Niantic's business strategy remains the same as ever. Gain rights to a popular IP, release an AR game using the Pokémon Go formula, and cross its fingers. From the dizzying success of Pokémon Go to the relative failures of every subsequent attempt thereafter, Niantic has touched on everything from Transformers to the NBA. Announced today, Monster Hunter will be the next franchise to be given the AR treatment by Niantic.

The premise for Monster Hunter Now ticks all the boxes of a Niantic game. You'll walk around a real-world map, find helpful items, and team up with others to complete an objective. The monster battles are unsurprisingly the focus of Monster Hunter Now and sound somewhat similar in concept to Pokemon Go's raids, but more common and quicker. The maximum battle time will be 75 seconds, so you won't get bogged down in virtual combat.

Monster Hunter veterans will likely be intrigued by how the complex fights of the series will be represented in Monster Hunter Now. According to an online briefing by Niantic and Capcom, a simplified version of Monster Hunter's combat will be present. Expect to see classic weapons from the series return, along with Palico companions that can help you out.

If you don't have time to hunt monsters on the go, you can tag monsters with an in-game item called a Paintball. This will make the monster follow you, so you can hunt it when you get home or when you meet up with a friend.

Monster Hunter Now is scheduled to launch in September 2023, but interested players can sign up now for a chance to try out the closed beta. This beta test is expected to start on April 25th and will be limited to 10,000 participants, so sign up now if you want to give it a go.