FFXIV and Witcher 3 Collabs Inspire Monster Hunter Wilds - IGN

Monster Hunter Wilds introduces a host of exciting changes, new features, and quality-of-life enhancements to the beloved Monster Hunter series. Interestingly, the seeds for these innovations were planted during the crossover events of Monster Hunter: World. Notably, insights from Final Fantasy XIV's director, Naoki Yoshida, during the FFXIV crossover, and the positive feedback from The Witcher 3 crossover, directly influenced the development of new gameplay elements in Monster Hunter Wilds.

How Final Fantasy XIV’s Director Influenced Monster Hunter Wilds

During the collaboration on the Monster Hunter: World and FFXIV crossover, Naoki Yoshida, known as Yoshi-P, suggested to Monster Hunter Wilds Director Yuya Tokuda that players appreciate seeing the names of their attacks displayed on screen as they execute them. This feedback inspired a new feature in the HUD of Monster Hunter Wilds, as illustrated in the image above.

A glimpse of this feature was first seen during the 2018 FFXIV crossover event in Monster Hunter: World. This event was a grand collaboration that introduced elements like catchable Cactuars, a giant Kulu-Ya-Ku with a crystal hunted to Chocobo music, and the stunning Drachen armor set, among others. A highlight of the event was the challenging Behemoth fight, where players could see the boss's moves displayed on screen, similar to MMORPGs. This can be seen in the video below.

After successfully repelling Behemoth, players unlocked the Jump emote, inspired by the Dragoon's movements in Final Fantasy. When using this emote, the text "[Hunter] performs Jump" appears on screen, marking one of the earliest instances of such a feature in Monster Hunter.

Drachen armor set, Gae Bolg Insect Glaive, and Dragon Soul Kinsect, part of the FFXIV collaboration in Monster Hunter World. Courtesy Capcom. ### How The Witcher 3 Influenced Monster Hunter Wilds

Yuya Tokuda, director of Monster Hunter Wilds, was inspired by comparisons between the game's new dialogue options and some gameplay elements to The Witcher 3. The successful Monster Hunter: World and The Witcher 3 collaboration served as a testbed for gauging player reactions to increased dialogue and options within a Monster Hunter game.

In the Monster Hunter: World and The Witcher 3 crossover, players take on the role of Geralt of Rivia, who speaks and engages in conversations, allowing for dialogue choices. This was a departure from the silent protagonist of previous Monster Hunter games. In Monster Hunter Wilds, players can now enjoy a voiced protagonist who interacts with NPCs, as seen in the image below.

Monster Hunter Wilds' customizable playable character initiating dialogue with Alma, an NPC.Tokuda mentioned that while Monster Hunter Wilds was not in active development during the World collaborations, he was already contemplating future possibilities for the series. He specifically sought out a collaboration with The Witcher 3, which proved to be a resounding success.

This fascinating insight was shared during our exclusive visit to Capcom’s Japan offices as part of this month’s IGN First. Be sure to check out the full hands-on, final preview of Monster Hunter Wilds, new in-depth interviews, and other exclusive gameplay from January’s Monster Hunter Wilds IGN First:

Behind Monster Hunter Wilds' New Approach to Starting Weapons and Hope Series GearMonster Hunter Wilds Interview and Gameplay: Meet Nu Udra, Apex of the Oilwell BasinEvolving Monster Hunter: How Capcom’s Belief in the Series Made it a Worldwide Hit Monster Hunter Wilds: Gravios Returns in This Exclusive Gameplay