Monster Hunter Wilds introduces a plethora of changes, new features, and quality-of-life enhancements to the beloved Monster Hunter series. What's fascinating is that the seeds for these innovations were planted during Monster Hunter World's crossover events. The collaboration with Final Fantasy 14, influenced by its director Naoki Yoshida, and the positive feedback from The Witcher 3 crossover, have directly shaped key gameplay elements in Monster Hunter Wilds.
During the collaboration for the FFXIV crossover, Naoki Yoshida, affectionately known as Yoshi-P, suggested to Monster Hunter Wilds Director Yuya Tokuda that players appreciate seeing the names of their attacks displayed on the screen as they execute them. This suggestion inspired the new heads-up display (HUD) feature in Monster Hunter Wilds, which you can see highlighted in the image below.
How Final Fantasy XIV’s Director Influenced Monster Hunter Wilds
This feature was initially tested during the 2018 FFXIV crossover event in Monster Hunter: World, which included elements like catchable Cactuars, a giant Kulu-Ya-Ku with a crystal hunted to the Chocobo music, the stunning Drachen armor, and more. The highlight was the challenging fight against Behemoth, where its moves appeared on screen, similar to MMORPG mechanics. You can see this in action in the video below.
After completing the repel quest for Behemoth, players unlock the Jump emote, inspired by the Dragoon’s movements in Final Fantasy. When using the emote, text appears on the screen: "[Hunter] performs Jump." This was a unique instance of an "attack" name appearing on screen in Monster Hunter before the introduction of the new HUD feature in Monster Hunter Wilds.
Drachen armor set, Gae Bolg Insect Glaive, and Dragon Soul Kinsect, part of the FFXIV collaboration in Monster Hunter World. Courtesy Capcom.
How The Witcher 3 Influenced Monster Hunter Wilds
Yuya Tokuda, the director of Monster Hunter Wilds, was inspired by the positive reception to the Monster Hunter: World and The Witcher 3 collaboration. This crossover served as a test to gauge player reactions to more dialogue and options in the game. In The Witcher 3 crossover, players take on the role of Geralt of Rivia, who speaks and engages in conversations, allowing for dialogue choices. This was a departure from the silent protagonist of previous Monster Hunter games.
In Monster Hunter Wilds, the protagonist now has a voice and can engage in conversations with NPCs, much like Geralt. Tokuda mentioned that while they weren't actively developing Wilds during World's collaborations, he was already thinking ahead about potential features for the next installment. He specifically sought out the opportunity for a The Witcher 3 collaboration in World, which proved to be a success.
Monster Hunter Wilds' customizable playable character initiating dialogue with Alma, an NPC. Tokuda's foresight and the positive feedback from these collaborations have significantly influenced the development of Monster Hunter Wilds.
We learned this intriguing information during our exclusive visit to Capcom’s Japan offices as part of this month’s IGN First. Don’t miss the full hands-on, final preview of Monster Hunter Wilds, new in-depth interviews, and other exclusive gameplay from January’s Monster Hunter Wilds IGN First:
- Behind Monster Hunter Wilds' New Approach to Starting Weapons and Hope Series Gear
- Monster Hunter Wilds Interview and Gameplay: Meet Nu Udra, Apex of the Oilwell Basin
- Evolving Monster Hunter: How Capcom’s Belief in the Series Made it a Worldwide Hit
- Monster Hunter Wilds: Gravios Returns in This Exclusive Gameplay
