Monster Hunter Outlanders already gives Hunters four massive open areas to cover in Aesoland. From the Giantwood Locale, Searing Plains, Grand Archipelago, to Rotfall Abyss. But even an entire island might just not be enough to contain all the action. Capcom and developer TiMi Studio Group seem to have hinted that future updates could potentially open up new islands with new monsters.
In a recent interview with Japanese media Famitsu, Capcom producer Ryou Sekino explained that ideas for more islands to explore are floating around. But don’t hold your breath just yet. “As you progress through the story, you’ll be able to explore fields with varied landscapes, so I think Aesoland will provide a stage for strong exploration gameplay,” explained Sekino.
Nevertheless, the development team wants Hunters to experience everything the island has to offer first before considering other locations. “Regarding beyond Aesoland, we might eventually expand to neighboring islands… but it’s yet to be decided. For now, we hope players can enjoy investigating Aesoland as the base stage,” he continued.
Still, he acknowledged that the team has heard calls for more diverse ecosystems to accommodate different monsters. Although the specifics haven’t been teased yet, the developers hope to ‘fulfill those requests’ through future updates. “We’re currently discussing working on monsters that tie together with new areas,” continued Sekino.
Sure, for now, a roadmap for future updates is still up in the air. However, TiMi Studio producer Huang Dong seems to have supported the idea of adding new locations to Monster Hunter Outlanders. “Expanding the world with new regions and distinct ecosystems is a central pillar of our live-service journey,” he said in a separate interview with Pocket Tactics. “Going forward, we will continue rolling out brand-new field exploration regions with unique terrains and landscapes to keep the adventure fresh for all Adventurers.”
Despite its vast, open hunting areas, Monster Hunter Outlanders does feel rather limited in monster variety. Aside from the original Elder Dragon Ruger Aidal, its current roster mostly consists of creatures from Monster Hunter World — and their glowy Radiant variant. Additional locales to fight in and returning or even brand-new monsters could certainly help make Aesoland and its surroundings feel more alive.
