It has been 20 years since the world was introduced to Capcom‘s Monster Hunter franchise, in which hunters battle hulking beasts, master various weapons, cook meals, and don fantastical armour. The longevity is remarkable, and even more so when we consider the evolution of the series as a whole. Now, with Monster Hunter Wilds set to be unleashed in early 2025, we had the pleasure of speaking to legendary producer Ryozo Tsujimoto at Gamescom Asia 2024, and picked his brain about the past, present, and future of this beloved series.
An Actual World in Monster Hunter Wilds
One of the critical aspects of the game that will see drastic changes is the environment in Monster Hunter Wilds. The monsters remain the star attraction, but the world in which they live will now be an attraction of its own. Distinct biomes, changing weather, and endemic life will deliver something truly different for players, a point that Tsujimoto shared that the team was keen to bring to fruition.
“One of the main concepts and goals for Monster Hunter Wilds is to bring the world more to life, more immersive, and more realistic for a hunter. You are not just always hunting in one single type of environment,” the producer said. “A big concept of the game is the concept of herds and the monsters herding together. It’s something we really wanted to express in a very natural way.”
“There was a lot of QA and gameplay testing that went into development for that sort of expression, and because it’s something that hasn’t really been done before, having so many monsters at the same time existing in the same screen, it was something really challenging for us.”
That commitment to further bringing players into the fold did not stop there. Beyond the two pillars of the monsters and the hunting grounds, it is also about the people. Referencing the opportunity to understand more about “past civilisations” and “villagers and whatnot” as part of the experience, Tsujimoto is excited for players to enjoy the combination of the three when they dive in.
It is probably helpful then there is a trusty companion to aid in your exploration of the world in Monster Hunter Wilds. Having the Seikret will enable faster travel and a different approach to combat, another element that will help this latest game stand out even more than the older games.
“The concept of Monster Hunter Wilds is to have these large, expansive locales, and for all the areas and the base camps to be seamlessly connected. And when you have that sort of environment design. It makes it so that it can be a lot easier to get lost. The team still felt that users might have trouble navigating the expansive world. So then we decided to add something like the Seikret to help smooth that transition,” Tsujimoto added.
Their utility isn’t just limited to being a speedy getaway option; players can switch weapons while mounted, another example of how the team wants to empower hunters out in the field. With 14 different arms to choose from, you now have more freedom to choose your way of dealing with a monster, and can stay in that hunting mood without returning to town.
Uncharted Territory
Another significant change in the game is the addition of voices for both the player’s character and the lovable Palicoes, something that will take some getting used to for franchise veterans. It certainly won’t be the case of hearing your hunter share their thoughts on every single matter, but rather, to show off their personality when it’s appropriate and make it easier for players to be part of the world.
Similarly, the Palicoes will serve that function from an advisory perspective during gameplay. Capcom does not want to “break the seamless flow of gameplay,” but there is still a need to help players out. Enter your felyne pal, who can dish out helpful advice during exploration and combat, removing the need to divert your attention from the threats. For the purists, though, you still have that option to confine the Palicoes to just the standard mewing.
Of course, nothing beats having another hunter to watch your back, and Monster Hunter Wilds allows players to enlist the help of both AI hunters and friends alike during hunts, with the latter boosted by the implementation of the crossplay. Well aware of the demand for the feature since Monster Hunter: Worlds, crossplay could finally be implemented properly with the new entry, which will be music to the ears of many.
Evolving with Monster Hunter Wilds
Amidst the discussion of how the game and the series as a whole will evolve and give players more reasons to jump back in, Tsujimoto understands the need to cater to both longtime players and those who will be tasting the action for the first time.
“The series has been going on for over 20 years, and the team has so much experience making Monster Hunter games. We want to put out a game that fans will see it and know that this is Monster Hunter. But at the same time, we also have to add new components and new elements to take the games further. It’s a game of balance, and it’s something that we put a lot of importance on,” Tsujimoto stressed.
And just like with every new entry, there will be a bunch of new players, and for Monster Hunter Wilds, the team has put in several ways in which to ease them into the complex experience that awaits. Tutorials can be tweaked to be as detailed or as hands-off as you want, and you can get help from AI hunters if you are playing solo. The producer also brought up the contentious decision to choose a weapon at the start, something almost all of us have struggled with at one point.
“One of the fan feedback we often get is people saying that there are 14 weapons, that I have no idea what to choose, and that they don’t know the gameplay for each one. So there are those small components added at the beginning of the game that will help ease players into your typical Monster Hunter type of experience.”
There are clear reasons why Monster Hunter Wilds is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated games in the series. Built on solid foundations with thoughtful additions and tweaks, it could very well be the de facto way to experience Monster Hunter as an indicator of the quality of the development team. Speaking to Tsujimoto has only heightened our expectations, and the wait until February 28 is something we very much look forward to ending.
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