Capcom discusses online play for the North American release.
At the Tokyo Games Show this year, representatives from Capcom spoke about the online play features in the North American release of Monster Hunter 3. Capcom producer Ryozo Tsjmoto said in an interview with G4 that, "We've gotten a lot of feedback from people online." He noted that a lot of users have asked for voice chat, and commented that, "We're looking into whether it's technically possible or not, and so if it is, maybe we'll make an announcement. If it realistically can't be done, we may have to leave it out."
He also noted that there may be some weapons exclusive to the North American release.
In another interview at TGS 2009, Chris Kramer, Senior Director of Communications and Community for Capcom USA indicated that although the Japanese version of the game requires a monthly fee to play online, Capcom isn't sure that such a system would work in the US. He explained, "It's something that we're looking into at the moment and there are a few factors to consider. Firstly, Monster Hunter isn't as popular in the West, so it might put people off. Secondly, Japan doesn't have Friend Codes, so Capcom runs all the servers and the monthly fee is essentially to pay for those costs."
Monster Hunter 3 supports up to 4 players online, and is set for a March 2010 release in North America.