Monster Hunter Now, the new mobile game from the creators of Pokémon Go, has surpassed the 5 million download barrier in its first week. Available on iOS and Android, the title combines the flashy monster hunts of Capcom’s hit franchise with the use of augmented reality technology that Niantic games are known for.
The American development studio has announced the number of downloads through a message on social networks and has announced a series of rewards to celebrate this milestone. Exactly this weekend the game’s first major event will take place, an invasion of devils, which are expected to appear in “large parks” this Saturday and Sunday between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (peninsular time).
Like Pokémon Go, Monster Hunter Now is a game that uses the mobile geolocation function to encourage users to move around the real world in search of monsters and other rewards. Using the device’s camera and augmented reality technology it is possible to see the gigantic monsters anywhere.
As in the Monster Hunter console releases, players take on the role of a hunter who must embark on an adventure to hunt down huge monsters. One of the most important features of the game – and which is maintained in this mobile adaptation – is the creation of the character and the preparation of all the necessary equipment, placing special emphasis on weapons and armor.
In the same way that in Pokémon Go there are raids in which several players participate to hunt a Pokémon, the new Niantic and Capcom game also allows players to team up to capture the most powerful creatures.
Monster Hunter Now was announced last February and before its launch a week ago it already accumulated 3 million pre-registrations. The 5 million downloads it has reached in its first week are below the 10 million that Pokémon Go achieved in the same time in 2016, however, they are a good number. Now it remains to be seen if Niantic’s new product will stay afloat as the months go by or if, on the contrary, it will end up closing as happened with Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.