In Shibuya, Monster hunter now the players took to the streets on October 12th and 13th. The mobile AR game's first major event, Monster Hunter Now Carnival Shibuya, introduced the Elder Dragon Nergigante, Gold Rathians, and Silver Rathalos there, along with a bevy of event-specific weapons and armor. Monster hunter now around the world will be able to check out all of this content for themselves on November 2nd and 3rd.
Game Rant' was at the Monster Hunter Now Carnival Shibuya event and spoke with Niantic senior producer Sakae Osumi about how the event went down. Among other details, Osumi talked about how he worked with the city to make this event possible and how even just one day was special for the developer.
Bringing the Monster Hunter Now carnival to Shibuya
It's been a year since the launch of Monster hunter now to get to the point where Niantic could host its first major in-person event for the game. This is due, at least in part, to the fact that Niantic initially focused on getting the game to the point where a Carnival was something the AR game developer was ready for, meaning features, updates, and all that was built coming to this point in mind. While Osumi says Niantic isn't 100% where it wants to be with the title today, that first year gave players and the studio the foundation to pull off an event like Monster Hunter Now Carnival.
But with that foundation laid, it was possible to release hunters into a city. Shibuya was the natural choice for this, Osumi explained. Shibuya is not just a trendy area of Tokyo, but has been a part of it Monster hunter now for some time. The image of Shibuya is intrinsically linked to the origins of Monster hunter now after all, and Shibuya absolutely joined in on the excitement. As Osumi explained,
Our event manager and event team worked closely with Shibuya City Council to make sure the local community was supportive, and we also chose safe zones and safe routes for players to explore… We wanted make this event great, but also really special. You can't experience this anywhere else by coming here. We wanted to bring a lot of people here, fans, players, and also make sure they have this unique experience, a nice experience to gather here and explore Shibuya city.
Niantic worked with Shibuya to come up with beast-tracking routes that were fun to explore not only for newcomers to Shibuya but also for those familiar with the area, while also allowing local players a chance to discover the new charm of the city. The result was a special day for both tourists and local Japanese players. This has been a guiding ideal of Niantic with its games: bringing players together in a shared experience that overlays the game world on the real one, blending gaming and life in a way that provides a little extra to both experiences. Osumi thinks they nailed that feeling up to that point Monster hunter now Shibuya Carnival goes. Part of this comes from the fact that people from all over the world came together to hunt monsters, as the event even changed the way the local player base interacted:
Of course, the number [of players] it's very different. Even in Japan today it is like a special meeting. It's incredible, it's like an endless hunt. We go out and hunt together, and it's endless. It's very special. Yes, it's really fun to be able to go out and play with people you know, but also with people around you that you might not know, definitely sharing the same fun time.
As for the future of the Carnival, Osumi said the company will learn from the one in Shibuya and carry those lessons forward to the next global festival (which takes place November 2 and 3) and beyond. Osumi also highlighted that Niantic is committed to events like this as a great expression of bringing players into the world, and suggests that fans will have many more to come in 2025.