Monster Hunter Freedom 3 roars on PSP later this year

Capcom's Monster Hunting empire doesn't look to be toppled anytime soon, despite a serious challenger entering the fray in the form of Bandai Namco's God Eater, and the drive to expand its influence outside of Japan remains real.  North American fans eagerly await next month's arrival of Monster Hunter Tri complete with free online gameplay on the Wii, but Capcom certainly hasn't forgotten who made Monster Hunter so hot in the first place.  The publisher today confirms rumors furthered by a Hong Kong gaming magazine by announcing Monster Hunter Freedom 3 for the PlayStation Portable.

Few details surrounding the game were released outside of a "late 2010" release in Japan, but fans can certainly expect to see new regions and new monsters to befriend and snuggle to sleep.  Capcom's press release also promises improved Felyne comrades and cooperative with other players.

Dedicated fans in Japan can also visit the Monster Hunter World theme park which opened in Kumamoto Prefecture's Greenland Fun Park last week.  The exposition runs for just one month, and visitors can immerse themselves in Monster Hunter-themed attractions and blow their cash on even more Monster Hunter merchandise.  Clearly, Capcom isn't about to let their highly lucrative franchise lose in mindshare to the competition.