Monster Hunter Now is entering its third year with a packed schedule, and the developers have confirmed it’ll be getting Frontier content. Scopely revealed during the recent Now Navi celebration stream, that Espinas, the infamous ‘sleepy thorn wyvern,’ will officially debut on September 18. Joining it on the same day are Garangolm, Lunagaron, and Riftborne Radobaan. Just a few days later on September 22, Riftborne Deviljho will arrive to terrorize Hunters everywhere.
This is a big moment for fans of Monster Hunter Frontier, the MMO spinoff that introduced many original monsters but has become officially unplayable since 2019. But Espinas won’t be alone, as to the roadmap, more monsters from Frontier are planned for 2026.
Unfortunately, players hoping for something wild like the rock-solid crab Taikun Zamuza or the Elder Dragon Shantien may want to temper their expectations. It’s far more likely that Scopely and the developer team will stick to safer choices if we base it on the game’s release pattern.
So far, Monster Hunter Now has only introduced monsters that also exist in World, Rise, or Wilds. This could be due to a mandate from Capcom or simply the practical challenge of converting assets such as models, animations, and gears. Especially if we consider that Frontier is an online game that has been shutdown for years.
And that means it comes down to either Lavasioth or Flaming Espinas.
Lavasioth first appeared in Frontier Season 1.0 before joining the mainline in Freedom Unite and last spotted in World. It wasn’t exactly the most beloved monster in the series, however. Japanese Frontier players hated it because Capcom pulled one of their few exclusives into the main entry so early in the game’s life. Western fans, on the other hand, disliked it for a simpler reason — it reminded them of Plesioth, but with an even worse lava armor gimmick.
Flaming Espinas, meanwhile, debuted in Frontier Season 2.5 and later returned in Rise Sunbreak and Now in September. It quickly became a fan-favorite thanks to its hard-hitting moves, taking 99th place in the ‘Hunters’ Choice for Top Monster’ vote for the series’ 20th Anniversary. Both Frontier monsters already have modern fifth-generation assets, making them easier picks for the Monster Hunter Now team to adapt.
Nevertheless, I think there’s one other candidate: Hypnocatrice. Like Lavasioth, this Sleep-inducing Bird Wyvern from Frontier also appeared in Freedom Unite. Thanks to its quirky moveset and flashy visuals, Hypnocatrice remains one of the more recognizable Frontier monsters outside Espinas among series’ fans.
Other than that, Monster Hunter Now developement team promises to add fan-requested features. Among them are the ability to play online with farway friends, additional Palico functions, Insect Glaive, and of course, more monsters. More details can be watched in Now Navi #3 stream archive above.
For now, Espinas’ September arrival in Monster Hunter Now marks the second revival of the Frontier spin-off. The real question is whether 2026 will deliver true surprises, or if Scopely will just play it safe.
