Monster Hunter Online has yet to be confirmed for a Western release, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep an eye on the game’s status in China. Tencent is sending out closed beta keys to a select 1,000 applicants, and getting in as a foreigner is nearly impossible.
Closed beta applicants will have to complete a questionnaire before being considered and have a short 48 hour window to activate their account should they be one of the lucky few chosen.
What makes Monster Hunter Online special, aside from being the second Monster Hunter-branded MMORPG, is the fact that the game is being developed as a collaboration between Capcom and Chinese giant Tencent Games using CryEngine 3. This means two things:
- This is the first Monster Hunter title being developed outside of Japan.
- The leap to CryEngine 3 marks the first time the series will be using a brand new engine.
The question of whether or not this step forward for the series will be released internationally is still up in the air, but it is not unlikely considering Tencent’s previous forays into the Western MMO markets and the international appeal of the franchise. Fingers crossed to see Monster Hunter Online make it to this side of the ocean.
