Monster Hunter Rise has experienced a tremendous launch, captivating players worldwide. Despite receiving 'Mixed' reviews on Steam, the game boasts an impressive average daily player count exceeding one million on the platform. However, it's in its home territory of Japan where the game's popularity has truly soared, significantly impacting the local PS5 rental market.

Coinciding with the game's February 28th release date, prominent Japanese retailer GEO launched a PS5 rental service.  The demand proved overwhelming, with pre-orders rapidly filling up and stretching into mid-April. As a result, GEO has currently suspended accepting new reservations across Japan.

With the service available at over 400 GEO locations, the sheer volume of rentals is substantial. The service itself is quite affordable, priced at approximately $6.56 USD for an 8-day rental and $12 USD for a 15-day rental.

Interestingly, this rental surge appears to be indirectly boosting PS5 sales.  Players renting consoles to experience Monster Hunter Rise are reportedly motivated to purchase their own systems to continue playing.