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

The Monster Hunter series is renowned for its thrilling monster hunts, but Capcom is shifting the spotlight to highlight a core theme: the intricate relationship between hunters and the natural world. Discover what awaits in Monster Hunter Wilds!

Monster Hunter Wilds: A Deeper Dive into Humanity and Nature

Redefining the Hunter's Role

Monster Hunter has always subtly emphasized the symbiotic relationship between humans and monsters. Capcom is now bringing this theme to the forefront in Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds), enriching the player character's personality and the overall narrative.

The game's central focus will be the interconnectedness of nature, its inhabitants, and the hunters who navigate this world. Game director Yuya Tokuda explained to 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 achieve this deeper narrative, MH Wilds will feature significantly more dialogue, allowing players to imbue their hunter with more personality. Tokuda highlighted the diverse perspectives of characters like Nata and Olivia, showcasing how different backgrounds shape their approaches to the monster-human dynamic. "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 marks a departure from the series' tradition of silent protagonists. However, players who prefer a more action-focused experience need not worry.

Tokuda assures players, "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 future plans further exploring the core theme of the bond between humanity and nature.

For a more comprehensive understanding of Monster Hunter's underlying themes and narrative, explore Game8's insightful article on "What Monster Hunter Is Really About."