Monster Hunter Wilds Protag Isn't Trying to Just Hunt Monsters to Extinction, Even If You Are

The Monster Hunter franchise, renowned for its thrilling monster hunts, is shifting its focus. Capcom aims to highlight the series' core theme: the intricate relationship between hunters and the natural world. Discover the exciting developments planned for Monster Hunter Wilds!

Redefining the Hunter's Role: A Deeper Dive into Human-Nature Dynamics

Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds) will emphasize the interconnectedness of nature, humanity, and monsters. Capcom's development team is striving to showcase this theme through a richer narrative and a more developed protagonist. Game director Yuya Tokuda stated in a PC Gamer interview, "The relationship between people, nature, and monsters, and what exactly is a hunter's role in a world like that…We wanted to illustrate that not just through the gameplay, but a very deep story."

Enhanced dialogue will allow players to imbue their hunter characters with more distinct personalities. Tokuda highlighted the diverse perspectives of the world's inhabitants, using the characters Nata and Olivia as examples of individuals with contrasting backgrounds and approaches to monster conflicts. He explained, "There are many people with different perspectives living all together. And we also wanted to illustrate how the hunter would feel in a world like that."

This departure from the series' traditionally silent protagonists is a significant change. However, Capcom assures players prioritizing gameplay that the combat system will remain a core strength.

Tokuda confirmed, "There may be players who prefer to skip all that and just go keep on hunting the next monster—that's possible too. The volume of the text that's available in the game will not affect the number of monsters available, so we can satisfy everybody." This narrative expansion is just the beginning, with Tokuda hinting at further developments centered on the human-nature bond.

For a deeper exploration of Monster Hunter's underlying themes, consult Game8's insightful article on the true essence of the Monster Hunter experience.