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 content-rich Monster Hunter World: Iceborne will feature new quest ranks, locales, monsters, moves and gear in addition to a full narrative experience that continues on from the ending of Monster Hunter: World. The Monster Hunter: World base game is required for the expansion and is currently available across consoles and PC. More information on the expansion will be shared next spring.

Capcom revealed several details including the first look at Monster Hunter World: Iceborne with information on the new icy setting, monsters, gameplay options, purchase and pre-order options for console, and the latest updates for Monster Hunter: World.

The Iceborne expansion builds on every aspect of Monster Hunter: World, starting with an all-new story that picks up after the main game and whisks hunters away to a newly discovered chilly locale called Hoarfrost Reach. The snow-covered terrain offers an ecosystem that contrasts areas in the main game and progressively expands with the story. Iceborne is set to offer the largest region in the game so far, presenting hunters a wealth of new content with even more quests to face than in the original release.

Iceborne also introduces the new higher difficulty Master Rank, a brand-new quest tier that makes new and existing monsters more ferocious than ever. The extreme cold is also the setting for brand new frigid climate foes such as the horned brute wyvern Banbaro and the snow-buried Beotodus. These interweave with returning fan favorites such as the swift-attacking Nargacuga who adds some dangerous new tricks to his trademark move set as he joins the Monster Hunter: World lineup. Leading the pack in Iceborne is the mysterious new flagship monster Velkhana, an elder dragon with powerful ice attacks that is a pervasive threat in the new story. 

To ready players to face the expansion’s fierce hunts, several new gameplay options have been added to broaden the player’s combat repertoire, creating opportunities for exciting new hunting strategies. The Slinger can now be used while the main weapon is drawn, regardless of weapon type. New features have also been added for the Slinger such as the Clutch Claw used to grapple onto monsters with more direct control and the Flinch Shot which unloads Slinger ammo to stun monsters. Each of the 14 weapon types will also get new combos and new elements, offering additional depth to master in combat.  

The Monster Hunter: World base game is required and while Iceborneplayers will be able to enjoy some of the gameplay options such as the Slinger and weapon updates right away, they must have completed the main story through Hunter Rank 16 in order to access the new Icebornestory and quests. Several options are now available for pre-order for new or returning players on console either digitally or at participating retailers, with a special Yukumo Series layered armor set bonus exclusively for these early bird customers. For existing owners, the Monster Hunter World: Iceborneexpansion is available as digital DLC for MSRP $39.99 / €39.99. A Digital Deluxe version including both the expansion and a Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Deluxe Kit DLC of cosmetic items is MSRP $49.99 / €49.99. For newcomers, the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition containing both the main game and the Iceborne expansion is available to preorder at retail and will be available for purchase digitally at launch for MSRP $59.99 / €59.99. For European retail pricing please check with individual retailers. At North America retail only, the Monster Hunter World: IceborneMaster Edition Deluxe option that also includes the Monster Hunter World: IceborneDeluxe Kit DLC comes in a Steelbook for MSRP $79.99.

For players who have not yet tried Monster Hunter: World, now is the perfect time to dive into the game ahead of the Iceborne expansion. A free trial is available on PS4 from today through May 20, 2019. This will provide plenty of opportunities to try out a variety of quests, craft and upgrade equipment, and join in on the game’s trademark cooperative multiplayer action with existing owners of the game. Any saved progress transfers over to the main game, so new players are encouraged to start their hunting journey before the expansion’s release.

In the meantime, for existing Monster Hunter: World players on console, the last new content update for the base game will celebrate the aggressive flagship monster Nergigante who will finally appear in the formidable Arch-Tempered form for a limited time from May 11 UTC. Defeating this ultimate challenge will yield the powerful Nergigante γ (gamma) armor. In addition, a dynamic theme showcasing the lethal monster complete with custom ravaged system icons and the main game’s theme “Stars at Our Backs” as background music is now available for sale digitally on PS4™ for MSRP $2.99 / €2.99.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne will be available for PS4 and the Xbox One on September 6, 2019, with a PC release to follow this winter.

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 is currently available for PS4, Xbox One and PC.