Since the 1800s the World’s Fair has served two purposes. It brings countries together and it showcases the technology of tomorrow. Walt Disney introduced the animatronic revolution which later became the main attraction of Disney theme parks. It was also where the first mobile phone, in 1970, was shown to the public. The events are soft power, multi-national political events. But the private sector is always involved in promoting new technology. It is no surprise, then, that Capcom will be at Expo 2025 with Monster Hunter Bridge. This special XR showcase uses the mega-hit franchise. Monster Hunter Bridge, a multisensory interactive experience that’s almost entirely separate from the health-focused displays of the main exhibit space, is technically part of Osaka Healthcare Pavilion. This is located in a separate XD Hall and uses displays on the wall, ceiling, and floor. Participants are given AR glasses that were developed exclusively for this experience. Immersive sound, through in-ear headsets and haptic flooring is projected into the theater. To participate in this separate experience, you must either make a reservation via an online lottery or claim a limited number of slots available on the day. Bridge’s main purpose is to showcase future technology and the Monster Hunter series. Capcom, after the success of Monster Hunter World, has expanded the series to include more fun and engaging experiences. This fueled the development of the Pokemon GO like
which took the hunter experiences into the real-world via AR. Or their limited-time, free-roam VR experiences at Universal Studios Japan. The
Monster Hunter Bridge was designed to be similar, and the intention is to create an experience that can only be created in a dedicated immersive environment. The experiment is still a proof of concept, but the limitations are due to the current state of technology.
If you are fortunate enough to get a booking, which I did around noon on the date of my reservation for 8pm, attendees will need to place their luggage into lockers. Then, you must watch an animated safety video that is provided by your Felyne guide. You enter the XD Hall in groups of 4, and each person is given their own set of AR glasses, along with headphones. The wrap-around band with screw-to secure design is similar to that of the Meta Quest. But the weight of the screen in front is not as large. Instead, thick transparent lens house a wide angle 105-degree display that projects images over the world before you. They can be worn on top of prescription lenses if necessary, but there will still be a gap between the screen and your eyes. During registration, you can request English subtitles or voiceover. Accessibility options are also available, as well as reserved seats for wheelchair users. Upon confirmation, attendees will receive a commemorative lanyard they can take home. Anyone requesting something other than the Japanese default experience will also receive a unique AR code card that staff scans to change the settings during setup. Monster Hunter Now You enter the XR Hall, which is a very impressive space. To create a seamless, monster-filled world, great care has been taken in masking the transitions from floor to wall to ceiling. As you watch Aptonoths graze on the grass, or walk through the fields, other monsters are flying above. The sounds from the surrounding area will make you feel as if it is your first time in the wild. The experience of watching these creatures in their natural habitat is ideal for many fans. It gives them a glimpse of the world as it exists without fear of a more dangerous creature destroying you. There’s always something to be seen, no matter where you turn.
AR glasses will allow you to interact with the scene. The Felyne headset will guide you through the scene you see through your headphones. The recovery beetle will hover around you and close enough for your hand to touch it. Holding out your hand, the beetle rests in your palm and you will receive healing effects.
Interactivity isn’t perfect. The glasses flicker at times, and while the 105-degree display is impressive, it’s narrow enough that you can see where the AR features begin and end. This allows a beetle, or your Felyne Guide to appear in 3D but be cut off by the in-eye screen or become invisible. These limitations can sometimes break immersion and look jarring in comparison to the surrounding environment. In order to keep the event simple and accommodate the many people who are participating, it is not possible to change your location once the experience starts. It makes sense to keep it simple for all participants, and to prevent unfortunate incidents where people run into the distance to only faceplant themselves with this expensive equipment and against the nearest wall. The experience is still teasing. It shows a vision of the future that you will never explore and reminds you of your existence outside this world. The experience does not consist of 10 minutes spent watching herbivores peacefully graze. After a couple of minutes for the Rathalos to adapt to their new surroundings, they appear. The roaring of their roar causes the entire room shake, as a pulsating eruption appears behind them. As intimidating as it can be to encounter these giant creatures while sitting on your couch, I have never felt so scared as I did at that moment. Instead of stumbling on this monster through the avatar’s third-person view, you become the hunter. My heart raced when I saw this monster in front of my eyes, sending a chill down my spine. The rest of the experience, while not passive, is scripted. Instead of directly attacking the Rathalos with our hands, we are instructed by our Felynes to throw rocks until a Rajang joins in and begins to attack it. We are on a boat during a storm when we come across a Lagiacrus. It shakes our foundations and nearly knocks us off balance. We continue to throw rocks until a Caedeus jumps over the boat and causes a splash, which turns the screen black. The final scene is more existential than the violent violence in the main series but no less impressive. It’s like the world and we have died when you are plunged into darkness. The darkness is only broken by creatures from different series swimming around. A large tree of Life blooms. A beautiful melody is being sung in the background by an unidentified voice until a never-before seen creature appears. Myaku Myaku –
Myaku Myaku –
Myaku Myaku may be unfamiliar to Expo 2025 attendees. The fair’s cute yet grotesque mascot is this blue blob, resembling a Lovecraftian blob. It has a Saturnian red ring around its face. The mascots appear as the darkness is falling to create the world, and restore equilibrium. You decide whether we see the godlike presence of Myaku Myaku in the franchise as a major shift or simply Capcom having fun with the Expo context. Even so, I was amazed to see six-eyed grins staring at me as I twisted my neck. Monster Hunter Bridge is not without its limitations. The AR hardware breaks immersion by making the interactive elements look disjointed from the stunning scenery. Interactivity is also limited to holding bugs and pretending to toss rocks. It’s still a great proof-of concept, particularly when the haptic hall and large screens combine to create a truly magical experience.
Does it make sense to travel to Expo 2025 to experience Monster Hunter Bridge at the world’s fair? There’s no way to know for sure if you will be allowed in. Also, limiting yourself to a 10 minute tech demo would mean missing out on so much more. It is important to learn about the countries you are visiting and to try new things. However, it’s also essential to attempt to cross the bridge and see for yourself this world of horrors.