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

Monster Hunter Wilds: A Legacy Forged in Crossovers

Monster Hunter Wilds boasts numerous enhancements and new features, but its development was subtly shaped by earlier crossover events in Monster Hunter World. Specifically, collaborations with Final Fantasy XIV and The Witcher 3 significantly influenced Wilds' design.

Naoki Yoshida, director of Final Fantasy XIV, suggested a change to the HUD during the FFXIV crossover event. This led to the inclusion of on-screen attack names in Wilds, a feature initially glimpsed in the Behemoth fight within the World crossover. The success of the Behemoth encounter, displaying attack names in real-time, directly inspired this key improvement to Wilds' user interface. The inclusion of the "Jump" emote, accompanied by on-screen text, further foreshadowed this development.

The positive player reception to the Witcher 3 crossover, featuring a speaking protagonist and dialogue choices, solidified the decision to incorporate similar elements into Wilds. This was a deliberate experiment to gauge player interest in a more narrative-driven Monster Hunter experience.

The Witcher 3 collaboration served as a test run for these features. Geralt's dialogue and choices, a stark contrast to the previous silent protagonists, paved the way for Wilds' voiced protagonist and expanded dialogue options. Director Yuya Tokuda explicitly cited this crossover as inspiration for these changes.

Tokuda's foresight, extending beyond the immediate Wilds development, actively sought the Witcher 3 collaboration to explore these possibilities. The positive outcome directly influenced the final product.

This information comes from an exclusive IGN First visit to Capcom's Japan offices. For a complete preview of Monster Hunter Wilds, including in-depth interviews and gameplay, check out January's IGN First 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