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 message: the intricate relationship between hunters and the natural world. Discover what awaits in Monster Hunter Wilds!

Redefining the Hunter's Role: A Deeper Dive into Humanity and Nature

Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds) will emphasize the interconnectedness of nature, humanity, and monsters. The game's narrative will explore the hunter's role within this complex ecosystem. Game director Yuya Tokuda explains, "The relationship between people, nature, and monsters, and what exactly is a hunter's role...We wanted to illustrate that not just through gameplay, but a very deep story." He further emphasizes the game's commitment to this core theme, stating that future plans align with this vision.

Enhanced dialogue plays a crucial role in developing the player character's personality. Tokuda highlights the diverse perspectives of the world's inhabitants, using the characters Nata and Olivia as examples of differing approaches to monster conflicts. "There are many people with different perspectives...And we also wanted to illustrate how the hunter would feel in a world like that." This marks a departure from the series' traditionally silent protagonists.

However, this narrative shift won't compromise the core gameplay. Tokuda assures players prioritizing combat: "There may be players who prefer to skip all that and just go keep on hunting—that's possible too. The volume of text won't affect the number of monsters." This enhanced narrative is just the beginning, with further plans to expand upon the central theme of the human-nature bond.

For a more comprehensive understanding of Monster Hunter's underlying themes, explore Game8's insightful article on the series' true meaning.