Alatreon brings a storm of elements to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne July 9

The legendary “Blazing Black Dragon” Alatreon is looming over the New World, wielding the unstoppable power of all known elements. Hunters, gear up and get ready for one of the most intense and dynamic hunts in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.

Before we get into the details of this meaty update, we want to thank you for your patience and support our development team adapted to developing, testing and launching a game update during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic. Our free Title Update #4 was originally slated to launch this May, but now we’ve finally set its release date to July 9 at 00:00 UTC (that’s July 8 at 5:00pm PDT / 1:00am BST).

Alatreon’s arrival is just a few days away, so to help you prepare for this epic hunt, here’s all the information the Guild has disclosed on the Iceborne iteration of this Elder Dragon.

NOTE: Before you can face the Special Assignment to hunt Alatreon, you must be MR 24 or higher and have completed at least the Safi’jiiva Recon Assignment.

Braving the Elements

Elder Dragons are known to wield the power of nature’s elements to extreme degrees — Velkhana can freeze the moisture in the air in the blink of an eye, Teostra can spit out hellish flames, Kirin can summon lightning with pinpoint accuracy, just to name a few examples. Alatreon sits a higher echelon of Elder Dragons with the unique ability to switch its elemental attributes at will. When confronting this legendary being, be sure to come equipped with elemental resistances, blight resistances and be ready to think on your feet and adapt to the ever-changing pace of the battle.

Escaton Judgement

Changing one’s elemental powers is a monumental feat, so when Alatreon pulls off this elemental shift, the power stored within gets blasted out in a destructive shockwave that will take out any nearby living creature (that includes Hunters with maxed out armor sets… i.e. you). This immense shockwave is known as “Escaton Judgement.”

If you want any hope of surviving this powerful new attack, you’ll want to weaken it by attacking Alatreon, matching its current elemental weakness. So make sure to coordinate with your teammates on this one.

Harnessing the Elements

With natural power of this magnitude, you can expect powerful gear as well. The Smithy is already gearing up to take in Alatreon materials to craft unique weapons (one for each of the 14 types) and armor sets, unlocking a new Set Bonus: Alatreon Divinity.

Following the elemental focused theme of the Elder Dragon itself, this new Set Bonus will take into account your elemental resistance and translate it to elemental damage for your weapon! I’m very eager to see all the kinds of powerful builds you will put together with this set.

Summer Event & New Variant Monster

While Alatreon is the primary focus of Title Update #4, we’re also preparing a few extra special events, coming in the next few weeks.

The first one to look out for is the Sizzling Spice Fest, our Summer Seasonal Event, which will take place in the Seliana Gathering Hub. This lively event will feature lots of feathers, meat dishes and various monster-themed gear for you to craft. And as usual, you’ll be able to craft a new Armor Set, Layered Armor, Palico Gear, Weapon Pendants, and more! Sizzling Spice Fest will run from July 21 at 5:00pm PDT (1:00am BST) through August 6 at 4:59pm PDT (12:59am BST).

The second event coming up is a limited time Event Quest to hunt a new Variant monster, recently discovered by the Guild: Frostfang Barioth. This frigid fiend will challenge you in the Hoarfrost Reach with enhanced ice-based breath attacks and even the ability to freeze the ground below you, applying the Frostbind status. Be sure to pack Hot Drinks, Nullberries and strong ice resistance armor when facing this formidable foe. This Event Quest is called “The Last White Knight” and will be available from August 6 at 5:00pm PDT (1:00am BST) through August 19 at 4:59pm PDT (12:59am BST).

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Title Update #4 will be available for free starting July 8 at 5:00pm PDT (1:00am BST). Stay safe, stay cool (or warm), and happy hunting!