It may be another month before Microsoft reveals all the new games coming to Xbox Game Pass in January 2023, but a new rumor claims that one of the games hitting the service then will be none other than Capcom's Monster Hunter Rise. Fans should take this information with a grain of salt for now, especially since Microsoft has yet to even reveal all the games coming to Xbox Game Pass in December 2022, let alone January 2023, but this rumor comes from a reliable source.
Monster Hunter Rise originally launched in 2021 as a Nintendo Switch exclusive entry in the Capcom's hugely popular Monster Hunter franchise. The game made a number of well-received changes to the established Monster Hunter formula, introduced the Palamut companion, and earned rave reviews from critics at the time of its release. Capcom eventually brought the game to PC, but it has yet to bring it to PlayStation or Xbox, which is curious considering the record-breaking success that Monster Hunter World achieved on those platforms.
Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming claims that Monster Hunter Rise is being ported to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X in 2023 and that it will be coming to Xbox Game Pass as well. According to Henderson's info, the Monster Hunter Rise PlayStation and Xbox release date is January 20, 2023 with support for 4K resolution and 3D audio. Apparently, a new Monster Hunter Rise expansion is also on the way, with an expected launch of Spring 2023. Henderson's report floats the possibility that the Monster Hunter Rise ports will be announced at The Game Awards on December 8, but doesn't guarantee the game will make an appearance.
If the rumors are true and Monster Hunter Rise is coming to Xbox Game Pass, it should be a huge new addition to Microsoft's subscription service. Monster Hunter Rise's overwhelmingly positive reviews speak for themselves, and its availability through Game Pass should make it easy for gamers to set up co-op sessions with their friends. So even though the game has been out on Switch since 2021, it will likely still be appreciated by Game Pass subscribers.
Assuming that Monster Hunter Rise is coming to Xbox Game Pass and an announcement at The Game Awards confirms it, it will be interesting to see if there are other Game Pass-centric announcements at the big show. A recent report suggested Microsoft was going to be absent at The Game Awards this year in an effort to improve the odds of its Activision Blizzard acquisition being approved, so it's possible it would want to keep Game Pass announcements at the show at a minimum. Fans will just have to tune in to The Game Awards on December 8 to find out for themselves.
Source: Insider-Gaming