Monster Hunter Games In Order Of Story & Release Date

Here’s a list of all Monster Hunter games in order of story (chronological) and release date. Since the release of the first Monster Hunter game for the PS2 console back in 2004, this franchise has grown to be one of the most beloved action role-playing games in the world. Numerous other media items like Manga, Anime, a trading card game, animated film, and a 2020 live-action film have been made centered around this series. But with so many different games spanning across generations of consoles and backed up with an equal number of expansions and enhanced versions, understanding the game order can be a bit confusing. Unlike games in the West, where we tend to follow a numerical pattern, Monster Hunter opted to follow a specific name “keyword” instead of numbers after the first 4 main games. So to help you in this labyrinth of the naming system here’s our list.

All Monster Hunter Games in Order Of Story (Chronological)

As the naming of the MH games can get a bit confusing due to their release dates spread across many years apart, I tried to include their DLC expansions and enhanced versions under every title too.

1. (2004) Monster Hunter
   • Monster Hunter G (2005)
   • Monster Hunter Freedom (2005)
2. (2006) Monster Hunter 2
   • Monster Hunter Freedom 2 (2008)
   • Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (2009)
3. (2007) Monster Hunter Frontier Online [renamed to Monster Hunter Frontier Z]
4. (2009)Monster Hunter Tri
   • Monster Hunter Portable 3rd (2010)
   • Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate (2011)
5.  (2010) Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village
   • Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village G (2011)
   • Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village DX (2015)
6. (2011) Monster Hunter Dynamic Hunting
7. (2013) Monster Hunter 4
   1. Monster Hunter 4G (2014)
   2. Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate (2015)
8. (2013) Monster Hunter: Frontier G
   • Monster Hunter Frontier Z (2016)
9. (2013) Monster Hunter Online
10. Monster Hunter Spirits (2015)
11. Monster Hunter Explore (2015)
12. (2016) Monster Hunter Generations
    • Monster Hunter Generations: Ultimate (2017)
13. (2016) Monster Hunter Stories
14. (2018) Monster Hunter: World
    • Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (2019)
15. (2020) Monster Hunter Riders
16. (2021) Monster Hunter Rise
    • Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (2022)
17. (2021) Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

This list includes both main series games and spinoffs. Both the main series games & spinoffs on consoles or PC are the ones in bold. Many of the titles above are also either DLCs or enhanced versions with updated audio, visuals, and gameplay improvements. They have also been released from platforms like PS2 to Nintendo Switch and even PC.

All Monster Hunter Games in Order of Release Date

So here’s a table retelling of all the Monster Hunter games in order of release date for your convenience:

That was all for our list of all the Monster Hunter games in order of release dates. While you are here, also check out the topics we have covered in our Monster Hunter Rise, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin, and Monster Hunter World Guides.