BODY: Osaka is about to become a hunting ground. Scopely-Explore and Capcom have jointly announced Monster Hunter Now Carnival 2026: Osaka, a two-day real-world event that will transform the city's bustling Namba district into a stage for the location-based mobile hit.
Running November 14-15, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, the carnival spreads across some of Osaka's most iconic commercial spots — Namba Parks, Shinsaibashi BIGSTEP, and designated zones along the famous Midosuji boulevard. It's a fitting canvas for a game built entirely around walking your neighborhood to track and slay monsters.
At the joint presentation, Scopely-Explore president Kawai framed the ambition simply: the goal is "a two-day experience where players feel Osaka's charm while hunting." Capcom's series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto echoed the sentiment, expressing hope that international hunters will make the trip and soak up the city's distinctive atmosphere through cooperative play.
Ticketing rewards the quick. Early-bird pricing runs September 3-9, with 1-day passes at ¥3,500 and 2-day passes at ¥4,000 — discounts off the regular ¥4,000 and ¥5,000 rates. Sales open September 3 at 9:00 AM on a first-come basis, with the event website launching the same day. Monster lineups and further specifics were slated for a September 2 reveal on the official YouTube channel.
The insider take
Choosing Osaka over Tokyo is a telling move. Namba is Japan's densest concentration of foot traffic outside the capital, and its compact, walkable geography is arguably better suited to a GPS game than Tokyo's sprawl. Capcom is headquartered in Osaka, so there's real hometown pride baked in here — Tsujimoto's pitch to overseas hunters isn't just marketing fluff. With inbound tourism surging and a weak yen making Japan a bargain for foreign visitors, positioning a flagship event in Kansai's entertainment heart is a savvy bet on the international fanbase Monster Hunter has cultivated since World.
Originally reported by AUTOMATON (Japanese).