When you think of Hoyoverse, you probably picture the pastel cliffs of Genshin Impact, the turn-based sci-fi of Honkai: Star Rail, or the neon-soaked alleys of Zenless Zone Zero. The studio’s next project, however, appears to be raiding a very different wardrobe entirely. As PC Gamer memorably put it, the game looks like someone dressed Monster Hunter in Elden Ring’s clothes — and honestly, that’s a combo we didn’t know we needed.
A Monster Hunt Wrapped in Dark Fantasy
From what’s been shown so far, Hoyoverse’s upcoming action title leans hard into the hunting genre: massive creatures to track, colossal boss encounters to survive, and — crucially — monster parts to sever in the heat of battle. That last detail is the clearest signal of the game’s Monster Hunter DNA. Part-breaking has always been one of Capcom’s most satisfying mechanics, and it seems Hoyoverse wants a piece of that action, quite literally.
Enter the Dreadnodus
The creature turning heads is the Dreadnodus, a hulking beast that players will apparently get to carve up in gloriously brutal fashion. As PC Gamer quipped, who among us doesn’t love to sever the Dreadnodus? The name alone evokes Monster Hunter’s bestiary of exotic mega-fauna, and if the combat lives up to the comparison, expect methodical, punishing fights where positioning, timing, and patience carry the day — hallmarks of both FromSoftware’s soulslikes and Capcom’s hunting epics.
Why the Elden Ring Comparison Fits
It’s not just the gameplay loop drawing comparisons. The visual tone is a striking departure from Hoyoverse’s signature anime aesthetic. Think somber, desaturated palettes, weathered armor, mist-shrouded ruins, and bosses that look like they crawled straight out of the Lands Between. It’s a moody, gothic presentation that would feel right at home in a FromSoftware trailer — draped over a structure built for tracking, hunting, and harvesting giant monsters.
A Smart Move for the Studio Behind Genshin Impact
Strategically, this pivot makes a lot of sense. Monster hunting is enjoying a genuine renaissance right now — Monster Hunter Wilds launched to enormous sales and player counts, proving the appetite for the genre is stronger than ever. Meanwhile, Elden Ring and its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion cemented dark fantasy as the dominant action-RPG mood of the generation.
Hoyoverse’s Live-Service Edge
Hoyoverse also brings something competitors lack: years of expertise running hugely successful live-service games. Rotating event hunts, seasonal beast drops, and a steady drip-feed of new monsters and gear would slot naturally into the developer’s proven update cadence. If the studio can fuse that long-term content machine with genuinely weighty hunting combat, it could carve out serious territory in a genre Capcom has long ruled alone.
Big Questions Remain
Of course, plenty is still unknown — including full platform plans, monetization structure, and a release window. Will it follow Hoyoverse’s free-to-play formula, or chart new territory? Given the company’s track record of zigging when the industry expects it to zag, we wouldn’t rule out surprises.
Prepare for the Hunt with TURGAME
While we wait for more details on Hoyoverse’s monster-slaying venture, there’s never been a better time to catch up on the games that inspired it. Whether you’re still conquering Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion or diving into Monster Hunter Wilds, you can grab discounted Steam gift cards, PlayStation and Xbox cards, and game keys at TURGAME.com — with fast delivery so you can get back to severing tails (and worse) in no time.
Source: PC Gamer