Monster Hunter Celebrates 20 Years with Retrospective Insight from Directors

Monster Hunter directors reflected on 20 years of iconic game design as CAPCOM hosted a special “Monster Hunter Grand Exhibition” that featured a historical retrospective showcasing the series’ evolution over the past two decades. As part of the exhibition, the “Monster Hunter History Zone” displayed a wall and figurine display that chronicled the franchise’s journey, accompanied by insightful commentary from the game’s directors.

Monster Hunter Director Commentary

Kaname Fujioka, director of the original Monster Hunter, Monster Hunter 2, and Monster Hunter: World, recounted the development of the series’ first hunting action game. “I remember the moment during the first multiplayer test play when we implemented monster part breaking. When the players cut off the tail of the Rathian right before our eyes, everyone’s excitement skyrocketed, shouting ‘It’s cut off!’ We were so thrilled that we all mindlessly swarmed to carve the tail, only to be blown away by the Rathian’s breath attack.” At that moment, I thought, ‘This game is going to be great.'”

Additionally, Yasunori Ichinose, director of the Monster Hunter Portable series and Monster Hunter Rise, shared insights on the challenges they faced in adapting the game for portable consoles. “Since we designed the original game with online play in mind, optimizing it for the portable console environment took a lot of time. We had to adjust the communication design, game cycle, positioning of subspecies monsters, Event Quests, and overall game balance.”

Director Yasunori Ichinose

Q: Were there any challenges in adjusting the game for the first portable console?

A: Since the original game was designed with online play in mind, optimizing it for the portable console environment took a lot of time. We had to adjust the communication design, game cycle, positioning of subspecies monsters, Event Quests, and overall game balance.

Q: How did you decide on the control scheme that has influenced recent titles?

A: Due to a lack of available buttons, we had to start by organizing the actions, which led to the current control scheme. Ideally, we would have liked to conduct various tests and evaluations, but because the development period was short and we didn’t have enough time, we went ahead with the control scheme in its almost final form from the beginning of development.

Ichinose also discussed the evolution of the series’ iconic control scheme, stating, “Due to a lack of available buttons, we had to start by organizing the actions, which led to the current control scheme. Ideally, we would have liked to conduct various tests and evaluations, but because the development period was short and we didn’t have enough time, we went ahead with the control scheme in its almost final form from the beginning of development.”

The Monster Hunter Grand Exhibition, which runs until September 2024, offers fans a unique opportunity to delve into the rich history and development process of this beloved franchise.

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