Is Monster Hunter World Cross Platform?

The beautiful areas of Monster Hunter World have been mesmerizing players across PS4, Xbox One, and PC for over a year and a half now. Whether when tracking down a Teostra in Elder’s Recess or searching the skies for a Paolumu in Coral Highlands, players have not had a lack of beautiful environments. Fans of the series know how important multiplayer is when it comes to this game, especially with this recent installment. With Monster Hunter World: Iceborneon the eve of release players are waking up their Palicoes and preparing to depart. But can you play Monster Hunter World with your friends on other platforms?

Is Monster Hunter World Cross Platform?

Unfortunately, Monster Hunter World is not cross platform. This is to the dismay of many fans that have been with the series across many years and titles. While the series has not been cross platform before, multiplayer is a big element in determining satisfaction with the game. Some of the greatest moments of the Monster Hunter games have happened with players in online sessions that go until all hours of the night. It’s because of this heavy reliance on multiplayer that many assumed cross platform was a natural next step for the game.

 

The Future of Monster Hunter World Cross Platform Play

It doesn’t look like a future where cross console play exists. Sony has a history of not playing nice with others and has only given in to some top dogs that stomped their feet enough. There is a strategy for being so opposed to cross play, but it doesn’t make players any happier. Developers and players alike have had a bone to pick with Sony over their decisions around cross play. As you may remember, after lots of protest cross play for Fortnite and Rocket League became a reality with Sony dragging their feet the entire way. The decisions around Playstation cross play have been met with criticism. This criticism is based on the developers claim that platform is playing favorites with who does, and does not, get cross play options.

The Ties Between Microsoft and Nintendo

Meanwhile, relations between Microsoft and Nintendo continue to get stronger. The two companies actively promote cross play options on Minecraftand.  More cross play options may come out in the future. As a new generation of consoles is anticipated to release in the next couple of years and options like Google Stadia are joining the game, cross play is becoming more of a hot button issue. Players are split on whether they think it is an achievable goal or just a dream that may never be realized.

It also sounds like, for Monster Hunter World specifically, there are some more technical issues involved with cross platform play. When interviewed on the PC release of the game, producer RyozoTsujimoto gave some insight on what makes cross play difficult. Tsujimoto cites monster intros, events, and balance patches will all vary by platform and could making cross platform play unintentionally unbalanced. This would obviously cause more headaches for players that want a seamless experience.

In an interview with PC Gamer Tsujimoto gave insight on the issues with cross platform play, saying:

“I want to synch these up as much as possible, but as mentioned previously regarding title updates, the differences in versions between platforms may prevent them being completely the same time. [Balance patches] will be a case-by-case situation. If we find bugs that are happening only on PC for example, or issues arising after a title update, then we would put patches out on each platform as soon as possible. If there was an issue common to all platforms, however, doing it piecemeal would be less preferable than fixing every version at the same time so that everyone has the same experience.”

What is Next for MHW?

The popular series has gained some much-deserved popularity in the West thanks to the release of Monster Hunter World. The total number of global shipments for the game reached 13 million copies this year. The release has given a new breath of life to Capcom title. That’s why it was no surprise when Monster Hunter World: Iceborne was announced at the tail end of 2018. The new expansion released on September 6, 2019 and features a brand-new area, modes, and monsters for the game.

Iceborne

Iceborne will take place in Hoarfrost Reach and open players to new gear and new rank options. Monsters like Tigrex, Cortos, Valkhana, and Banbaro will all be available to hunt down. The inclusion of monsters from previous installments of the series also leads fans to believe that Monster Hunter World is here to stay. Many have speculated that this installment will be an ‘ultimate’ edition of the series with support to continue for years to come. It’s easy enough to believe. For one thing, consider the support Capcom has and continues to provide in the form of events and expansions like Iceborne.

Regardless of what the future holds for the series, fans are hoping cross play might show up at some point. Whether you’re waiting for Monster Hunter World cross platform or just waiting for Iceborneto release, you might still be working on the Challenge Quests in the current version of the game. Check out our guide on how to complete them and get a leg up before venturing into the Hoarfrost Reach.