"FFXIV and Witcher 3 Inspire Monster Hunter Wilds - IGN"

Monster Hunter Wilds brings a fresh wave of changes, new features, and quality-of-life improvements to the beloved Monster Hunter series. What you might not know is that the seeds for these innovations were planted during the crossover events of Monster Hunter World. Specifically, insights from Final Fantasy 14's director, Naoki Yoshida, during the FFXIV crossover, and the enthusiastic response to The Witcher 3 crossover, directly influenced new gameplay elements in Monster Hunter Wilds.

During the collaboration on the Monster Hunter: World and FFXIV crossover, Naoki Yoshida, affectionately known as Yoshi-P, suggested a feature that would show attack names on screen as they're executed. This conversation led to a significant change in Monster Hunter Wilds' heads-up display (HUD). This new feature was first tested in the 2018 FFXIV crossover event in Monster Hunter: World, which included unique elements like catchable Cactuars and a challenging fight against Behemoth. The Behemoth battle notably displayed its moves on screen, a common feature in MMORPGs. Additionally, the Jump emote, inspired by Final Fantasy's Dragoon, displayed the text "[Hunter] performs Jump" on screen, marking a precursor to the HUD changes in Wilds.

This image highlights the new HUD feature in Monster Hunter Wilds, a direct result of Yoshi-P's suggestion.

The Witcher 3's influence on Monster Hunter Wilds came from the positive reception to the Monster Hunter: World crossover event where players could control Geralt of Rivia. This event introduced dialogue options and a speaking protagonist, features that resonated well with players. Monster Hunter Wilds director Yuya Tokuda was inspired by this, leading to the inclusion of similar elements in Wilds, where players can now engage in conversations with NPCs and have a voiced protagonist.

Although Monster Hunter Wilds was not in active development during these crossover events, Tokuda was already contemplating future possibilities for the series. His proactive approach in seeking a collaboration with The Witcher 3's developers, CD Projekt Red, paid off, enhancing the gameplay experience in Monster Hunter Wilds.

These insights were shared during our exclusive visit to Capcom's Japan offices as part of IGN First this month. For more in-depth coverage, don't miss our hands-on preview, interviews, and exclusive gameplay from Monster Hunter Wilds 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