Following its recent and highly successful launch in Japan with day one shipment numbers exceeding one million, Capcom has confirmed that Monster Hunter Tri will be released in both Europe and North America for the Wii in early 2010.

The action/adventure game will introduce new features and gameplay elements and will depict a living, breathing ecosystem where man co-exists with the beasts that roam both the dry land and the brand new sub-aqua environment.

Split-screen mode will allow two players can hunt co-operatively or form a team of up to four hunters via the game’s custom online Wi-Fi mode. New items, weapons and armour sets will be also available to assist the hunters as they embark on what's being billed as the "most epic Monster Hunter adventure to date."

The Monster Hunter franchise has made a massive impact on videogame culture in Japan. With series sales totalling well over 10 million units and 3.5 million sales of Monster Hunter Portable 2G alone, it’s no surprise to find that Monster Hunter has given rise to dedicated “Monster Hunter Summer Training Camps”, ”Monster Hunter Festivals” and numerous licensed products. The franchise doesn’t just top the charts, it’s become a social phenomenon.

It will debut at Gamescom in the summer 2010, so we wouldn't expect to see it released until the lead up to Christmas.