Neo Tyrannosaurus battle has been crafted specifically for the Open Beta Test, so prepare for an even more intense fight full of surprises at full launch.

Stand by for combat mission!

That wraps up the latest Hammerheads HQ post!

We hope you all have a fantastic time in the Open Beta Test! If you haven’t yet, get those CAPCOM IDs ready, gather your team of Exofighters and prepare to face the Neo T. rex!

We’ll be back in the near future for our next community post, but in the meantime, follow Exoprimal on Twitter and like us on Facebook for the latest Exoprimal news.

Oh and whilst you’re here, check out this recent video from the dev team as they take you through the start of Exoprimal with some new footage that includes character and suit customization, as well as how the game’s story will unfold:

Thanks as always, Exofighters, and see you in the wargames!

Dinosaur forecasts are looking clear for now, but it looks like severe raptor swarms are heading this way in July. Please prepare accordingly!  

Back to the present, in this post we’ll be delving into one of the elements of Exoprimal’s Exosuit customization system, Modules! We’ve got some new info to share around how the system works, as well as some examples of suit specific modules that can alter the performance of your Exosuit in interesting ways to better enhance your preferred play style.

On top of covering off on these aspects of customization, we also spoke to Exoprimal’s Director Takura Hiraoaka, who was gracious enough to take a moment to talk about how they apply modules their favorite Exosuit, Nimbus.

Customizing Your Exosuit – Modules
Exosuit customization in Exoprimal comes in two forms: Fashion, and function. On the fashion side, you’ll be able to change the appearance of your loadout with a range of decals, weapon skins, suit skins, and charms to project your identity in the wargames. On the function side of things, you can tune up and augment your Exosuit via the Module system to give it passive buffs and / or modify the performance of the suit’s abilities in interesting ways to fully embrace your play style.

You can see how this looks in-game below:

At a glance, you’ll notice a few different points to focus on here, including the three available module slots and a range of different modules to choose from, all shown at level 1.

Types of Modules
In Exoprimal, the types of modules you can slot into your Exosuits come in two different types. “Base modules”, colored grey, can be slotted into any module slot on any Exosuit. Exosuit-specific modules, colored red, blue and yellow, are suit-specific sets.

Let’s delve into these modules some more!

Base Modules
Base modules are the foundations on which you can augment your Exosuits, granting passive buffs in combat.

There’s a range of different types that you can slot in to fit your preferences, with the Reload Efficiency Module being highlighted in the above image. Unsurprisingly, this will boost your reload speed by 15% at level 1.

Notice how it’s level 1? You can level up modules to increase the potency of their effect, and in some cases even add new functionality to them! This is done by spending BikCoins on them, the game’s soft currency, which is earned by simply playing the game! (BikCoins can’t be purchased separately via microtransactions, etc.)

Once you settle on the modules you like, you can upgrade them for even more efficiency against the dino swarms, or branch out into different modules to try different play styles.

Suit Specific Modules
Suit-specific modules differ from their base counterparts in that each Exosuit has their own exclusive set of 6 modules that can only be used for that suit – 2 red, 2 blue and 2 yellow.

Red modules can go into slot 1, blue in 2 and yellow in 3. That means you’ll have some tactical decisions to make as you can only use a maximum of 3 out of the total 6, as well as one module from each pair.

These modules offer interesting and powerful augments to your Exosuit’s abilities, and can change their passive performance. This can directly alter how your Exosuit behaves, and allow you to further specialize your suit with the modules you prefer. Take another look at the image above to see just one of Deadeye’s exclusive modules if you missed it before.

Much like base modules, these can be leveled up with BikCoins to further enhance their effectiveness and, in some cases, add new utility.

Unlocking Modules
Unlocking modules in Exoprimal is achieved by earning EXP for using a suit in combat. Alongside increasing your player level, your individual Exosuit levels will also rise as you play.

Increasing your player level will allow you to gradually unlock the base modules, whereas leveling up your favorite Exosuits will earn their suit-specific modules. This will reward your experience and mastery of your suits this way, so you’ll be in a great position to experiment and make the best use of these augments in the wargames.

A Message from Director Hiraoaka – Favourite Exosuit Loadout
Ahead of today’s post, we spoke to Exoprimal’s Director, Takura Hiraoaka, about their favourite Exosuit, as well as how they use the Module system for maximum impact!

Prepare for Director Briefing…

Mr. Hiraoka’s Favourite Exosuit: Nimbus

Reason: “Using Nimbus’s holo-warp teleporting ability to move around the map while switching between attacking and healing is great fun. The suit is also just really cute (LOL).”

Preferred Loadout
Slot 1: Regeneration Module
Slot 2: N-Amped Spread
Slot 3: N-Quick Holo
Rig: Catapult

There you have it! An Exosuit loadout example straight from the Director’s personal collection! We even got a closer look at two more suit specific modules and how they can augment your abilities – and that’s with just one example using two out of the possible six unique modules available to Nimbus alone!

Stand by for Combat Mission
That wraps up our second Hammerheads HQ post!
We hope you enjoyed learning more about how you’ll be able to customize your Exosuits for battle to best suit your play style, as well as getting a look at how Director Hiraoaka likes to build his favorite Exosuit! (Support-minded Exofighters, feel free to take some inspiration from this for your own use in the wargames.)

Stay tuned for our next community post, but in the meantime, follow Exoprimal on Twitter and like us on Facebook for the latest Exoprimal news. Thanks, Exofighters!

Set forth on your grand adventure, Arisen! The PlayStation Showcase brought us the first footage of the much-anticipated action-RPG Dragon’s Dogma 2, now in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

Have a look at the game’s first trailer and keep reading to learn more.

There’s plenty to unpack in this trailer, and we look forward to sharing more in the future. For now, let’s talk about a few of the elements we can reveal so far.  

Whether you’re new to the Dragon’s Dogma series or a seasoned adventurer, well met, Arisen. Set in a vividly detailed fantasy world, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a single player, narrative-driven action-RPG that challenges players to leverage their creativity and curiosity to approach a wide variety of gameplay situations.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 begins in a subterranean jail, where the Dragon’s voice echoes in the fog of lost memories. You play as the Arisen: set on a path to slay the Dragon, a symbol of the world’s destruction as it soars through the sky on massive wings, breathing flames that scorch everything in its path. Set out on an epic journey to fulfill your forgotten destiny and claim the throne.

You won’t be alone on your adventures. Dragon’s Dogma 2 marks the return of the series’ signature Pawns. These AI-controlled otherworldly beings are devoted to serving the Arisen. Your main Pawn is fully customizable, and you will be able to hire up to two more Pawns. They’ll accompany you on your adventure and provide companionship and camaraderie as you seek to fulfill your destiny.

Everything you see is built on Capcom’s RE Engine, bringing the world to life with high fidelity graphics combined with immersive physics and complex and reactive character AI. All these elements come together to create an immersive fantasy world to explore. 

Before we go, have a look at the game’s key art below. One of the characters we saw in the trailer, as well as a member of the newly introduced beastren race, are both prominently featured. How will these two figures impact the path of the Arisen? We look forward to seeing your theories!

This month marks just over 11 years since the release of the original Dragon’s Dogma, and a nearly one year since we first announced the sequel. For Dragon’s Dogma fans that have been patiently waiting, thanks so much for your support and excitement. We can’t wait to share more about Dragon’s Dogma 2 and we hope you’re excited for the journey ahead.

Stay up to date with everything on Dragon’s Dogma 2 and share your reactions to today’s news on the game’s official social media channels.

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

AAPI Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States every May to spotlight the influence and impact the Asian American and Pacific Islander community has had on our collective history. Headquartered in Japan, Capcom has incorporated its Japanese culture into many of the games you know and love today. It’s no surprise that many of the people working in the Capcom USA office are AAPI. But this month, we’d like to take this opportunity to spotlight some Capcom Creators who are part of the AAPI community.

Kazuma – https://www.twitch.tv/kazuma

What does being part of the AAPI community mean to you?

Being a part of the Asian American Pacific Islander community means understanding and appreciating the things that ties us all together but also makes us unique in our own ways. For me, it’s about acceptance of what makes us different from those around us but also what unifies us all together. We have all experienced being brought up as an Asian within America in our own ways but we have all gone through very similar experiences as a result of growing up Asian in America. Most kids growing up want to be just like everybody else and I remember being no different. I wasn’t like everybody else though, because as an Asian, I looked different from those around me. I was born in Japan but my family moved to the United States when I was 5 years old in order to search for better opportunities for the family. At the time, my family was the only Asian household around the area I grew up in, and that made me feel very different from everybody else. I remember disliking the fact that I looked Asian and I had other people/other kids treat me differently just because I looked different. Because of this, I remember working really hard to make sure I didn’t have an accent when speaking English because I didn’t want another reason to be made fun of. Thankfully, as I grew up, I met more and more people who really loved Asian culture and appreciated me for who I am rather than what I look like. Pride started to grow where there was once shame, and since then, I’ve learned to really accept myself as both an Asian and an American.

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

Mega Man (specifically Mega Man X) is my favorite because Mega Man X is still one of my favorite games of all time! I’ve always loved jumping back into Mega Man X every couple of years and beating it in one sitting just because of the nostalgia of it all. I always thought it was so cool how you could upgrade X’s armor and by the end of the game he looks completely different from the beginning.

Mekel Kasanova – YouTube.com/MekelKasanova

What does being part of the AAPI community mean to you?

Being part of the AAPI community, to me, is like the sacred dance of my Hawaiian and Samoan heritage. It is the gentle sway of the hula dancers, the fiery beat of the fa’ataupati, and the harmonious connection between the two. Just as these dances tell a story, so does my identity as a member of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. This beautiful blend of cultures represents the resilience and strength of our ancestors, who voyaged across the vast Pacific Ocean on double-hulled canoes, using the stars to guide them. As a Hawaiian-Samoan individual, I carry this spirit of adventure and exploration within me. I am proud to be part of a community that embraces its rich history, while also looking toward the future with optimism and innovation. Like the vibrant colors of the leis and the intricate patterns of the siapo, the AAPI community is a tapestry of diverse threads, woven together to create a stunning, multifaceted identity. I am honored to contribute my own unique blend of Hawaiian and Samoan culture to this beautiful mosaic. For me, being part of the AAPI community means honoring the wisdom and traditions of our ancestors while forging our own path forward. It means fostering relationships with people from various backgrounds, learning from one another, and working together to create a more inclusive and understanding world. In the spirit of aloha and fa’a Samoa, I stand proud and strong, deeply rooted in the legacies of my heritage, and excited to contribute my unique voice to the beautiful song that is the AAPI community.

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

My favorite Capcom character is Cody Travers from Final Fight and Street Fighter. I love his character arc and growth going from strong willed and hot-headed youth to troubled and disillusioned adult and then growth and maturity over the years. His character arc shows the most realistic way of how truly dynamic people can be and the fact that people can change and grow. This was expertly done with this character and he is my all-time favorite.

Nigiri21Sushi – Twitch.tv/Nigiri21Sushi

What does being part of the AAPI community mean to you?

As a member of the AAPI community & a content creator, I help bring awareness on the current events & issues regarding Asian-Americans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders. I’ve also done fundraising & supported charities in the past (and even now) that contributes to AAPI education, justice, legal defense, media awareness, advocacy, and policy reforms. My hope is that one day, the discrimination, hate, violence, social injustices, and any anti-AAPI behaviors will pass. A hope that everyone can equally live in peace, unity, with no fears of being attacked, especially for the next generation.

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

As a kid, I’ve always loved Chun-Li (from Street Fighter) who embodies a beautiful, strong woman with a strong sense of justice as well.

BacklogBattle – https://youtube.com/backlogbattle

What does being part of the AAPI community mean to you?

As a Filipino content creator, I don’t see a lot of us out there, both in the content creator space and in games. I find that it’s my responsibility as a public figure to show what my culture is all about to the best of my ability, and have it be represented in everything that I do.

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

Strider Hiryu! I mean, come on! Fast, quick reflexes, a long flowy cape, and an awesome sword! Why the heck wouldn’t you? But Mega Man is right up there too! And maybe the plane in 1943…

Reepal – https://twitch.tv/levelupyourgame

What does being part of the AAPI community mean to you?

The AAPI community is a giant melting pot of its own within America’s giant melting pot. Cultures, traditions, foods are so varied and I love that we have the opportunity to highlight those differences in a positive way that helps reduce traditional stereotypes or typecasting.

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

Ryu. He is a world warrior, traveling the globe in pursuit of finding new challenges to better himself.

xofruitcakeox – https://www.twitch.tv/xofruitcakeox

What does being part of the AAPI community mean to you?

It means acceptance, community, and belonging. Being Filipino, Chinese, Spanish, and American, sometimes I struggle with my identity. AAPI representation tells the story of immigrant parents, and the children they brought over to America. It represents the perseverance of that group of people both in integrating into society and being accepted.

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

My character is Ada Wong. She has always been a character I’ve enjoyed in the Resident Evil series. She is independent and strong. She is also female and Chinese like me.

Cherry Cos – https://Instagram.com/cherrylmao

Photography by Strike and Hide Photography

What does being part of the AAPI community mean to you?

Being a part of the AAPI community as a content creator gives me the chance to represent my Filipino and Thai heritage in the arts. Growing up, AAPI people in the media were so limited… Always the same kind of roles or stereotypes, and there wasn’t much of a variation of who we could see. It was difficult to imagine myself in those creative spaces because I just didn’t really see representation there. I wanted to see people like myself represented, and as I ventured deeper into my cosplaying and content creation, I knew I wanted to become a voice in the community. To be a part of that growing representation for the newer generations so they hopefully won’t encounter those conflicting emotions and weariness that I and many others experienced. My content creation career was established on being a part of those uprising AAPI voices in the media, and to this day I still loudly and proudly celebrate AAPI creatives! I can be anything; create anything. I represent my cultures in diverse, artistic spaces by cosplaying freely, streaming on Twitch, making many different kinds of video content on TikTok, and so much more. That freedom is something to celebrate!

Who is your favorite Capcom character?

This is so difficult because I love sooo many characters, but I have to say my favorite Capcom character is Claire Redfield, hands down! She is a powerful force of resilience and determination in the Resident Evil verse and it is honestly so amazing to see her in action!

Happy AAPI Heritage Month to all our Capcom Creators! At Capcom USA, we’re always looking to spotlight everyone of all backgrounds to build a better world for us all. Keep an eye out for more pieces on our Capcom Creators!

Mission critical intel incoming!

Welcome to Hammerheads HQ, our new community blog post for Exoprimal!

These posts will be another way for us to share Exoprimal news and info directly with you, delve into game details ahead of launch and more!

To get things rolling, we’ll be taking a look at some of the numbers and interesting finds from our March Open Beta, as well as highlighting the recent news we shared on our social media that gave an exciting update about content that you’ll be able to dive right into when Exoprimal launches in July.

Open Beta Breakdown

As many of you know, in March we held our first Open Beta Test for Exoprimal, following our Closed Beta Test at the end of 2022.

Players from across the globe rallied to Leviathan’s invite to try the wargames, and well, you all certainly made yourselves busy! Let’s take a look at how that went down…

Dinosaurs Slayed

Yep, you read that correctly, in the Open Beta alone, Exofighters slayed a staggering 382 million Raptors! No matter how many came through those portals, you held the line and pushed back the ravenous super swarms that hungered for a nibble on your Exosuit! Don’t worry though, we know Leviathan has plenty more Raptors where they came from, eagerly awaiting to make your acquaintance.

On top of the Raptors you reintroduced to extinction, you managed to topple a very respectable amount of large dinos, with players toppling over 1.2 million Triceratops and achieving just shy of 725k T-Rex takedowns. Taking down a T-Rex or Triceratops is a real show of teamwork, so well played there! (Trust us, we know exactly how it feels to be isolated by a T-Rex for a quick visit to the respawn screen. Always stick with your team!)

Dominators Activated

Throughout the Beta’s wargames, Leviathan was kind enough to give Exofighters the occasional opportunity to harness the power of Dominators, allowing you to pay a little visit to the enemy team whilst controlling a T-Rex, Triceratops or Carnotaurus. 

It looks like lots of you eagerly volunteered to take a dino for a spin and cause chaos for your rivals. We can only assume this is because you wanted to help them practice fighting against such serious threats, and not because you wanted an exo-snack, right?

Popular Exosuits

With 10 unique Exosuits to choose from, split between 3 different roles, we were keen to see which ones you gravitated to throughout the Open Beta. Overall, there was a fairly even spread of Exosuit usage, with players finding their favorites and adapting to the current combat situation to help secure the win AND stay alive! Remember, a team lift makes the dream lift.

Out of the Assault, Tank and Support roles, we saw three Exosuits take the crown when it came to popularity and usage rates:

• Assault – Zephyr carved its way to the top!
• Tank – Murasame countered all opposition!
• Support – Skywave controlled the battle from above!

Were these Exosuits part of your selection, or were you rocking something else? Either way, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from in the full game.

Top Rigs

Alongside your choice of Exosuit, you were able to augment your combat capabilities on the go with a selection of Rigs!

Judging by the results of the most popular Rigs, it looks like many of you are very bold, opting to charge into the fray with the Drill Fist to unleash powerful melee damage.

The crowd-controlling Blade and the ranged Cannon took a respectful second and third place!

Exofighters Defeated

During the Beta’s wargames, it wasn’t just the dinosaurs you had to be wary of, but your rival Exofighters!

Whilst the dinosaurs themselves took a chunk out of new recruits, you also provided some valuable combat lessons to your fellow Exofighters with a combined total of 567,923 Exofighter defeats in PvEvP combat scenarios.

PvE Content Update

The Open Beta Test not only gave the community an opportunity to try just part of the Exoprimal experience, but also give us your thoughts and feedback!

The team were grateful for everyone that took the time to share their comments with us and saw that many of you were keen to learn more about PvE and customization experiences in Exoprimal.

We originally shared the following information on April 14^th via the Exoprimal website and social media accounts, but in case you missed it, here’s an overview:

What does this mean? Well, the Beta was but a snapshot of the game, and there’s plenty more to come, especially for those who are keen to further customize their Exosuit for combat, or looking to focus on the PvE aspects of Exoprimal!

You can read the full website post by clicking here.

We’ll be sharing more information on the above as we move toward launch on July 14^th, and we look forward to hearing what you think of it!

Stand by for combat mission

That wraps up our first Hammerheads HQ post!

We hope you enjoyed taking a look at the Open Beta breakdown, as well as our community update on PvE and other content that you’ll be able to enjoy from launch on July 14!

Stay tuned for our next community post, but in the meantime, follow Exoprimal on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram the latest Exoprimal news.

Thanks, Exofighters!

Hello everyone! Koichi Shibata here, reporting from the Monster Hunter Rise dev floor!

For our next round of Monster Hunter Rise interviews, I will be talking to Moeri Abe, the designer of the Canynes, the new Buddy added in Monster Hunter Rise!

Q1: First off, could you give us a quick explanation of your role on Rise/Sunbreak?

For Rise:
At first, I designed the Canynes and the Wirebugs.

I also made the concepts for Bishaten, Rakna-Kadaki, and Crimson Glow Valstrax.

I designed Palamute armor, came up with Canyne variations for the character editor, created and supervised the modeling of the Canynes, designed weapons and props, and loads of other things!

▼These are some of the equipment designs I have the strongest memories of. Of course the default equipment is the one that was used for a lot of materials, so that’s the one I have the strongest memories of. I had a very hard time creating the Alloy armor…

I like how the Barrioth and Great Baggi design match that of the player’s armor.

▼Here are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I modeled myself. There’s a Palico in there as well, and I remember having some ardent conversations with a veteran designer about how to make the silhouette look cute and cool at the same time, haha.

For Sunbreak:
I was mainly in charge of designing Gaismagorm, and helping out with the supervision of other monster designs. As for the Palamute armor design…I didn’t create them myself, but I had a lot of help from new recruits and other designers.

Q2: What kind of requests and orders did you get from the Director regarding the themes of the Palamute designs?

A2: The most important thing was to create a clear contrast with the Palicoes. Canynes had to look cool, and dog-like, but not resemble a wolf or a monster. An important theme was to make them look like “trusty partners.”

Initially, I was told that they would be Buddies that provide attack support in combat, so I gave them sharp eyes and even scales, so they had quite a few monster-like elements. However, after talking to the designers and the Director, Mr. Ichinose, we gradually started adding more dog-like elements.

▼The idea of Palamutes being your partner/buddy also resulted in some images reminiscent of a falconer and his raptors. Parts of the silhouette that came from those ideas are still present in the current design.

▼At some point we used a thunderbolt pattern as well, to emphasize speed. It seems a bit ostentatious if you look at it now, haha.

▼This is one of the ideas we had once we had decided on a final direction. The picture at the top left looks more like a monster than a friendly partner, right? I recall that, once we had decided on the colors, progress became a lot faster. Theme colors are very important!

One of the keywords for Monster Hunter Rise was “Ninjas,” so we started wondering if we could add some ninja-like elements, and if we should give them a color that creates a nice contrast with the light-brown Palicoes, and that’s how we ended up with the current bluish purple. The main color we ended up actually using is actually a bit brighter than the color we used in the concept art, because we needed to make sure that the equipment didn’t blend in too much with the color of the fur.

We also reduced the chest fur to prevent it from clipping through pieces of equipment.

Q3: Was there anything you were very particular about during production?

A3: I asked one of the our veteran modelers to do the actual modeling for the Canynes, and they paid attention to every little detail I asked for. For instance, I asked them to base the musculature not on a wolf, but on a Saluki, which is a type of hunting dog. On the other hand, since the player is going to spend a lot of time riding it anyway, it shouldn’t be too detailed either, and they found the perfect balance. If you look at it from a distance, the silhouette looks supple, like ‘cheek hair,’ and if you look at it from behind you can see the soles of its paws. We actually made a variety of different designs for the underside of the paws, based on what kind of equipment it’s wearing, so you should try having a look for yourself!

And of course, both the fans and the devs alike were very excited about being able to interact with the Palamute!

Everyone, including Mr. Ichinose the Director, had lots of ideas from the start of development, so when we were finally able to implement it, everyone was super motivated!

I remember talking to a lot of people from a variety of sections, and they didn’t just want to be able to pet it, they wanted to be able to rub its belly as well!

In terms of the combinations of patterns, we wanted to preserve the unique qualities of the Palamute, but we also wanted to be able to recreate various different dog breeds, so I had to work hard with the modelers to figure everything out. Especially the tricolor design was very hard to balance and during the period we were working on it, I had bad dreams about it every night, haha.

And it wasn’t just the Canynes’ appearance we were particular about, there were also lots of talks about how they would move in the game. What would be the exact location where the player character would be sitting when riding them? Can we have them wag their tails differently depending on the equipment? Can we have their ears wiggle!? etc.

This process continued until the final stages of development. I think that, thanks to everyone who worked so passionately on every little aspect of the Canynes, we were able to create a cute character that’s very popular with the fans!

Q4: Palicoes are the predecessors of Palamutes, and as so-called ‘Lynians,’ they are able to communicate verbally with people, but no such setting seems to exist for Canynes. Why is that?

A4: This involves the world settings, so I’m going to pass this one along to Mr. Ichinose.

Ichinose: “Part of it was that we wanted to separate Canynes from Felynes. By making them ‘fanged beasts’ instead, we were able to give them their own unique characteristics, like being able to ride them, etc.”

▼This is one of the first of Mr. Ichinose’s precious design ideas!

Q5: We do not get to see any wild Canynes in the game. Where do they live? (This question was also answered by Mr. Ichinose)

A5: Ichinose: “We do not show this in the game, but wild Canynes live in the mountains around Kamura Village, and they’ve lived in close contact with humans for a long time. This is the reason that you can find some Canyne statues in the Shrine Ruins.”

Q6: So, when you go hunting, do you take a Palico with you, or a Palamute?

A6: A Palamute of course, because I love to drift all over the place!

However, when taking on very difficult quests or Rampage Quests, I tend to use Palicoes as my lifeline, haha.

I’m also very happy that we got to add some Palamute Gear in Sunbreak that we weren’t able to implement in Rise!

– Closing Comment from Shibata:

Thank you, Abe-san!

It’s interesting to see how Canynes went from an initial monster-like design to something with gradually more dog-like elements. When I was little, I always dreamed of riding a big dog, so I was super happy when Rise made that dream come true! And since this is a new type of Buddy, it was great to see the designs for all of the new equipment, not just for the new monsters, but for legacy monsters as well!

Next time, we’re going to change things up a bit, and we will be looking at the production of promotional items. I’ll be talking to Yosuke Noro, who’s in charge of overseeing the design and coloring of the CFG (Capcom Figure Builder) monster figures that Capcom makes!

Prepare those spray cans because we’re painting the streets with a fresh coat of news straight from the Street Fighter 6 Showcase hosted by Lil Wayne!

A Ticket to Your World Tour

World Tour is a single-player story mode where players can create their own custom avatar to experience an overarching mystery with support from the iconic Masters.

Throughout your adventures, you’ll meet each legendary fighter from Street Fighter 6’s roster. Use Flight Tickets to travel around the world to find each of the 18 fighters – some are more hidden than others. Become their student by Enrolling in their style and learn their Special Moves. Increase your bond with each Master by giving them presents and completing Missions. Combine all this to unlock new cutscenes as you form personal connections with these legendary fighters

We built World Tour to redefine the scope of what a traditional fighting game is, so we took extra care in hand-crafting a personal experience by incorporating in-depth RPG elements. You can consume items and food to recover Vitality, provide buffs, or inflict debuffs. As you level up your avatar, you’ll earn Skill Points to spend on a Skill Tree to further customize your original move set.

Chaos in the Battle Hub

There’s more to do with your customized avatars from World Tour! Take them into the Battle Hub and let them loose in custom avatar battles against other players online where the limit to your fights is your own imagination. Be wary because your opponent might have come up with an even crazier palette of moves.

If order is more your thing, create a Club in the Battle Hub to find like-minded players. Customize your Club emblem and design a uniform that only your Club’s members can show off.

Step into the Fighting Ground

As a celebration of the Street Fighter series, we’re introducing the Battle Damage Feature! During a fight, characters will get sweatier and develop cuts, bruises, and other telltale signs of a heated battle. This is only available in certain offline modes and can be turned off in Settings.

Arcade Mode is a single-player mode in Fighting Ground where you’ll face off against the CPU and learn more about each fighter’s stories. Complete Arcade Mode for each character to unlock illustrations that can be viewed later in the Gallery. Your scores can also be uploaded to online leaderboards, so get out there and challenge the world.

Besides the classic Versus Mode, Street Fighter 6 includes both Team Battle and Extreme Battle. In Team Battle, play with or against other players or the CPU by creating a team and selecting the appropriate parameters. Extreme Battle runs on a set of Rules along with fun Gimmicks like Running Bulls or our own special version of hot potato.

Ranked Matches return where you can fight against other players worldwide and earn League Points to rank up. We’ve taken steps to reduce the fear of losing a match in certain Ranks. First, there’s a one-time Rank-down protection feature for those ranked in Diamond and below. To encourage online play, Rookies will no longer lose League Points upon defeat. Finally, Iron-Gold and Master-ranked players will not incur League demotions. Each character also has their own individual Rank, so trying a new character in a Ranked Match is easier than ever. We hope you take advantage of these features to improve your gameplay!

Year 1 Characters

Four fighters join the Street Fighter 6 roster in our first year after launch! Rashid, who debuted in Street Fighter V, returns in Summer 2023. The enigmatic A.K.I. struts into the roster in Autumn 2023. Ed, also from Street Fighter V, strikes back in Winter 2024. Finally, the legend, the beast, the transcendent Akuma will rage into Street Fighter 6 in Spring 2024! All four of these characters are incorporated into World Tour where you can learn their Special Moves and increase your bond.

Your Moment. Your Demo.

Play the demo for Street Fighter 6 on April 20 on PlayStation®5 and PlayStation®4 and April 26 on Xbox Series X|S and Steam! Hop in for a tiny peek at what the full game offers. Learn basic battle mechanics from the Tutorial and practice Luke & Ryu’s fighting style in the Character Guide. Dip a toe into the first moments of World Tour and experiment with the deep avatar creation feature. Custom avatars can be transferred over to the full game on the same platform once it releases!

If you haven’t already, watch the Street Fighter 6 Showcase to take in the cityscape because it’s almost your time to hit the streets. Street Fighter 6 launches on June 2!