Monster Hunter Stories 3 Gets Surprise King Monster Update and Nergigante DLC
The free King Monster update and paid Rudy's Story DLC add endgame content and a narrative link to the earlier Monster Hunter Stories series.
Reporting from 2 sources: 4Gamer.net, Automaton.
Capcom released a free update for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twin Dragons of Destiny on June 26, 2026. The update adds a high-difficulty final boss battle accessible with post-game save data. Clearing it causes King Monsters, marked with crown icons, to appear in field areas. These include Invading Beasts and Heavenly Ancient Dragons. A paid DLC, Additional Side Story: Rudy's Story, also launched at 1000 yen. It explores the origins of Rudy, the protagonist's Felyne companion, and features Navirou and the Elder Dragon Nergigante. Nergigante cannot become a Monstie but appears as a powerful enemy. Clearing Rudy's Story and meeting King Monster conditions unlocks a quest to challenge King Monster Nergigante. The game's first sale is also live, with the standard edition 20% off at 7192 yen. Sale periods vary by store. The game is available on Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
King Monsters were a feature in Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, and the new update brings them back as endgame encounters. The free update requires a cleared save file to access a new final boss; defeating it spawns King Monsters across the field, including variants of Invading Beasts and Heavenly Ancient Dragons. The paid DLC, Rudy's Story, costs 1000 yen and is included in the Deluxe Kit and Premium Deluxe Edition, so players who already own those bundles should avoid duplicate purchases. The DLC reveals that the legendary Felyne who saved the world is Navirou, a character from the first Monster Hunter Stories. Nergigante, an Elder Dragon from the main series, appears as a boss but cannot be tamed. Clearing the DLC and meeting King Monster conditions unlocks a special quest against King Monster Nergigante. Automaton reported that the game peaked at around 54,800 concurrent players on Steam. The first sale for the title is ongoing, with the standard edition at 20% off, though sale end dates vary by store.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.