Monster Hunter World: Iceborne - PC release date confirmed, free update monsters
Do you want to build a Snowdrake?
We now know when Monster Hunter World: Iceborne will be coming to PC and I'll be honest, it's a little earlier than I was expecting it to be. A post-holiday treat if you will, to tie us over until more big releases grace our screens. Here's everything you need to know about Monster Hunter World: Iceborne on PC.
Our Monster Hunter World: Iceborne guide will go over everything we know so far about the expansion to Monster Hunter: World, including the recently confirmed release date and details about the monsters you'll be slaying.
If you are looking for specifically Monster Hunter World Iceborne guides, then we have created a separate guide hub for just expansion stuff. Head over to our Monster Hunter World Iceborne guide to make your start.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne - everything you need to know
- What is the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne PC release date? - It's out January 9th, 2020.
- Do I need Monster Hunter: World to play the expansion? - Yes, and you'll need to be Hunter Rank 16, which means completing the main campaign.
- Where can I buy Monster Hunter World: Iceborne? - It'll be on Steam, but you'll need the main game as well.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne roundup contents
- Monster Hunter World: Iceborne PC release date - January 9th, 2020
- New Region - Hoarfrost Reach
- New Hub - Seliana
- New Gathering Hub
- Monster Hunter World: Iceborne monster list
- Sub-Species
- Iceborne free update Monsters
- Master Hunter Rank
- Two-Player difficulty mode
- Hunter Actions
- Developer Diary 3 updates
- Resident Evil 2 Iceborne collaboration
- Kulve Taroth Monster Hunter: World PC event
- Upcoming Monster Hunter: World PC events
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne PC release date - January 9th, 2020
Capcom announced on 10th December 2018, the big expansion to Monster Hunter: World which is called "Iceborne". We recently learned that the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne PC release date is January 9th, 2020. This would be slightly over five months after the console release of the expansion.
Preordering the expansion will give you the Yukumo layered armour. Purchasing the Digital Deluxe Kit will give you the following goodies:
- Silver Knight layered armour
- Three gestures
- Two sticker sets
- One face paint
- One hairstyle
- One decor set for Room Customisation
New region - Hoarfrost Reach
This frozen forest is gated off in places at first, but will eventually open up as you slay monsters in the brand new region of Hoarfrost Reach. As a frozen location, the cold will have a detrimental effect on your stamina, but you can combat this with the use of hot peppers to make hot drinks or the new hot springs populated by monkeys. This is similar to how chill mushrooms work.
As for the other life in the region, there are Popos - weird mammoth-like creatures that are prey to the larger monsters, new birds called Stonebirds, and even the tiny Rime Beetles that roll up snowballs that contain Crystalbursts for your slinger. Finally, there are Wingdrakes known as "Cortos" that can be used to travel around the region.
New Hub - Seliana
With a new expansion comes a new home base - Seliana. It has all the facilities that you can expect from a hub base, including a brand new set of Canteen Palicoes preparing some hearty meats, fondue dishes, salty broth, and other delicious looking morsels. I won't lie - I got very hungry writing that. You can also access the Safari Expedition from within the hub, rather than either going to the room or visiting the Research Base. There is also a photo mode so you can take pictures of yourself or the village itself, or even monsters while hunting.
New Gathering Hub
It also seems that the new gathering hub in Seliana is a giant hot tub, where hunters and Palico can relax before setting off on a mission to slay the next large monster. We even see hunters dangling their adorable feline friends above the water like a parent introducing their toddler to swimming for the first time. It's very cute.
Speaking of cute, you can also craft new gear for your Palico at the Smithy, which works in exactly the same way and will keep your progress on materials. This includes the rather awesome little snowboarding outfit for your Palico, complete with a snowboard! You can, of course, make new stuff for you, but why would you want to when your Palico could look this rad?
Steamworks facility
The new hub comes with a new facility called the Steamworks. Here you can participate in a mini-game where you put in fuel to run their engine. You must press buttons on the facility and if you manage to get a sequence correct, you'll get better items out of it. You can do this until the gauge at the top reaches maximum capacity. which does trigger a cutscene where the Palico overload the engine with fuel. Items that can be obtained from here include potions, eggs, armour spheres, and barrel bombs, among many others.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Monster List
Of course, what would a Monster Hunter game be without monsters? Four have been officially revealed so far, but the details have been spotty between the different creatures. We'll go over everything we know so far.
Banbaro
The Banbaro is the deer-like Brute Wyvern that uses its gigantic horns to pick up stuff as it charges. This means that while it may not get you in range of its rather nimble charge, the boulders and tree trunks that it can pick up will be hurled at you. It's a bipedal herbivore that will also bathe in the sun and drink from the hot springs, which indicates that this monster won't attack until you attack it. It also is hunted by the next monster.
Beotodus
A carnivorous "fish" that dives into the snow to ambush you. This doesn't look all that different compared to Jyuratodus or the Lavasioth in how it moves, but this time it has a big horn. It'll also go after any Popo or even the Banbaro if their paths should cross. You can also use what looks like Screamer Pods to flush it out of the snow while it's burrowing.
Nargacuga
A returning monster, Nargacuga is a flying wyvern that is a cross between a giant bat and a panther. This was the only monster not seen in the new region, instead cropping up in the Ancient Forest. It also likes to pick fights with Rathalos and is highly aggressive. Previous incarnations of Nargacuga have been vulnerable to loud and sudden sounds, so it'll be interesting to see how this is translated into Monster Hunter: World.
Velkhana
The brand new signature Elder Dragon - Velkhana - is an ice-breathing dragon that we've not seen a massive amount of. However, the one thing we do know is that it likes to hunt Legiana - the ice-breathing wyvern found in the Coral Highlands. It seems to be known in the game by the term "Old Everwyrm", and will be featured in both normal and siege battles.
Tigrex
A fan favourite that was first hinted at by its roar, Tigrex is returning to Monster Hunter: World. It's a flying wyvern that has been seen in snowy areas in the Monster Hunter games beforehand, so its appearance in Hoarfrost Reach isn't out of the ordinary. However, much like other fan favourites, including Deviljho, expect that this updated version of Tigrex will get new tricks up its sleeve. It'll even pick fights in the multiple regions that it inhabits, from Odogaron, to the new monsters in the Hoarfrost Reach.
Glavenus
Towards the end of the trailer, we got this segment, followed by fire swiping across the screen and a tell-tale roar. It's pretty much a confirmation that Glavenus is returning to Monster Hunter: World and this lizard has a bladed tail that's on fire. A conflict between Glavenus and Deviljho would have been a clash of titans but giving Diablos a suplex with its teeth is still a sight to behold.
Brachydios
Another trailer gave us another tease. This time around, we see an Uragaan looking a little worse for wear and sporting some green liquid on its face. This liquid then explodes, which veterans of the series can work out that this means the return of Brachydios. This chap has green stubs for hands and a massive green bulge on his dome, but the green bits are highly volatile - matching perfectly with its violent temperament.
Barioth
Another returning monster from Monster Hunter 3 is Barioth. It's a feline monster with wings and is of the ice element. It's also very quick, able to jump onto walls and use them as springboards to propel itself onto your position. Other attacks include a homing attack where it glides towards you, spitting ice balls, and creating tornados. It is shown in the trailer to attack Legiana.
Namielle
With all the returning monsters and Elder Dragons, it's about time we got something brand new. True to form, a teaser at the end of the trailer showing off Brachydios, gave us what was later confirmed to be called Namielle. What a new monster this Dragon is. Its name is Namielle and it's an Elder Dragon that lives underwater. While it may not be fought underwater, we did get a brief glimpse of it in combat in the latest trailer. Namielle's wings have a weird strobe effect so you can see it better in the dark depths.
Zinogre
The last main new monster that was revealed just short of the console release date, Zinogre is another returning monster from the previous Monster Hunter games. It's an electric wolf wyvern that will have turf wars with the likes of Rathalos, using its immense speed to bite with ferocity. It really was the briefest of glimpses that we got, mostly of just how much it hates Rathalos, but this pooch may prove to be a tough fight.
Sub-species
Monster Hunter: World was no stranger to giving us sub-species of existing monsters. Rathian, Rathalos, and Diablos all had dramatically different variations of the three that were essentially upgraded versions of themselves. Even Lavasioth and Beotodus could be considered variations of Jyuratodus in many ways.
In Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, we will be seeing a whole host of new, never before seen sub-species of the monsters that are already in the game, and even one that's a variant of Glavenus.
Shrieking Legiana
This sub-species is based on the standard Legiana, capable of using more ice-based attacks to freeze you on the spot. They're all extended effects from its physical attacks that the original could use, but it also has a slightly more aggressive demeanour. The narrative seems to be based around their migration as well, so the origin of the "Shrieking Legiana" may be revealed in the plot.
Fulgur Anjanath
How do you make the T-Rex monster that is Anjanath even more of a pain to slay? Well, if you give it enough juice to jumpstart a monster truck, you'll get Fulgur Anjanath. It seems even quicker than its firebreathing cousin and can emit sparks out of just about every part of its body. It also adopts a bit more of a "tiger" pattern on its face, which is a common trait of Japanese mythology surrounding the Shinto god "Raiju".
Ebony Odogaron
As if making Anjanath an electric type wasn't bad enough, how about a more savage Odogaron that has some dark sparks coming from its mouth? While Odogaron was tough to deal with thanks to its attacks inflicting the bleed status effect, the Ebony Odogaron follows up attacks with more ferocity and a much more painful bite. The new variant will have access to Dragon attacks, but will also eat a lot more - something that the original Odogaron rarely did.
Acidic Glavenus
At San Diego Comic Con, we found out a bit more about the Acidic version of Glavenus. The idea behind this one is that instead of a bladed tail that gets more heated as it attacks, the tail is instead covered in poisonous barbs that are shredded off as the tail is sharpened but grow back over time. This means that there is a shorter window of opportunity when the Glavenus isn't hitting as hard.
Coral Pukei-Pukei, Nightshade Paolumu, and Viper Tobi-Kadachi
We're lumping these three in together because they were revealed to have their own sub-species at the end of the San Diego Comic Con panel. As of yet though, Capcom have not released any further information of what exactly these three new variants would use. Pukei-Pukei originally had poison, Tobi-Kadachi had lightning, and Paolumu used neutral wind-based attacks respectively.
These were later confirmed Nightshade Paolumu, which uses sleep attacks, the Coral Pukei-Pukei that uses water attacks, and the Viper Tobi-Kadachi variant, which is poison/paralysis based.
Iceborne free update Monsters
Much like the original game that included Deviljho, Kulve Taroth, and Lunastra, as well as a couple of cross-promotional monsters with Behemoth and Leshen respectively, it seems that Monster Hunter World: Iceborne will also be getting free updates.
The first one was announced shortly before the expansion's console release date and we'd imagine several more will appear over the course of the next few months. Given the success of Monster Hunter World, it's likely that more crossover monsters and perhaps even a second expansion may be on the horizon, but we'll bring you up-to-date as soon as we find out more.
Rajang
Hailing as far back as Monster Hunter 2, this colossal ape is one of the strongest monsters ever devised. Announced shortly before the console release date, we know that the Rajang is a bipedal giant can pick up hunters and squeeze them within an inch of their lives, and even comes with a transformation where it fires electrical beams from its mouth.
The inspiration behind this monster is really obvious: The Oozaru from Dragon Ball. It has the ability to go Super Saiyan, bleaching its fur colour and gaining immense power. Cutting its tail off makes it lose power, a reference to Saiyans losing the ability to become an Oozaru when they lose their tails. We even see it picking up hunters and squeezing them, which happens at various points in Dragon Ball. In fact, the only major differences are that it doesn't need to look at a full moon to be a giant ape, and it has horns.
So yeah, it's a strong monster with a strong link to a piece of popular culture. Just don't ask it about its power level. It could get very cross.
Master Hunter Rank
A brand new campaign will be coming along with the game that takes place after the story of Monster Hunter: World. It's therefore safe to assume that the expansion will only be unlocked when you reach Hunter Rank 16, which involves defeating the final boss of the game.
With the new expansion comes a new Hunter Rank - Master. This is said to act a lot like the G-Rank did in previous Monster Hunter titles, and it's implied that since the new campaign has some new monsters appear in the older regions, it seems Master Rank isn't limited to just the new world.
Two-player difficulty mode
There is now the option to play the mode with two players and have the challenge balanced for the two players, rather than have it increased to the difficulty akin to four-player mode. The difficulty is also adapted to the appropriate number of players depending on how many players are in a game, rather than stay at multiplayer when someone else joins you, even if they leave shortly thereafter.
Hunter Actions
There's far too many new actions to go over, so for a big in-depth look at what new moves are available to hunters, watch the developer diary #2 for Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. The video is above. But there have been a few highlights in previous trailers.
Let's face it, slingers were terrible in Monster Hunter: World. You had to put them away in order to use them, fumbling with the controls like a novice circus performer attempting to juggle. Slingers can now be used while your weapons are drawn for all weapon types, and this includes slotting in flash pods. But that's not all.
Two new slinger actions can now be used. The Clutch Claw allows you to latch onto a creature and pull yourself in to grapple them. Since this was previously only able to be done by leaping from a height and hoping for the best, having another option is welcome. You can also unload all your current slinger ammunition while grappling to stagger it into a certain direction - which can be used to knock it into a trap.
Each one of the different weapons will also have a host of new actions that can be used in-game, mostly to assist in mounting monsters - which, let's face it, is always the most fun part of any hunt.
You can also ride on creatures to allow for quicker traversal and no stamina loss. This includes mounting the Jagras and valiantly riding it into battle, and what self-respecting monster hunter doesn't want to do that?
Developer Diary 3 updates
The developer diary has a few big features that you can expect after the release date:
- Customisable rooms, complete with free and paid-for items that you can display.
- Privacy options for rooms.
- Volcano Area for The Guiding Lands (post-story area for Iceborne)
- Layered Armor
- A second new monster coming in December
Resident Evil 2 Iceborne event
Of all the collaborations, this is by far the silliest we've seen so far. Hunters are now a bit more zombified and there are skins for both Claire and Leon. But that's not why it's silly. You can, for the first time, change your handler to look like someone else. That someone else is Mr.X - the hulking brute that pursued players throughout Resident Evil 2. He also has a big Raccoon City book hanging off his person, and will look somewhat giddy that you're eating his fine dining should you eat at the camp.
There will also be a collaboration quest associated with the event. Finally, there is an accessory you can unlock and adorn to your weapon: A bit of tofu with a STARS hat, complete with a squeaky voice.
Kulve Taroth Monster Hunter: World PC event
This event is not live at the moment. We'll update this page when Kulve Taroth is returning.
Kulve Taroth was a limited-time seasonal event encounter rather than a permanent monster that will be added to the game. As announced in the Steam Community forums, it last ran from 30th November 2018 from 00:00am (UTC) until 17th November 2018 at 23:59 (UTC).
When it is available, you'll also need to be of Hunter Rank 16 or above to even qualify to fight her when it is available, as well as complete an optional side quest. This means you're likely to need to beat Xeno'jiiva first, so if you're not at that level yet you need to be quick. As for how you fight Kulve Taroth, I've knocked up the Monster Hunter: World Kulve Taroth guide with more information.
Upcoming Monster Hunter: World PC events
Finally, before we go, here are some other notable dates for Monster Hunter: World PC version:
- Autumn Harvest Fest: Friday, October 18 00:00 a.m. to Thursday, October 31 23:59 UTC
Monster Hunter: World guides
To get you up to speed for the new expansion, we have a whole list of guides from materials, weapons, and armour, to boss strategies for every single monster in the game.
- Monster Hunter World guide
- Monster Hunter: World combat - Find out about each weapon type.
- Monster Hunter: World weapon tree - Get ingredient lists for every weapon in the game.
- Monster Hunter: World armour - Find out how the basics of armour.
- Monster Hunter: World armour builds - Get ingredient list for every armour set.
- Monster Hunter: World Palico - Information all about Palico and where Grimalkynes are.
- Monster Hunter: World crafting - Learn the basics of crafting.
- Monster Hunter: World ecological research - How to unlock and effectively use Ecological Research.
- Monster Hunter: World botanical research - How to unlock and effectively use Botanical Research.
- Monster Hunter: World cooking - The best ingredients to cook before a hunt.
- Monster Hunter: World capture - Learn how to capture large monsters.
- Monster Hunter: World materials - Locations for all the materials.
- Monster Hunter: World item melding - The basics of using item melding.
- Monster Hunter: World tempered monsters - How to find tempered monsters.
PC specific guides
- Monster Hunter: World PC multiplayer - How to connect with your friends in the PC version.
- Monster Hunter: World PC performance - The best graphics cards to run Monster Hunter: World.
Individual monster guides
- Monster Hunter: World Great Jagras - Begin your monster hunter career with these tips.
- Monster Hunter: World Kulu-Ya-Ku - Slay this overgrown chicken in this guide.
- Monster Hunter: World Pukei-Pukei - This guide shows just why poison is a big deal.
- Monster Hunter: World Barroth - Tips for dealing with a monster in a new area.
- Monster Hunter: World Jyuratodus - How to effectively hunt this mud-fish.
- Monster Hunter: World Tobi-Kadachi - Strategies to combat this electric foe.
- Monster Hunter: World Anjanath - Tips for how to deal with this fiery T-Rex.
- Monster Hunter: World Zorah Magdaros first encounter - Walkthrough of what happens in this fight.
- Monster Hunter: World Tzitzi-Ya-Ku - What to do to not get blinded by this lizard.
- Monster Hunter: World Paolumu - How to beat this puffball.
- Monster Hunter: World Radobaan - These tips will show you how to avoid its rolling attacks.
- Monster Hunter: World Rathian - Strategies to kill this optional boss fight.
- Monster Hunter: World Legiana - How to beat this frosty dragon.
- Monster Hunter: World Odogaron - Tips for how to deal with this savage customer.
- Monster Hunter: World Great Girros - How to kill this creature and why its friends are more dangerous.
- Monster Hunter: World Diablos - Tips to avoid this hard-headed beast's charges.
- Monster Hunter: World Rathalos - Strategies to slay the mascot dragon.
- Monster Hunter: World Zorah Magdaros - Stop this hulking Elder Dragon once and for all.
- Monster Hunter: World Pink Rathian - A lot meaner, so here are tips to stop this colourful dragon.
- Monster Hunter: World Nergigante - Finally put down this eater of Elder Dragons.
- Monster Hunter: World Uragaan - Tips to kill it and mine its underbelly.
- Monster Hunter: World Dodogama - Tips to kill this surprisingly explosive character.
- Monster Hunter: World Lavasioth - Pluck this fish that loves to make lava its home.
- Monster Hunter: World Black Diablos - This gal is a lot meaner than her paler cousins.
- Monster Hunter: World Azure Rathalos - Rathalos is more dangerous in blue, here are some strategies.
- Monster Hunter: World Bazelgeuse - Get revenge on this monster with our tips.
- Monster Hunter: World Teostra - Tips to take on this lion Elder Dragon and avoid its burst attack.
- Monster Hunter: World Kushala Daora - Our tips to avoid its devastating tornadoes.
- Monster Hunter: World Vaal Hazak - Avoid its sapping attacks with this guide.
- Monster Hunter: World Xeno'jiiva - Strategies to defeat this final main-story fight.
- Monster Hunter: World Kirin - How to kill this nimble horse creature.
Free update monster guides
- Monster Hunter: World Deviljho - Tips to defeat this gigantic pickle monster.
- Monster Hunter: World Kulve Taroth - Team up with friends to break Kulve Taroth's horn.
- Monster Hunter: World Lunastra - Tips to kill the sister of Teostra.
- Monster Hunter: World Behemoth - Slay the toughest monster yet in this Final Fantasy XIV crossover.
- Monster Hunter: World Ancient Leshen - Kill this invader in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt crossover.