Monster Hunter Rise Celebrates 5th Anniversary with 18.2 Million Sales
Monster Hunter Rise celebrates its 5th anniversary today, having originally launched on March 26, 2021 for Nintendo Switch. The hunting action game from Capcom has achieved remarkable commercial success, selling 18.2 million copies worldwide as of December 31, 2025. The title was first revealed during a Nintendo Direct presentation on September 17, 2020, surprising many fans who had been eagerly awaiting a new Monster Hunter entry for the platform. Set in the Japanese-inspired Kamura Village, the game introduced several revolutionary mechanics that transformed the series’ traditional gameplay formula while maintaining its cooperative monster-hunting core.
Monster Hunter Rise introduced the Wirebug system, which allowed hunters to perform aerial maneuvers called Wirefall and Wall Running for unprecedented mobility. Using Wirebugs, players could swing through the air with Silkbind techniques, quickly reposition during combat, and recover from monster attacks with Wirebug recovery moves. This system fundamentally changed how hunters navigated the game’s vertical environments, enabling fluid movement across rugged terrain that was previously inaccessible in the series. The Wirebug mechanics extended beyond movement to include weapon-specific Silkbind attacks that enhanced combat versatility.
The game expanded the hunter’s support options with the addition of Palamutes, canine companions that could be ridden for fast traversal across maps. Alongside traditional Palicoes, Palamutes could fight alongside hunters and even allowed item usage while mounted during pursuit. Another major addition was Wyvern Riding, which enabled hunters to temporarily control monsters using Wirebug silk to deal massive damage to other creatures. The flagship monster Magnamalo, featured on the game’s key art, became notorious for its explosive purple hellfire attacks and aggressive combat patterns that challenged even veteran hunters.
Monster Hunter Rise received the Sunbreak expansion on June 30, 2022, which later brought the game to PlayStation, Xbox, and additional PC platforms. The base game also introduced the Rampage quest type, where players defended Kamura Village from monster hordes using various hunting installations. As the series has evolved, Monster Hunter Wilds has since become the latest mainline entry, launching in February 2025. Five years after its debut, Monster Hunter Rise remains significant for successfully modernizing the series’ movement and combat systems while maintaining its cooperative hunting essence.
