Dauntless to hunt monsters cross-platform on the Epic Store
Not a daunting change of venue, really
Dauntless - the free-to-play Monster Hunter-like from Phoenix Labs - is due to permanently migrate to the Epic Store. Previously only available direct from its developers, its old launcher will be retired, and players will be transferred over to Epic's account system, though no date has been announced. Working with Epic has its perks; once it launches on PS4 and Xbox One, it'll offer full cross-platform multiplayer, hopefully ensuring that there'll be plenty of people to play with. You can see the full announcement here, with info on how migration works if you've played before.
From the sounds of Phoenix Labs's announcement, the migration won't be especially hurried, and they've got no firm date nailed down for it yet. As far as I can tell, there's no real down-side to this, and the main perk for players is cross-platform play under a unified account system. Dauntless will be in good company alongside Fortnite, especially considering how similar its new seasonal 'hunt pass' system looks to the battle royale juggernaut. It's a format that seems increasingly popular in the free-to-play sphere, and seems a good fit for a game about looking cool while you fight.
Of course, this doesn't change the fact that Dauntless is now up against the leviathan that is Monster Hunter: World on Steam. Being free-to-play gives it an advantage, and its breezy, grind-light approach to bashing big critters helps set it apart (see Edwin's preview from back in 2017). After eighteen years on consoles, it's made a surprising splash here, and any competitor is going to have to bring its A-game, although perhaps the interest in Monster Hunter might expand the market. It'll be interesting to see how the game stacks up against its monstrous rival when it properly launches later this year.
In the meantime, Dauntless is available now, free-to-play and in open beta. Find it on its official page here. There's no date for it yet, but when it makes the hop to the Epic Store, you'll find it here.