While trying to enjoy a Monster-sized BBQ down by the La Brea Tar Pits, Shawn was accosted by this crazy woman full of questions about the weapons and monsters in Monster Hunter Tri. 

She claimed to work for Electric Playground, and as I can now see, we shouldn't have kicked her out--she was telling the truth after all.  Win some, lose some I say! 

It's some fresh footage of the game our Western Monster Hunter fans gripe at us the most about, Monster Hunter Frontier Online. 

Famitsu's online outlet (EBTVJP) wrangled a group of Tokyo foreigners to go head-to-head against the PC-only game's evil new wolves.  The video comes to us from Unity's Tokyo correspondent, Scott Popular.  He's actually featured playing the game, you can find him in the little box on the bottom right, and then speaking some English about getting owned.

To avoid the Japanese monologue from the guy in the "SEX!" shirt, and see some wolves, skip to about the 4 minute mark.

Behold, the promised Monster Hunter surprise:  your chance to design, name (or design AND name) a weapon in Monster Hunter Tri!

Sword, bow, shield, lance--any official category is welcome.  You imagine it, send it to us, and if we choose your design, it could end up in the game.  This is really pretty simple in the details, and there's even a chance for people with no design skills to get involved by coming up with a great name for a few as-yet unnamed artifacts. 

We need your entries no later than Sunday, Sept 27th, 11:59PM BST in order to give the team time to work on them, so get cracking!  It may be Labor Day in the US, but I'm guessing more than a few of you are going to nose to the grindstone on this one right away...

UPDATE/Clarification:  This contest is open to EU and North American Monster Hunter fans.  North American hunters submit their entries here, and EU, AU, and NZ hunters read here. 

Hit the jump for full rules!

Can you master the art of weapon forging?

You've slaughtered and captured monsters, gathered together for life-threatening missions and ventured in perilous grounds but do you have what it takes to forge the perfect Monster Hunter's weapon? Prove it!

To celebrate its ever growing Community, Capcom has two challenges for all Monster Hunters:

FORGE THE WEAPON: design a new weapon for Monster Hunter Tri (PAL region). The weapon must belong to one of the official categories (Great Sword, Sword & Shield, Hammer, Lance, Switch Axe, Long Sword, Bowgun - Light, Medium, Heavy).
NAME THE WEAPON: your drawing skills haven't improved since you were 2 years old but words are your thing and you have always thought there should be a Long Sword called Aninchlong in game? We have some nameless, mysterious weapons in need of befitting names. Submit your suggestion indicating what category the weapon belongs to.
 

The rules

General

Unity competition is open to North American residents only (see Capcom Europe for EU, Australian, and New Zealand submissions)
Submissions can only be accepted by sending a message with the relevant contents or links HERE
Entrants must be 18 years or older
Winners will be selected at Capcom's discretion
Capcom reserves the right to amend and modify any part of the competition at any time 
 
Forge the Weapon

Only one entry/drawing for each forum member. Multiple entries submitted through multiple accounts by the same person will be disqualified
The submitted design can be accompanied by an original weapon name
Any drawing technique is allowed 

Name the Weapon

Only one entry per category allowed (Great Sword, Sword & Shield, Hammer, Lance, Switch Axe, Long Sword, Bowgun - Light, Medium, Heavy)
Copyrighted names are not acceptable and will be disqualified
Inappropriate and/or offensive names will be disqualified
 
 

Terms and Conditions

Please read the following very carefully.

By entering this competition and submitting your suggestions and original design you:

(a) grant the Company (Capcom) and any Competition sponsor(s) the right to use your design or any related rights for the purpose of this Competition 

(b) accept that all entries (and all copyright and other intellectual property rights in them) will become the property of the Company (Capcom) upon receipt and entries will not be returned. You will retain all rights you have in the copyright and other intellectual property rights comprising the Competition entry but, by entering the Competition, you grant the Company and its licensees the right free of charge to your Competition entry; and 

(c) waive any moral rights or similar rights you have in your Competition entry whether such rights arise pursuant to the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988 (the ""Act"") or equivalent legislation anywhere elsewhere in the world.

(d) Whilst it is their intention to use the winning content, Capcom cannot guarantee that such content will be included in Monster Hunter Tri or that it will be included without alterations.   
 

Just a note to say that we (and our European-flavored friends) have a "Monster" surprise coming for Monster Hunter fans.  Yes, I would say it's bigger than the Ragiakurusu.  So when is it coming? 

Monday!

/tease

A quick video talking with Monster Hunter fans about their experiences at London's Monster Hunter Gathering Hall. 

Capcom Europe transformed a London storefront into a real-life version of MH's Gathering Hall (though with less cats), and it's a great place to meet up, chat, download exclusive quests, hunt together, or even meet the Monster Hunter producers. 

Non-Londoner Hunters, I would say it's officially time to feel jealous.