Monster Hunter Now releases on September 14

Niantic and Capcom have announced that Monster Hunter Now is coming to mobile devices globally on September 14. The title is the augmented reality-based spin-off for the action RPG series similar to Pokémon GO. Players can hunt monsters on their mobile device or mark them with paintballs to hunt with other players online at a later time.

The release date was shared in a recent Monster Hunter Now Showcase livestream where several developers demonstrated how the game was played. They revealed that the title took 4 years to make; it can be played both vertically and horizontally. Nearby monsters are marked on a map of your surrounding area.

All actions can be done with simple actions with one finger - swipe left, right, up, down to dodge, tap the screen to continuously attack, or hold a press to charge a skill. In Monster Hunter Now, monsters will flash red before they attack so it'll be easier to tell when they'll start attacking. Just like in other Monster Hunter entries, monster parts can be specifically attacked and sliced or broken off as well.

The weapons displayed at the Monster Hunter Now Showcase were the Sword & Shield, Great Sword, Light Bowgun, Long Sword, Hammer, and Bow. Then, the showcase provided a live gameplay session showing off how multiplayer hunters work in Monster Hunter Now.

Before ending the stream, Niantic and Capcom also demonstrated the AR function in Monster Hunter Now where players can take photos with monsters in the real world. If you've been dreaming to see what a Rathalos in your bedroom would look like for years, now is your chance.

For more on Monster Hunter Now, check out James' hands-on impression of it here.