Pocketpair Grants Day Off for Monster Hunter Wilds Launch After Staff's 'Mysterious' Illness Claims

The developer of Palworld, Pocketpair, has graciously given its staff a day off to enjoy the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds. As reported by Automaton, the Japanese studio announced on social media that several employees mysteriously claimed they would be "feeling unwell" on the game's release day, February 28. In a light-hearted response, Pocketpair declared this day a sort of holiday for its team, emphasizing that this gesture would not impact updates on their own games.

Monster Hunter Wilds has made a remarkable debut, achieving 1 million concurrent players on Steam and securing a spot in the platform's top 10 most-played games of all time, surpassing titles like Baldur's Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy, and Elden Ring. Despite this success, the game has received a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam, prompting Capcom to release official guidance on PC performance issues. Additionally, Capcom has teased early details about Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub for players.

The launch of Monster Hunter Wilds has had a significant global impact, particularly in Japan. One indie developer humorously noted on social media that they hadn't sold a single game on Steam since Monster Hunter Wilds was released. This isn't the first time Pocketpair has shown such generosity; they previously allowed their staff a day off to play FromSoftware's Elden Ring in 2022.

To help you dive into Monster Hunter Wilds, we've compiled essential guides and resources. Check out what the game doesn't tell you, a comprehensive guide to all 14 weapon types, and our ongoing Monster Hunter Wilds walkthrough. For those interested in multiplayer, we have a guide on how to play with friends, and if you participated in the open betas, learn how to transfer your Monster Hunter Wilds Beta character.

IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, stating, "Monster Hunter Wilds continues to smooth off the rougher corners of the series in smart ways, making for some extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge."