Expect Monster Hunter Now to fail like all post-Pokemon Go Niantic games, says Kantan Games CEO

Today, Pokémon Go developer Niantic announced a new project due to launch in September this year, Monster Hunter Now. The game aims to do what Pokémon Go did and reach fans worldwide with yet another augmented reality offering where players can engage with the Monster Hunter franchise on the go. However, one prominent video game consulting firm doesn’t expect it to do as well.

Kantan Games CEO Dr. Serkan Toto stressed that Capcom stock closed on a high following the announcement, but past trends do not suggest it will be a success. Every game after Pokémon Go, no matter how high the IP, from Niantic has failed. Monster Hunter World is expected to do the same.

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Advisors don’t expect Monster Hunter Now to stand the test of time

Monster Hunter Now certainly sounds like a decent Pokémon Go sequel. It also looks the same as in Niantic’s announcement post. Players will explore the world in search of monsters from the franchise and take them down with taps and swipes on their phone’s screen. While Pokémon Go doesn’t rely too heavily on multiplayer, Monster Hunter Now sounds like it’s going to get better with friends. If it can effectively translate the process of scavenging for parts, crafting gear, and setting out again to do it all over again, it’ll likely appeal to Monster Hunter fans. The only problem will be the endgame loop or the result of all the grinding that has to be rewarding for players to want to put in the effort.

Despite the excitement from fans and newcomers who may only be learning about the series now with the announcement of Monster Hunter Now, the future doesn’t look bright. The game is just the latest stepping stone in a path Niantic has laid with canceled games. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, Catan: World Explorers, and Transformers: Heavy Metal were discontinued shortly after launch. Pikmin Bloom is still live, but many people are wondering how long it will be before it’s shelved too.

Pokémon Go fans say that Monster Hunter Now is the only game that has interested them since Niantic’s first title. It’s also true that Monster Hunter’s fanbase is far more engaged than many, especially considering how many people still play Monster Hunter World. However, it’s hard to say if this commitment will ensure Monster Hunter Now’s future. Niantic’s upcoming release will almost certainly rely on microtransactions to stay afloat, which Monster Hunter fans have mostly been able to avoid in their games. Niantic needs to do something special to attract enough paying players to this new game for it to succeed where other attempts have failed.