Niantic's latest release, Monster Hunter Now rumbled its way onto mobile on September 14, and has already amassed five million downloads in its first week.

Developed as a geolocation-based game utilising Capcom’s Monster Hunter IP, Now is an action RPG wherein players explore the real world in search of monsters to slay. It launched with series staples like the Rathalos as well as newer additions like the Pukei-Pukei. The game’s first special event began on September 23, introducing a time-limited monster in the "Diablos Invasion".

Monster Hunter Now had notable buzz before launch, accumulating three million pre-registrations leading up to release. In-game rewards were offered to players for pre-installing, and with the new five million download milestone, another set of rewards are being given out to all players - as both celebration and thanks on Niantic’s part.

A roaring success?

According to Sensor Tower data, Monster Hunter Now has made quite the roar so far, claiming the top spot among free action games throughout its first week on the US Play Store - a title it held for 10 days before slipping into second behind Stumble Guys.

On the US App Store, meanwhile, Now took the lead for its first four days. Regionally, the US, Hong Kong and Indonesia are the game’s biggest markets so far.

Comparing launch periods, Now has soared faster and higher than Niantic’s Pikmin Bloom, which plucked up two million players in its first fortnight; in half the time, Monster Hunter Now has more than doubled this amount.

Yet, the game hasn’t quite reached flagship Pokémon Go’s trajectory either. The two titles have a lot in common - both are Niantic games using AR and geolocation to hunt monsters, made in collaboration with giant Japanese IPs - but the power of Pokémon brought Go an astonishing 75 million players in its first two weeks.

Monster Hunter Now is surely still full of mobile potential, with the teaming up of Niantic and Capcom bringing together two powerhouses of our Top 50 Mobile Game Makers.