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

Monster Hunter Wilds: A Legacy Forged in Collaboration

Monster Hunter Wilds boasts numerous innovations, features, and quality-of-life enhancements. But its development was subtly shaped by earlier crossover events in Monster Hunter: World, specifically collaborations with Final Fantasy XIV and The Witcher 3. These partnerships weren't just fun additions; they directly influenced key design choices in Wilds.

Naoki Yoshida, director of Final Fantasy XIV, offered a pivotal suggestion during the FFXIV crossover. Observing player preferences, he proposed displaying attack names on screen in real-time. This feedback directly led to a new HUD feature in Monster Hunter Wilds, as shown below.

The FFXIV crossover itself provided a glimpse of this concept. The Behemoth fight, a notoriously challenging encounter, displayed attack names on screen, mirroring common MMORPG practices. Even the post-quest "Jump" emote, inspired by Final Fantasy's Dragoon class, briefly displayed the action as "[Hunter] performs Jump."

The Witcher 3 crossover proved equally impactful. The positive player response to Geralt's voiced dialogue and interactive conversations served as a crucial test, inspiring the inclusion of a speaking protagonist and expanded dialogue options in Monster Hunter Wilds.

This departure from the traditionally silent protagonist of previous Monster Hunter titles is evident in Wilds, where the player character engages in voiced conversations with NPCs, as illustrated below.

Director Yuya Tokuda's foresight, nurtured by the success of these collaborations, significantly shaped Monster Hunter Wilds' design philosophy. This insightful approach, revealed during an exclusive visit to Capcom's Japan offices, underscores the iterative development process behind this latest installment.

For a comprehensive look at Monster Hunter Wilds, including gameplay previews and interviews, explore IGN First's extensive coverage:

• 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