Monster Hunter Fans Should Keep an Eye on March 12

Monster Hunter fans should mark March 12 on their calendars, as Capcom has just announced a «special program» commemorating the series' 20th anniversary on that date. Although the event is confirmed not to include any new game announcements, it may yet prove a treat for Monster Hunter fans.

The 20th anniversary of the franchise technically falls on March 11, which is when the first Monster Hunter was released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. Despite mixed reviews, the 2004 game has amassed a cult following, managing to stand out from the competition with its memorable fights and overall addictive gameplay loop that was challenging enough for it to develop a reputation as one of the hardest PS2 RPGs ever made.

Two decades later, Capcom is gearing up to commemorate the anniversary of this seminal release with a dedicated broadcast scheduled to kick off on March 20, at 7am ET / 1pm CET. The Japanese gaming giant has confirmed that the upcoming event will not offer anything in the way of new game announcements or news on Monster Hunter Wilds, the next mainline entry in the franchise that's expected to hit the market sometime in 2025.

Based on that disclosure, the broadcast is most likely to focus on merchandise and walk-in events. But that's not to say it will necessarily be completely devoid of game-related announcements; some in-game Monster Hunter anniversary events could be on the cards, as was the case back when Capcom commemorated the 15th anniversary of the franchise. Assuming such promos are part of the company's agenda, they will almost certainly include Monster Hunter Now, Niantic's geolocation-based mobile game that was released for Android and iOS devices back in September.

This special program will not feature new game announcements or news on Monster Hunter Wilds.

The series' fans can take advantage of some deep discounts while waiting for the March 12 event. Specifically, Capcom has just introduced a new anniversary bundle that lets Steam users grab three Monst