How World's FFXIV and The Witcher 3 Collabs Inspired Monster Hunter Wilds - IGN First

Monster Hunter Wilds brings a host of exciting changes, new features, and quality-of-life enhancements to the beloved Monster Hunter series. Interestingly, the seeds for these innovations were planted during Monster Hunter World's crossover events, influenced by collaborations with Final Fantasy 14 and The Witcher 3. These partnerships not only enriched the gameplay experience in Monster Hunter World but also laid the groundwork for the evolution seen in Monster Hunter Wilds.

How Final Fantasy XIV's Director Influenced Monster Hunter Wilds

During the Monster Hunter: World and Final Fantasy XIV crossover, Naoki Yoshida, the director of Final Fantasy 14, shared valuable insights with Monster Hunter Wilds Director Yuya Tokuda. At a reveal event, Yoshida suggested that players appreciate seeing the names of their attacks displayed on screen as they perform them. This feedback directly inspired a new feature in Monster Hunter Wilds' heads-up display (HUD), where attack names now appear during combat.

The 2018 FFXIV crossover event in Monster Hunter: World provided a glimpse of this concept. The collaboration introduced various exciting elements, including catchable Cactuars, a giant Kulu-Ya-Ku with a crystal hunted to the Chocobo music, and the challenging Drachen armor set. One of the highlights was the battle against Behemoth, where the monster's moves appeared as text on the screen, mimicking the style common in MMORPGs. This feature, along with the Jump emote inspired by Final Fantasy's Dragoon, which displays "[Hunter] performs Jump" on screen, foreshadowed the HUD enhancements in Monster Hunter Wilds.

How The Witcher 3 Influenced Monster Hunter Wilds

The influence of The Witcher 3 on Monster Hunter Wilds is equally significant. Director Yuya Tokuda was inspired by the positive reception to the Monster Hunter: World and The Witcher 3 crossover, where players took on the role of Geralt of Rivia. This event allowed for dialogue options and a speaking protagonist, a stark contrast to the silent and unnamed protagonist typical of previous Monster Hunter games.

The success of this crossover led Tokuda to incorporate similar elements into Monster Hunter Wilds, introducing a speaking protagonist and more dialogue options. This approach was a deliberate move to enhance player engagement and immersion, reflecting the team's forward-thinking vision for the series.

While Monster Hunter Wilds was not yet in active development during these collaborations, Tokuda's proactive engagement with CD Projekt Red to include The Witcher 3 crossover in Monster Hunter: World demonstrated his foresight and ambition for the future of the franchise. These early experiments and player feedback were crucial in shaping the direction of Monster Hunter Wilds.

Our exclusive visit to Capcom's Japan offices as part of IGN First provided deeper insights into these influences. For a comprehensive look at Monster Hunter Wilds, including new gameplay and interviews, check out the full coverage from January's IGN First:

• Behind Monster Hunter Wilds' New Approach to Starting Weapons and Hope Series Gear
• Monster Hunter Wilds Interview and Gameplay: Meet Nu Udra, Apex of the Oilwell Basin
• Evolving Monster Hunter: How Capcom’s Belief in the Series Made it a Worldwide Hit
• Monster Hunter Wilds: Gravios Returns in This Exclusive Gameplay