Monster Hunter Wilds Protag Aims to Balance Hunting and Conservation

The Monster Hunter series has long been synonymous with epic battles against colossal beasts, but Capcom is eager to highlight a more profound theme in the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds: the intricate relationship between hunters and the natural world. Dive in to discover what's in store for this highly anticipated game.

Monster Hunter Wilds Will Focus On Humans And Nature

A Deeper Understanding Of What It Means To Be A Hunter

In the world of Monster Hunter, you're not just a hunter—you're a steward of a delicate balance between humans and the monstrous creatures that inhabit their universe. Capcom's development team is set to deepen this theme in Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds), enhancing the narrative and giving the player's character a more distinct personality.

The core focus of MH Wilds will be the intricate relationship between nature, its inhabitants, and the hunters who navigate this ecosystem. As game director Yuya Tokuda shared in an interview 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 introduce more dialogue, allowing players to imbue their hunter characters with greater personality. Tokuda highlighted the diversity of the game's world, populated by characters like Nata and Olivia, who hail from different backgrounds and approach the challenges posed by monsters in unique ways. "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 departure from the series' tradition of featuring silent protagonists with minimal dialogue choices. However, for fans who prefer a more action-focused experience, rest assured that this narrative shift won't compromise the beloved combat system.

Tokuda emphasized inclusivity, noting, "There may be players who prefer to skip all that and just 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 is just the beginning, as the director teased further plans that will continue to explore the bond between humans and nature.

For those eager to delve deeper into the thematic richness and narrative of the Monster Hunter series, be sure to check out Game8's featured article on What Monster Hunter Is Really About.