Monster Hunter Stories 2 Announced for PlayStation 4, Fans Express Confusion

Three years after its release on Nintendo Switch and PC, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is headed to PlayStation… 4. Capcom announced that the turn-based spin-off of the popular monster hunting series will be releasing on PlayStation’s previous-gen console, leaving PS5 owners to play it through the console’s backwards compatibility features.

Revealed during today’s Capcom Highlights stream, which previously revealed Dragon’s Dogma 2’s character creator, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is slated to arrive on PS4 on June 14. It will be available as a special set with the remastered version of the original Monster Hunter Stories, which is slated to release the same day.

A preorder bonus includes a special Kamura Maiden outfit for Ena, with additional bonuses available by connecting it with a Monster Hunter Rise save. It will also be available in a deluxe edition featuring various costumes and other items.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin was first released on Nintendo Switch and PC back in 2021. We called it “great” in our review, writing, “Minor oversights and frustrations certainly wore away at me over the 80+ hours I spent with Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin — during its campaign and beyond — but the journey was well worth taking despite the frequent grains of sand in my shoe.

“Its mercifully free, gacha-like monster hatching loop is always exciting, and its combat and customization are both accessible but still intricate and rewarding. Its story is enjoyable if a bit cliche, but exploring this gorgeous world from the backs of my favorite monsters is an absolute delight.”

Since its release, fans have wondered when Monster Hunter Stories 2 would be making its way to PlayStation, and now they don’t have to wonder anymore. But more than a few expressed surprise over Capcom’s decision to limit it to an exclusive PS5 release.

“PS4 still going strong I see,” one commenter quipped on social media. Another observed publishers are “holding onto these decade-old consoles til the heat death of the universe.”

Monster Hunter Stories 2 is far from the only game headed to PS4 in 2024, though. MLB The Show 24, Unicorn Overlord, and numerous other releases are still coming out on PS4, which was first released back in 2013 and has sold more than 117 million units. One way or another, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is heading to PlayStation, and you’ll still be able to play it on PS5 even if it’s technically for PS4.

As for the original Monster Hunter Stories, the former 3DS exclusive is slated to release on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC on June 14. You can read our original review right here.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.