Monster Hunter Rise demo release date and more monsters revealed in new trailer at The Game Awards

Capcom announced in a new trailer which aired at The Game Awards tonight.

Monster Hunter games usually get a demo or two in the months leading up to their release, and Rise will be no different. Note that you'll need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to access online multiplayer in the demo (and the game, obviously), but you'll still be able to play it on your own in offline mode without a subscription.

Tonight's trailer also revealed two new monsters coming in Monster Hunter Rise: Somnacanth, which looks to be a rare snake wyvern, and Bishanten, a flying wyvern that bombards you with fruits. These were joined by two returning monsters: Royal Ludroth and Great Wroggi. With this trailer, six all-new monsters have been confirmed for Rise, and there's still plenty of room for more reveals before the game's March 26 release. It'll be interesting to see which monsters are featured in the demo come January. 

If you're looking for a more gameplay-heavy trailer, check out this greatsword showcase from October. It confirms that Monster Hunter Rise builds on the new tricks introduced in Monster Hunter World, but Rise also looks much more like a classic Monster Hunter game – the exact kind that fans have come to expect from Nintendo platforms. 

You can (and really, really should) also check out this short trailer highlighting the next-level cat and dog petting in Rise. Truly, the next generation of gaming is upon us. 

Austin Wood

Austin freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree, and he's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize that his position as a senior writer is just a cover up for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a focus on news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.