Ah, the Mobile game iteration of a beloved IP or gaming franchise. Spin-offs of our favorite series coming to our smartphones aren’t at all a new idea, and frankly, it’s something that can often lead to a mixed reception from diehard supporters of a property at best. I’m a huge fan of Nintendo games myself, but sadly, I never caught the fever for Super Mario Run, Mario Kart Tour, or Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, for example.
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That said, it would be silly to say that the Mobile game space hasn’t had tons of successes recently either, particularly from games that are designed to translate the console/PC experience of a game to the Mobile space as closely as possible. You don’t have to look any further than titles like Genshin Impact or Wuthering Waves to see that huge gaming experiences can work extremely well on Mobile. And then there are titles that just make sense on the platform, like Slay the Spire and Balatro, whose systems translate wonderfully to a touchscreen.
All of this to say, I understand there can be a Mobile game stigma that immediately attaches to upcoming titles, and I get it. However, that’s exactly why the Mobile games that have come onto the scene recently and are doing their console counterparts justice deserve special recognition, and I really believe Monster Hunter Outlanders is going to be one of these examples.
At gamescom 2026, I was able to go hands-on with MH Outlanders once at a dedicated appointment in the Tencent booth, and then again in a more casual setting at a pop-up Monster Hunter-themed dinner in Cologne later on in the week. Between checking the game out twice and being able to chat with some members of the team at TiMi Studio Group, I’m definitely starting to see the vision for Outlanders.
What’s New Since Our Last Check-In?
First, let’s talk about what’s different and/or updated in Outlanders since the last time we covered it. Fellow DualShockers writer, Linda Güster, previously previewed the game back in May, and she also happened to join me for my demo session at gamescom. Because of this, she and I were able to talk about what she felt was important to mention this time around, some three or four months later:
- Every step of the way so far, the graphics and presentation in Monster Hunter Outlanders have been stellar. Ruger Aidal, however, the newly revealed flagship elder dragon of the title, feels so incredibly epic and important as you take him on within the game and brings the experience to a whole new level.
- It seems like the game’s lock-on mechanic is working better than it was previously and feels more fluid. The idea of being able to choose which monster body part you’re locking onto is also excellent.
- Pre-registrations on both iOS and Google Play Store are open, so now’s the time to sign up. While we don’t know what benefits/perks you may have from signing up early, it never hurts to get in on the ground floor in games like this.
- Compared to previous builds, the current iteration of Outlanders seems much more stable in performance overall, which is great to see.
- The game seems like it will focus heavily on events, so it’s going to be one you want to regularly keep up with if you’re prone to any live service FOMO. That said, it also still seems great for popping into whenever you want, too.
In addition to all of this, just in case this isn’t already common knowledge to anyone learning about Outlanders for the first time, I made sure to ask the team about controller support. To be abundantly clear, I think the touchscreen controls in Outlanders are working extremely well as-is, but I also know that touch controls in general can be an absolute non-starter for many gamers out there. Luckily, Outlanders does have full controller support, so you’ll be able to connect and use your preferred method of Mobile controller without issue.
Let’s Go On An Adventure
As for how Monster Hunter Outlanders actually plays, this was my personal first experience getting to see go hands-on with the title. I’ve played previous Monster Hunter titles, but I also must admit that I’m not a series diehard. Thankfully, in a bid to make Outlanders as accessible as possible to the highest number of players, the game has two different play modes to choose between, Classic and Adventure.
Since I was the newbie, I tested out Adventure Mode, while my colleague Linda, who’d already played the game in a previous beta, took on the Classic Mode challenge. Classic Mode features more detailed control options, opening a radial dial with a long press so you can really hone in on your specific attacks and moves.
Adventure Mode, on the other hand, streamlines the touch controls to just a handful of things to manage. You’ll still run around with the touchscreen control stick on the left side of the screen, then leverage buttons on the right side to actually control the action. These are a simple attack button you tap to use your primary weapon, an evade to try for perfect dodges from incoming monster attacks, a burst to time repeated special moves, your lock-on, flask healing, and then simply tapping on party member icons when illuminated to trigger their powerful ultimates.
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Going on a hunt in Outlanders is a bit condensed compared to most other MH games, which is good news for short burst gameplay to kind of just load in, squad up, and take something down. I didn’t get to link up with real people in either of my experiences with the game hands-on, but I can absolutely see playing Outlanders like this being a blast, and the fact it’s all on Mobile means the barrier to entry is essentially non-existent.
For me, even on Adventure Mode, I wasn’t able to defeat the monster I was fighting in the game’s official preview. Thankfully, the team told me that no one had claimed a victory yet in their play sessions, and I actually was one of the closest. I don’t know if this was just polite ego-boosting, but I appreciated it nonetheless. 30 more seconds and I would’ve had it!
Luckily, at the pop-up dinner the MH team held the next day, I was able to redeem myself by loading up an easier monster hunt, rolling with the dual blades, and taking down my prey with much less trouble, and the benefit of the prior day’s practice already proving fruitful.
The fact it’s all on Mobile means the barrier to entry is essentially non-existent.
After trying this all out, I personally think Outlanders is doing the mainline Monster Hunter games justice. Sure, you can still tell it’s a Mobile game, but it’s a darn good one that seems extremely polished and impressive already, even with the full launch date still yet to be revealed. If you’re a fan of MH and want to have the game in your pocket, or even a more casual player just curious to see what the hype is about, I really do think Outlanders is going to surprise and satisfy a huge playerbase whenever it’s ready to go global.
A Team That’s Passionate and Proud
The Outlanders team really wanted to drive home to us that they think the Mobile platform is a great idea for Monster Hunter, because it simply allows the IP to be brought to a larger potential install-base than ever before. All you need is a compatible smartphone, and you’re on your way. Of course, there are obviously several business reasons why this makes sense too, but I really do believe that there’s a dedication here in wanting to make Monster Hunter as accessible to humanity as it’s ever been for genuinely pure reasons too.
In my time speaking with the team, the passion and love they have for what they’ve created is extremely apparent. The excitement in the room as they talk about it is palpable. The legitimate joy in their faces and voices as they play the game themselves feels downright wholesome. They also seem to pride themselves on taking as much player feedback as possible from the beta sessions and are working to address everything they possibly can.
I only mention this because it’s really not always the case in these preview sessions where you can obviously tell a team is thoroughly loving what they do. Sometimes, meetings are layered with careful responses that can feel canned, or at the very least, curated. The Monster Hunter Outlanders team was one of the most genuine I met in Germany at gamescom, and hopefully, their love and passion for Monster Hunter shines through for players once it’s ready for release.
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Systems
Developer(s)
TiMi Studios, Capcom
Publisher(s)
TiMi Studios
Multiplayer
Online Co-Op
Number of Players
Single-player