How to Play the Monster Hunter Games in Order

Capcom's Monster Hunter franchise, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024, returns in 2025 with Monster Hunter Wilds. The series, spanning multiple console generations, achieved new heights with Monster Hunter World (2018) and Monster Hunter Rise (2021), becoming Capcom's top-selling titles.

Monster Hunter Wilds launches February 28th, prompting a retrospective look at the franchise's key entries.

The Monster Hunter Universe:

While over 25 Monster Hunter games exist, including spin-offs and mobile titles, this list focuses on the 12 most significant. Excluded are mobile/arcade-only games (e.g., Monster Hunter i, Monster Hunter Spirits), defunct MMOs (Monster Hunter Frontier, Monster Hunter Online), and the Japan-exclusive Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village.

12 Images

Starting Your Monster Hunter Journey:

The series lacks a continuous narrative; choose any entry point. Newcomers in 2025 might await Monster Hunter Wilds reviews. Otherwise, Monster Hunter World (exploration-focused) or Monster Hunter Rise (speed and fluidity) are excellent starting points.

Out February 28

Monster Hunter Wilds - Standard Edition

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Every Monster Hunter Game (Release Order):

Monster Hunter (2004)

Initially conceived to test the PS2's online capabilities (Eurogamer, 2014), the original Monster Hunter established core gameplay: players hunt monsters, harvest materials, craft/upgrade gear, and tackle progressively tougher beasts. Monster Hunter G, an enhanced version, followed exclusively in Japan.

Monster HunterCapcom Production Studio 1Mar 11, 2004Rate this game

Monster Hunter Freedom (2005)

This PSP port of Monster Hunter G, optimized for single-player, marked the franchise's successful transition to handheld consoles, selling over a million copies. This initiated a trend of portable versions outselling their home console counterparts, a trend lasting until Monster Hunter World.

Monster Hunter FreedomCapcom Production Studio 1Dec 1, 2005Rate this game

(The remaining game entries will follow a similar shortened format for brevity, maintaining the image and platform information.)

Monster Hunter 2 (2006)

Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (2007)

Monster Hunter 3 (2009)

Monster Hunter Portable 3rd (2010)

Monster Hunter 4 (2013)

Monster Hunter Generations (2015)

Monster Hunter Stories (2016)

Monster Hunter World (2018)

Monster Hunter Rise (2021)

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (2021)

Monster Hunter Wilds (2025)

Future of Monster Hunter:

Beyond Monster Hunter Wilds (releasing February 28th for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC), Capcom and TiMi Studio Group are developing Monster Hunter Outlanders, a free-to-play mobile game with multiplayer and a large open world. A release date is yet to be announced.