The Ending Of Monster Hunter Rise Explained

Monster Hunter Rise earned critical praise after arriving on the Nintendo Switch in March, and though the game has experienced its share of bugs, it's proven to be an overall success with fans. Monster Hunter Rise brings a host of new tools, like the Wirebug, as well as cute buddies and new monsters. However, there's just something missing from the latest monster-catching game. 

As players began to work through Monster Hunter Rise, many gamers may have noticed that it doesn't really have an ending, or what most gamers would consider a traditional type of ending. Or does it? The answer might not be as complicated as you think.

Monster Hunter Rise was never going to be a game that prioritized plot above the sheer coolness of zipping through the world with a cat or dog companion. In fact, the main storyline of Monster Hunter Rise should only take players about 15 hours to complete, making it a relatively short game. The real conundrum isn't the length of the game's storyline, since dedicated players spend extensive amounts of time wrangling monsters post-credits. Instead, the problem seems to be that Monster Hunter Rise ends so abruptly, indicating that there's more to come.

Not long after Monster Hunter Rise released on the Nintendo Switch, players began sharing their thoughts on the ending of the game.

YouTuber SwitchForce explained what the ending of Monster Hunter Rise looks like in comparison to Monster Hunter World. In World, players only see the credits after completing the arduous task of defeating several dragons. Rise only has two elder dragons to defeat, and the game ends without credits. After players defeat the two elder dragons, NPCs mention that there's a new dark force looming, but the player never actually receives instructions on how to conquer this new foe, or even what that enemy is. "[The characters] don't even know that their own game is complete," SwitchForce explained.

There's a reason Monster Hunter Rise abruptly ends, and it's not a harrowing crunch schedule or unfinished game. Capcom always intended Monster Hunter Rise to leave players wanting more. Shortly after its release, Capcom announced an official update schedule for Monster Hunter Rise, promising new content would soon be available. 

Developers have used this model of game production more frequently in recent years. For example, Animal Crossing: New Horizons releases seasonal updates and limited time items regularly. Capcom previously promised that the first update for Rise would become available in April, with more to come at a later date.

After an intense fight with Magnamalo, the protagonist returns to Kamura Village, the main hub of Monster Hunter Rise. The townsfolk want to thank the protagonist for saving them from the creature with a party. However, in the middle of said party, the protagonist wanders off and finds the twins Hinoa and Minoto engaging in an odd ritual.

Ryan Gilliam at Polygon wrote an article expressing his disappointment with Monster Hunter Rise's ending, or lack of one. Gilliam wrote, "the game clearly sets up an upcoming threat, hasn't introduced its endgame yet, and did nothing to signal I was done. Moreover, NPCs in-game suggest that something big is coming. One NPC asked me to find this new threat and defeat it before the party food spoils." However, instead of telling players what this new threat is or how to defeat it, Monster Hunter Rise simply ends, seemingly on pause until the next update drops.

Players will have to wait for more answers regarding the story of Monster Hunter Rise. Sometimes, having a bit of a break to process a story before continuing on can be a good thing. Until Capcom releases more content for Monster Hunter Rise, players will have to make do with what they have.