Nodusfall, HoYoverse’s new co-op Monster Hunter rival

HoYoverse just dropped its next big swing, and it’s not another gacha game.

Nodusfall got its world premiere trailer at Gamescom’s Opening Night Live, and the first thing you’ll notice is how much it borrows from Monster Hunter. Built in Unreal Engine 5, the footage shows players teaming up to take down massive beasts, with narration dropping in bits of lore along the way. HoYoverse is calling it a co-op action game where “players must stand as one” using coordination and tactics rather than button-mashing.

Nodusfall World Premiere Trailer

A different kind of HoYoverse game

This one’s been brewing for a while. Trademarks for Nodusfall popped up earlier this year, and rumours of a fantasy MMO from the Genshin Impact studio go back to last November. Back then it was going by the codename “Genesis” and was said to lean on AI systems like an “Artificial Intelligence Stimulated Ecosystem” and “Intellectual NPCs.”

What’s notable is what’s missing: no mention of gacha mechanics so far. For a studio that’s built its empire on loot boxes and character banners, that’s the real story here, not just the beast-hunting gameplay.

I’ll believe the no-gacha angle when I see the monetisation page. But if HoYoverse is actually stepping outside its comfort zone, Nodusfall could be worth keeping an eye on.

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