- Monster Hunter Now is promoting Monster Hunter Stories with limited in-game events and quests
- The campaign features one of Stories’ key players Navirou, appearing in the real world via Now
Monster Hunter Now’s first in-game crossover event is underway, promoting the release of RPG spin-off Monster Hunter Stories on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC.
The title was originally released on 3DS in 2016 and was later redeveloped for Apple Arcade in 2019, pushing the service’s portfolio to over 200 games at the time. And after spawning a sequel on the Switch, the original Stories has now expanded there too, crossing once more from console to mobile and back to console again.
This marks Capcom’s first new Monster Hunter title (albeit a remaster) since mobile-exclusive Monster Hunter Now’s release, and with a captive mobile audience now established, is leveraging its geolocation popularity in its promotion of the remaster.
Ad campaigns, now in AR!
Starting today, June 26th, Monster Hunter Now players can engage in a time-limited event revolving around Navirou, one of Stories’ main characters currently lost in the real world. It’s a meta tie-in taking advantage of Now’s status as an AR, geolocation game, as players must go out hunting monsters and collecting resources in an effort to restore Navirou’s memory.
All in all, the promotional event provides Now players with 16 new quests through which they will learn more about Navirou’s character, explored as the story unfolds. In turn, Capcom clearly hopes to convert some of the more casual Now players into fans of the wider series – teasing them with Stories’ release for the next three weeks.
The inverse is also true, as Stories fans can unlock exclusive rewards like a Navirou outfit and layered equipment if they jump into Now and complete the quests before July 14th. This means Now developer Niantic also gains through the collab too.
“We’re collaborating with Monster Hunter Stories for an exciting new event. In it, you can enjoy a collaboration story through limited-time quests. You’ll meet Navirou, who seems to have wandered into the real world,” the Monster Hunter Now team announced.
“Look forward to a total of 16 limited-time quests which will task you with taking down large monsters and more. Complete these quests to claim epic rewards including the Navirou Mask, layered equipment that will let you dress up just like Navirou, as well as the exclusive Visitor from Another Story Medal and various materials, including a Rathalos Plate!”
Monster Hunter Now has been a roaring success since its launch last September with 15 million downloads and over $180 million in revenue generated so far. It’s even beating AR titan Pokémon Go in certain key metrics, making it an ideal new advertising arm for Capcom’s future games.
