Monster Hunter Rise was recently confirmed for PlayStation and Xbox consoles with a variety of major enhancements, but fans may be disappointed to learn that it will not support cross-play or cross-saves. While this won't impact those who are checking out Monster Hunter Rise for the first time on PlayStation and Xbox, it will certainly be disappointing news for those who have been playing the game on Switch and are wanting to upgrade.
Monster Hunter Rise originally launched for the Nintendo Switch in 2021 as an exclusive for the console. The Switch version of Monster Hunter Rise earned rave reviews from critics and was one of the top-rated games of the entire year. The game then made its way to PC in early 2022, but it will be added to the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X libraries come January 20, 2023.
The PlayStation and Xbox versions of Monster Hunter Rise will boast massive improvements over the Switch release. These upgrades will be especially apparent when playing the game on the PS5 or Xbox Series X, as those versions of the game offer 4K resolution at 60 frames per second and 1080P resolution at a blistering 120 frames per second. Considering the huge performance upgrade these new versions of Monster Hunter Rise are bringing to the table, it's understandable that some diehard fans may want to double-dip and pick it up again even if they've already played the Switch version extensively. However, the lack of cross-play or cross-save support may throw a wrench in those plans.
Like other games in the Monster Hunter franchise, Monster Hunter Rise requires a significant time investment, and so Switch owners who would have otherwise picked up the upgraded version may be less tempted to do so. Having to start one's Monster Hunter Rise adventure from scratch is not an appealing prospect considering the sheer amount of time one has to invest in the game to beat Monster Hunter Rise's toughest enemies and get the best gear.
What should help lessen the blow a bit is the fact that Monster Hunter Rise is coming to Xbox Game Pass. This way, gamers can try the game out without actually paying full price again, so any Switch gamers with an Xbox or PC handy can still check out the improvements without really needing to double-dip financially.
Regardless, it's understandable that some Monster Hunter fans may be disappointed to learn that Monster Hunter Rise won't have cross-save or cross-play support when it hits PlayStation and Xbox consoles next month. With such features becoming more commonplace in the gaming industry, though, it will be interesting to see if the next major Monster Hunter game supports those features or not.
Monster Hunter Rise is available now for PC and Switch with PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X versions launching January 20, 2023.