Monster Hunter Now hits over 15 million downloads
Bringing the Monster Hunter franchise to the masses
- Monster Hunter Now has been a massive hit with over 15m downloads
- Can changes to mechanics like Hunt-a-thons keep the momentum going?
- And what's next in store for Niantic's new hit game?
Monster Hunter Now, Niantic's AR spin-off of the best-selling Monster Hunter franchise, has surpassed 15 million downloads globally. Tasking players with hunting down and slaying a huge bestiary's worth of creatures, Monster Hunter Now brings the franchise into the real world by overlaying your hunts onto real places and having you seek out their hiding places by moving around in real life.
Monster Hunter was a major title for the early PlayStation and PSP consoles, before really hitting its stride and rising to mainstream prominence with the release of Monster Hunter World and later Rise. Monster Hunter Now meanwhile takes the same formula that made Niantic's Pokemon Go successful, letting players work together to hunt down famous faces(?) from the franchise.
The Wild Hunt
Whether or not AR games can be successful is a question that's been creeping onto people's lips recently. Pokemon Go has remained somewhat static in terms of growth, and many changes to mechanics like avatars have had players grumbling. However, while Niantic seemed to be fumbling for a new hit for a while, they look to have found it with Monster Hunter Now.
At over 15m downloads in under six months, the game has made changes to key mechanics like hunt-a-thons to better help players connect. And while it may not have the broad appeal that franchises like Pokemon have had, it seems that Monster Hunter Now has connected with a significant audience that enjoys this slightly less animal-friendly take on creature 'collecting'.
To celebrate, the team at Niantic have also released an exclusive promotional code [MHNOW15M] to be redeemed at the official Monster Hunter Now webstore.
Want to see what else is big this year? Then why not check out our list of the best mobile games of 2024 (so far), for big hits, indie gems and more?
