Not long now, then you hunters among you can dive into the wintry rime-high expanse of Monster Hunter World Iceborne. For those who are considering purchasing the expansion or are still unsure, we summarize five things you should know beforehand.
When is Iceborne releasing? Players on the PS4 and Xbox One can already dive into the new icy world of Iceborne starting at midnight on September 6. PC players, however, will have to wait a bit longer.
The release of Iceborne for PC will take place via Steam in January 2020.
Is there a preload?
While there was always a preload for the beta versions of Iceborne before the servers went live, this seems to be different with the full release of the expansion.
As Community Manager Yuri Araujo announced in his Unity blog, the developers consider the last patch for Monster Hunter World, which can already be downloaded, as the equivalent of a preload.
How big is the update for Iceborne?
- On the PlayStation 4, the update has version number 10.11 and is about 33 GB large. The latest current version of Monster Hunter World is 6.02.
- On the Xbox One, the patch is update 10.1.0.1 and is about 31GB large. The latest current version of Monster Hunter World on Xbox One is 6.0.0.2.
The last update before the release of Iceborne already brings many data and contents from Iceborne, which is why it is seen as a kind of preload.
Price – How much does Iceborne cost?
The expansion Iceborne is available in various editions, depending on what you need and whether you value cosmetic extras. There is only the expansion, the expansion with cosmetic bonuses, or a complete edition that includes the base game Monster Hunter World and the expansion Iceborne:
- Iceborne DLC without bonuses (39.99€)
- Master Edition: Iceborne + Monster Hunter World (59.99€)
- Digital Deluxe Edition: Iceborne + bonus content (49.99€)
- Here you can find Monster Hunter: World in the PS Store
- Here you can find Monster Hunter: World in the Xbox Store
For PC via Steam, Iceborne cannot be pre-ordered yet. However, you can already add the title to your wishlist.
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First reviews – What do the first testers say?
Some websites and magazines were able to test the new expansion early and have published their reviews of Iceborne.
Iceborne is received quite positively, even though there are still a few weaknesses here and there.
- The US website GameSpot gives a small glimpse of their test, which is currently ongoing, stating, “the optimizations and improvements feel as if they were conceived with the excellent building blocks of Monster Hunter World in mind.” Iceborne is a “confident step into the future of the franchise”.
- Destructoid awards 9 out of 10 points and states that Monster Hunter World laid the groundwork and now Iceborne is here to lead through the rest of 2019 and beyond.
- Game Informer gives 8.25 points and criticizes that Capcom approaches the story of Iceborne similarly to how it did with the base game. There is again a tower defense mission and cutscenes must be watched alone again. Nevertheless, the return is worth it, as Iceborne challenges players to become better players and teammates. Just don’t expect too many enhancements.
- The GamePro rates Monster Hunter World with a solid 90%. Elena Schulz states in the conclusion: “Iceborne is more than just a new expansion for me. Essentially, Capcom has created a new Monster Hunter and offers it as DLC for Monster Hunter World.”
Our colleagues from Gamestar summarized their opinion on Monster Hunter World Iceborne in a video:
What changes are coming in Iceborne?
Iceborne brings some changes and innovations that simplify the stay in Monster Hunter World for both veterans and newcomers. For instance, there are:
- Improvements to the item wheel
- An improved display of investigations
- With armor sets, you can save decoration armors
- Additionally, tracking is now faster and easier
Additionally, there are some exciting innovations, such as riding small monsters like Shamos or Jagras. Furthermore, the capital of the expansion, Seliana, is practically built and provides you with everything you need between hunts.
More about the innovations can be found here:
Is Iceborne worth it for newcomers?
New players who have not yet played Monster Hunter World will not be able to start immediately with the expansion. There are the following restrictions to play the contents of Iceborne:
- Players must have completed the campaign of the base game
- Players must have reached Hunter Rank 16
Players must first complete the story of Monster Hunter World and face the last Elder Dragon. Furthermore, a certain Hunter Rank must be reached to access the new content. How to increase your Hunter Rank is summarized here for you.
Even if new players meet these requirements, Iceborne should still pose a significant challenge for them. You can read about the pros and cons of the Iceborne expansion for newcomers in this article.
