Monster Hunter Wilds: Protagonist Aims Beyond Mere Extinction

The Monster Hunter series is renowned for its epic battles against colossal beasts, yet Capcom is keen to highlight a more profound theme: the intricate relationship between hunters and the natural world. Dive deeper into what awaits in Monster Hunter Wilds!

Monster Hunter Wilds Will Focus On Humans And Nature

A Deeper Understanding Of What It Means To Be A Hunter

In the Monster Hunter universe, the role of a hunter is not just about the thrill of the chase but also about maintaining a harmonious balance between humans and monsters. Capcom's development team is eager to showcase this theme more prominently in Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds), while also infusing the player character with a richer personality.

The core theme of MH Wilds revolves around the symbiotic relationship between nature, the people inhabiting it, and the monsters. Game director Yuya Tokuda shared with PC Gamer, "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. There are many other things we have planned down the line that are aligned to the concept of Monster Hunter Wilds, and we're confident this game was able to achieve what we wanted to express with it."

To bring this vision to life, MH Wilds will feature enhanced dialogue options, allowing players to imbue their hunter characters with more personality. Tokuda emphasized the diversity of characters in the game's world, such as Nata and Olivia, who hail from different backgrounds and approach the monster situation with unique perspectives. "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. What would they feel? How would they think? Everybody is different, so we decided to add those kinds of elements to Monster Hunter Wilds."

This approach marks a significant shift from the series' tradition of silent protagonists and minimal dialogue. However, for those who prefer a focus on action over narrative, Tokuda assures that the game will cater to all play styles. "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," he explained. This is just the beginning, as Tokuda hints at "many other things planned down the line" that will further explore the bond between humans and nature.

For a deeper dive into the underlying themes and narrative of Monster Hunter, be sure to check out Game8's featured article on What Monster Hunter Is Really About.