The update will also allow to play only on the GamePad! And there will be free downloadable content.

The source is the Twitter account of Monster Hunter: https://twitter.com/monsterhunter

https://www.facebook.com/monsterhunter

Also the update will allow for off-screen play as well.

Edit: sry KodaSmoss, didn't know you already posted a source

Here's a better source for today's annoucement.
http://www.capcom-unity.com/dubindoh/blog/2013/02/28/monster-...

This is awesome news. Honestly the whole reason beside being able to play with my son the whole reason I was looking into MH on the 3DS was so I could play MH when the tv was in use. Now it looks like with the off-tv play I dont have to worry about that anymore. XD As if this game couldn't get any better.

Capcom has Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate will be updated on Wii U in April with off-TV play and cross-region online multiplayer. So, soon those in North America will be able to play with their friends over in Europe. Moe free downloadable quests are also in the plan for the next “several months”, with the first batch available at launch. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is due in March, for 3DS and Wii U.

Awesome news. Off screen play is just what I wanted., now I can play it in bed.

Also we Americans and Europeans can UNITE as one!

This is great news, it really is. I hope the lag won't be insane, but whatever - off screen play will be the best thing hat happened to this time consuming series while I play it when everybody else wants to watch something on tv

It's actually a lot of fun to be able to find americans online, and to allow them to enjoy the stubborn and annoying french and german players who refuse to speak anything but their native language. Berliner wurst!

Good work Retro. (You did all this so you wouldn't have to bu me a Wii U right).

Oh and prepare to feel bad hunting next to me.

But how do we know that the Aussies and the Europeans have the same server?...

Are you sure it's not region locked?

This is too good to be true.

Well they have confirmed US can play with EU so guess its region free to a degree as Japan is not mentioned

Yup. Mission accomplished. Took a lot of....dangerous business! But it was worth it.

This is so awesome. I'm probably getting this day one now!

Now we can all play togever.

Together forever and ever. (except me, lol)

Weeeeeell, come April, that is.

Well that's a really lame bonus. I won't be preordering then.

That seems like a good preorder bonus to me. It's better than no bonus if you're gonna get a physical copy on day one.

I'm getting pretty anxious for this game to come out. I can't resist when a game plays so seamlessly like this(or at least seems to). Same with Bit.Trip Runner 2. There's just no possible way for glitches and out of place events/weird occurrences to happen. The depth actually makes you want to play the game 100%. The graphics and everything are just great. It took me 8 years to finally get a perfect setup for video games(HD more so), and I can already feel all the good games I bought my Wii U for getting closer.

Ok I think I may hold off on Monster Hunter till the April update so that way I can play it off-tv. Plus that will give me time to play LoS:MoF.

I just downloaded the Demo. I've been trying to talk myself into it and although I admit it looks very polished, I found it really... well, dull to be honest. Plus the controls appear to be upside down and arse about face (Why is X attack? attack should always be either Y or B!). Not convinced as I prefer a more narrative game, and I don't play online so it probably loses something that other people find so special.

Well, This game is not for everyone, one of the biggest parts of this game is hunting with others online.
There is a small story offline, but it takes a back seat to the game itself which consists of preparing equipment for hunting bigger things to then get better equipment to then hunt bigger things to then to then get better equipment to then hunt bigger things to then get better equipment to then hunt bigger things.............