Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections — Everything We Know

Rathalos, the fire-breathing dragon-like wyvern, and signature monster species of the Monster Hunter series, is soon off to save the world… again. And we’re here for all of it. Just seemingly out of nowhere, Capcom announces the third entry to the beloved Monster Hunter Stories spin-off series. And it’ll be coming not just to Nintendo Switch, but other major platforms as well.

This time, the story is taking a darker, twisted turn. The world is at war. And it’ll be up to you to navigate a new story-driven gameplay system and save the day. While the release date is still a bit way off, you’ll want to be privy to everything we know so far about Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections below.

What is Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections?

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections is an upcoming turn-based, role-playing game. It’ll be the third entry in the Monster Hunter Stories spin-off series of the Monster Hunter franchise. This time, you’ll be following the story of Rathalos twins, born out of a twist of fate. It’s been two centuries since neighboring kingdoms waged war against each other.

A long-standing conflict ensued. Now, after the birth of the twin Rathalos, a new war begins. The Rathalos species had been extinct. But alas, a single egg survived. Could this be an omen meant for destruction, or might there be newfound hope beyond the northern border?

Evidently, there’ll be lots of fan service and backstory dating back to the first two games, as well as the Monster Hunter franchise itself. And I might advise you to play the first two games if you’re to fully appreciate the upcoming one’s narrative. Trust me, the predecessors are totally worth your time. Just as much as we expect the third entry to blow our minds away.

Story

As always, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections will be taking place in the world of Monster Hunter. It’ll feature many of the cool monsters you’ve played against, like the flying wyverns, fanged beasts, and new monster types like Leviathans. You can make friends with these monsters, and even mount them as you soar through the skies. For the upcoming game, the story plans to take a darker turn.

Set two centuries after a long-term conflict between divided kingdoms, the birth of twin Rathalos instigates a new war. You’ll step into the shoes of the heir of the kingdom of Azuria, reigniting the conflict against the Vermail kingdom. However, you have a special power of being able to ride the majestic Rathalos beast. 

You’ll explore two kingdoms, control two riders, and mount twin Rathalos, in a story intertwining each one’s fates. The world will burn, as calamity strikes every corner of the Earth. Strange phenomena will ensue that threaten the survival of the world. Only by embarking on a mission beyond the northern border and into the forbidden lands will you find hope and save the world from doom.

Gameplay

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections will be a single-player game, following in the footsteps of the first two games. It’ll feature a turn-based, role-playing gameplay system, where players become Riders who can make friends with monsters affectionately called Monsties. You’ll nurture Monsties from when they hatch to their full-grown selves, exploring the world together, and battling enemies by each other’s side. 

Given the duality of the riders and Rathalos twins, I suspect the gameplay will include a multiplayer mode, potentially two-player, local, and online co-op. You’ll likely embark on quests together with a friend, exploring the world and teaming up in battles. This feature is yet to be officially confirmed by Capcom. However, since previous entries have included multiplayer, we might as well assume Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections will feature it as well.

Development

Capcom is taking the reins of development and publishing of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections. The studio seems to have been working on the project under the radar, with Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin releasing in July 2021. Now, four years later, we have official confirmation of the third entry from the July 2025 Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase event.

Now, naturally, there’ll still be a couple of months before the final release, slated for 2026, which frankly is quite okay for Capcom to take its sweet time. They’ll likely be expanding the world and story, and adding new gameplay mechanics, aiming to not only appeal to Monster Hunter fans but also RPG enthusiasts and newcomers worldwide.

Trailer

Right now, the best way you can get a rough idea of what’s to come regarding the story and gameplay is via the announcement trailer. You can tell from the trailer how much bigger the world is. It appears extensively explorable, with entire kingdoms crafted in striking anime art. What’s most exciting, though, is how all the wyverns actually look gigantic, like the monsters they are. We’ve come from young Rathalos, to a teen-sized wyvern, and now an adult version looking as majestic as you’d hope.

Release Date, Platforms, & Editions

Capcom has given us an official release window sometime in early 2026. Unfortunately, that’s all we know for now, with a more specific release date sure to be announced closer to next year. Nintendo Switch 2 is confirmed for the final launch, as expected. But gamers owning other consoles can breathe a sigh of relief, too, as Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections will make it to the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC platforms as well.

Depending on your platform of choice, you can begin adding the game to your wishlist to be kept in the loop of all future updates, which for now include Steam and Nintendo. These same pages will also likely update with any editions that will be made available for preorder, likely closer to the release date. As for other information still unclear, feel free to follow the official social media handle to keep track of any future updates.