Capcom announced several Monster Hunter: World-related updates, including a collaboration with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and a major expansion called Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, in a Special Developer Update today.
Here are the details, via Monster Hunter: World producer Ryozo Tsujimoto:
Console Version Update 1: Kulve Taroth (December 19 to January 3)
Kulve Taroth, a monster previously featured in limited time events, is coming back, this time as an arch-tempered monster!
The basic strategy is the same: up to 16 players from your Hub can join together in groups of four each in the Kulve Taroth Siege.
As you work together to repel this hulking beast, you raise your pursuit and rewards level to earn appraisal weapons and other rewards.
The big difference with Arch-tempered Kulve Taroth, however, is that you’ll be able to push it into a new “furied” state by fulfilling certain conditions before it sheds its gold plating!
Completing the Siege under these conditions will give you a chance at some incredible rewards.
Once you’ve incited Arch-tempered Kulve Taroth’s “fury,” it will unleash new powerful attacks. Work as a team to repel this challenging beast.
If you meet certain conditions during the siege for Arch-tempered Kulve Taroth, you might find new rainbow items among your Siege rewards. These are a grade more powerful than gold rewards, and may even include all-new appraisal weapons. We’ve prepared loads of new appraisal weapons for each weapon type, as well as a new γ (gamma) series of armor made from Arch-tempered Kulve Taroth materials.
With the introduction of Arch-tempered Kulve Taroth, the standard Kulve Taroth will no longer appear, but don’t worry: you’ll still be able to obtain all of the previous rewards from the Arch-tempered version.
The Arch-temperd Kulve Taroth Siege will be available from 4:00 p.m. PST on December 19, 2018 until 3:59 p.m. PST on January 3, 2019. This is a limited-time only event, so don’t miss out!
Console Version Update 2: Appreciation Fest (January 2019)
As another special “thank you” from the development team, just in time for the one-year anniversary, we’d like to announce the Appreciation Fest.
The Appreciation Fest will have all of your favorite features from the seasonal events, including a decorated Gathering Hub, and special equipment that can be obtained from all-new quests.
As an added thanks, we’ve also prepared a slew of special anniversary quests for everyone.
Stay tuned for more details in a future announcement.
Console Version Update 3: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Collaboration (Early 2019)
Monster Hunter: World is having a special collaboration with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt!
In this collaboration event, Geralt, the hero from The Witcher series, will find himself in the New World, where he meets the members of the Research Commission.
This collaboration also features unique quests that inject the immersive RPG experience of The Witcher 3 into the gameplay of Monster Hunter: World.
We’re bringing you a brand-new experience never before seen in the Monster Hunter series.
We’ve also prepared new voice recording especially for this collaboration, complete with the original voice actors for the part of Geralt.
The trailer we showed today was in English, but the update will also include voices for French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Monster Hunter Language.
This special collaboration is planned for early 2019. What we’ve shown so far is only a teaser, but rest assured that we consulted closely with the developers of The Witcher series, CD Projekt RED, to make this an experience that everyone, including The Witcher fans, can enjoy.
Stay tuned for more details on this collaboration.
Console Version Update 4: Arch-tempered Nergiante (Spring 2019)
Many of you may know Nergigante as the main monster of Monster Hunter: World, providing a deep challenge for many hunters.
Now, Nergigante is appearing as an Arch-tempered monster. Arch-tempered Nergiante is going to be a very tough opponent, so be prepared to have your skills put to the test.
Arch-tempered Nergigante will be available in spring 2019.
Arch-tempered Nergigante is the last new title update we have planned. But we have one more very important announcement.
Massive Expansion: Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (Fall 2019)
We are now working on a massive expansion we’re calling Monster Hunter World: Iceborne!
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne will feature new quest rank, monsters, locales, moves, and equipment! You’ll also get a full new story that continues from the ending of Monster Hunter: World.
This expansion will be the size of previously G or Ultimate entries in the series.
Players of Monster Hunter: World will be able to purchase Monster Hunter World: Iceborne as an expansion to the original game.
We’re planning to release Monster Hunter World: Iceborne in fall 2019. Price details and other information will be coming up in spring 2019, so stay tuned.
PC Version Updates
Of course, for all the title updates announced for the console version of Monster Hunter: World today, including the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne expansion, we’re also planning to develop versions for PC as well. We’ll let you know when these will become available in future announcements.
Trial Version (December 11 to 17)
We’re releasing a free trial version of Monster Hunter: World available for a limited time only.
The trial version gives you a full taste of what Monster Hunter: World can offer, including quests, equipment crafting and upgrading, and online multiplayer up to Hunter Rank 4, and 3-star quests. Your save data from the trial version will carry over to the full retail version. Players of the trial version can even hunt online with players who own the retail version.
The trial version will be available from 4:00 p.m. PST on December 11 to 3:59 PST on December 17.
In addition to all this, Capcom has launched the Monster Hunter 15th anniversary website ahead of the series’ 15th anniversary in March 2019.
