Monster Hunter: World introduces a living, breathing ecosystem in which players take on the role of a hunter that seeks and slays ferocious beasts in heart-pounding battles that unfold across the vast ever-changing terrain. Venture on quests alone or with up to three hunters in a newly designed online drop-in multiplayer system which allows cross-region cooperative play between Japan and the west, uniting the player base for the first time ever.

Retaining the series’ skill based progression and robust crafting system, players gear up to venture on quests to seek and slay monsters, progressively improving their skills to become the ultimate hunter. Loot collected from fallen foes can be used to create new equipment and armor upgrades styled after the monsters they’ve slain, allowing hunters to survive the elements and defeat the tougher opponents that await them.

Monster Hunter: World delivers a seamless gameplay experience allowing players to move freely across map areas that comprise the living ecosystems and dynamically transition from day to night. The landscape and its diverse inhabitants play a critical role in each quest as players strategically use the surrounding environment including terrain, vegetation and wildlife to their advantage in battle or become hindered by the hazards they present. Hunters must use their cunning and abilities to track and maneuver their targets throughout the intense, evolving battles.

The steel dragon Kushala Daora is a beast with a body covered in metal plates and has the power to keep hunters at bay by generating wind storms around itself. The flame king dragon Teostra is a brutal fiend that spits blazing fire and any hunter who faces this fierce and deadly monster is in danger of being engulfed in a hellish inferno. Another monster introduced in the trailer is Dodogama, a rock-eating wyvern that possesses a unique saliva that causes rock to become explosive, a hazardous mix it will spit at its foes to warn off attackers.

Also confirmed today is a final beta planned for all PS4 users which will begin in North America on January 18 and will go through January 22. In addition to the previously released Great Jagras, Anjanath and Barroth quests, players will now be able to battle against the game’s terrifying and challenging flagship monster Nergigante.

Finally, Capcom today confirmed that there are plans for post-launch support of Monster Hunter: World with regular content updates, as well as major title updates for free. The first major title update will be coming in Spring 2018 which includes the addition of the fan-favorite monster Deviljho. Players will be able to put their hunting skills to the test against this brute. The Deviljho must feed constantly and will devour anything in its way, even feeding on the largest of monsters with its massive jowls. This wild beast really is one for only the bravest of hunters to take on!

With flexible online multiplayer options and an accessible quest structure, players can tackle challenges alone or join up to three other hunters online for cooperative play. For the first time in the Monster Hunter series, players from Japan and the west can play together online, providing an expanded base of cooperative hunting companions. With the new online drop-in functionality, solo players can hail for assistance from the worldwide group during quests when their opponents are too daunting to take on single-handedly.

Monster Hunter: World comes to PS4 and Xbox One in January 26, 2018, with a PC release to follow in Fall 2018.