Monster Hunter Wilds: A Legacy Forged in Collaboration
Monster Hunter Wilds boasts numerous improvements and new features, but its development was subtly shaped by earlier crossover events in Monster Hunter World. Specifically, interactions with Final Fantasy XIV's director, Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P), and the positive player response to the Witcher 3 crossover significantly influenced Wilds' design.
Yoshi-P's suggestion during the FFXIV collaboration – displaying attack names on-screen in real-time – directly led to a new HUD feature in Wilds. This was foreshadowed in the World crossover's Behemoth fight, where the boss's attacks were similarly labeled. The "Jump" emote, unlocked after defeating Behemoth, further exemplifies this influence, displaying "[Hunter] performs Jump" on screen.
The overwhelmingly positive reception to the Witcher 3 crossover, featuring a speaking protagonist (Geralt), convinced the developers to incorporate more dialogue and a voiced protagonist into Wilds. This marked a significant departure from previous Monster Hunter titles, where the hunter remained silent.
Director Yuya Tokuda highlighted the Witcher 3 collaboration as a successful experiment, demonstrating player enthusiasm for enhanced narrative elements. The team actively sought the collaboration with CD Projekt Red, viewing it as a valuable test for future iterations of the series.
While Wilds' development wasn't underway during the World collaborations, Tokuda's forward-thinking approach, fueled by these successful partnerships, profoundly shaped the game's direction. This innovative approach to development is further explored in IGN First's exclusive coverage of Monster Hunter Wilds, including in-depth interviews and gameplay previews.
