Monster Hunter Wilds Protag Aims to Conserve, Not Eradicate Monsters

The Monster Hunter series is renowned for its epic battles against colossal beasts, but Capcom is set to deepen the narrative by emphasizing the intricate relationship between hunters and the natural world. Dive into the exciting developments awaiting fans in Monster Hunter Wilds!

Monster Hunter Wilds Will Focus On Humans And Nature

A Deeper Understanding Of What It Means To Be A Hunter

The essence of the Monster Hunter series lies in the portrayal of hunters as stewards of nature, facilitating a symbiotic relationship between humans and monsters. Capcom’s development team is eager to spotlight this theme further in Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds), while also enriching the protagonist's personality.

The core theme of MH Wilds revolves around the delicate balance between nature, humanity, and the creatures that inhabit their world. In an interview with PC Gamer, game director Yuya Tokuda stated, "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 theme to life, MH Wilds will feature an increased focus on dialogue, allowing players to imbue their hunter characters with more personality. Tokuda highlighted the diverse cast of characters like Nata and Olivia, who hail from different backgrounds and approach the monster situation 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 represents a departure from the series' tradition of silent protagonists and limited dialogue, yet it won’t compromise the core combat experience. "There may be players who prefer to skip all that and just go 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," Tokuda reassured. This is just the beginning, as the director teased "many other things planned down the line" that will further explore the bond between humans and nature.

For a deeper dive into the themes and narratives of Monster Hunter, be sure to check out Game8’s featured article on What Monster Hunter Is Really About.