Capcom reveals release date and more Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak.
During the livestream, a June 30 release date was provided along with information on the expansion story, new monsters, new central area, and pre-order information.
The story follows the events of Kamura Village’s defense of Rampage, which ends in the base game. News of the village’s survival inspires knight Dame Fiorayne to seek help from the brave hunters who save the village.
After accepting the call for assistance, you will set off for the Elgado Outpost. This maritime transfer station is home to a laboratory that is studying the activities of the monsters that plague the kingdom, as well as a command post. Here, you’ll interact with new characters including Admiral Gareth, commander of the Royal Knights, a scientist named Bahari, Miner the blacksmith, Oboro the trader, and Chicha the quest giver. Your new allies will assist you in crafting new gear and instruct you on how to use the new Wirebug technology.
The three new monsters you’ll be fighting against are called the Three Lords. They are Garangolm, Fanged Wyvern Lunagaron and Elder Dragon Malzeno.
Additionally, other monster variants and returning favorites, including the blood orange Bishaten and Astalos will challenge you in the increased Master Rank mission difficulty.
Studying the actions of the three lords will take you across the kingdom to new locations, including the newly unveiled castle. The place features snow-capped peaks and lush forests, and at its center sits a long-abandoned fort that was built to ward off monsters.
To help new players prepare for the expansion, new armor sets and weapons for Monster Hunter Rising have been added. This includes the Defender line of weapons, which have high attack power to help you advance in early hunts, and can be paired with Black Belt armor and Veteran Amulet. As you approach higher tiers, the Guild Cross will speed up the process of harvesting useful items that can be stored for future hunts.
If you don’t purchase the Sunbreak Expansion Pack, you will receive the update when Sunbreak launches, requiring 13GB on Nintendo Switch and PC. Online play requires updates, including weapon balance, item packs, and character editing credentials.
As for purchasing Sunbreak, in addition to the digital-only Standard Edition, a special Deluxe Edition will include the expansion as well as extra content such as layered armor sets, gestures, and hairstyles. You can also choose a physical or digital version of the Monster Hunter Rise plus Sunbreak bundle for Switch and a digital-only version for PC. This bundle includes the standard edition of Monster Hunter Rise, as well as the expansion included in the physical edition as a digital voucher.
An early purchase of any version of Sunbreak will give your Palamute and Palico companions the Loyal Dog and Striped Cat layered armor sets. After launch, you can also purchase three new Malzeno-inspired amiibo on Switch, unlocking special layered armor for your Hunter, Palamute and Palico companions.
More information on Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak will be announced at a later date. Until then, enjoy the new trailer and check out some new screenshots.