During a closed-door preview of Monster Hunter Wilds, we had the opportunity to sit down and interview Ryozo Tsujimoto and Kaname Fujioka from Capcom to explore the upcoming installment of the beloved monster-hunting franchise. The interview revealed a wealth of insights into the game’s design philosophy, innovative features of Monster Hunter Wilds, and the team’s nuanced approach to evolving the Monster Hunter experience.
World-Building and Storytelling: A New Narrative Approach
Monster Hunter Wilds marks a significant departure from previous titles in terms of storytelling. While Monster Hunter: World focused primarily on monster ecology, this new installment aims to create a more complex narrative ecosystem. As Kaname Fujioka eloquently explained, “The main theme is expressing the ecology of monsters, but this time also adding people and humans into that mix, combining monsters and humans, and relating that back to the hunter themselves.”
Fujioka further elaborated on the narrative approach: “We want to reveal a different dynamic than everybody has seen so far, exploring how humans feel about hunters and their existence in the Monster Hunter universe.” The game explores the relationship between humans and monsters in unprecedented depth, with Fujioka noting that the story will “kind of reveal a different dynamic than everybody has seen so far.”
The developers have been careful to maintain player choice. As Fujioka emphasized, “If a player did want to just focus on the action, just play Monster Hunter going from quest to quest, that’s totally possible. However, if a player skips everything, there will definitely be a lack of understanding of the story we wanted to tell.”
Monster Design: Crafting Living, Breathing Creatures
The design of monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds represents a fascinating balance between tradition and innovation. When asked about incorporating first-generation monsters like Congalala and Yian Kut-Ku, known for their more comical behavior, alongside newer, more realistic monsters, Fujioka was clear: “Every monster that’s appeared so far in the series is part of the entire Monster Hunter universe. There wasn’t any need to change the past monsters’ behavior or tone to fit the current generation.”
Fujioka shared the core philosophy behind monster creation: “The team really focuses on developing the monster as it would have been a real living being. We think about all the details going into their behavior and how they interact with the environment – what do they eat normally, what would they be doing when they’re not fighting the hunter?”
The challenge of creating unique monsters is a constant battle. As Fujioka candidly admitted, “One of the most challenging aspects of developing monsters is ensuring each new monster’s characteristics and abilities are new and interesting, while still being grounded in reality.” He added, “You can’t just have monsters doing whatever within their fragment as long as it’s interesting. It has to match its ecology and the origin story of the monster itself.”
Technological advancements have been crucial in bringing more complex monster designs to life. Fujioka highlighted the possibilities: “With hardware and technological improvements, we can now create concepts that weren’t possible before.” This includes rendering large herds of monsters simultaneously and creating more intricate monster movements, such as the tentacled “Black Flame” monster.
Environmental Design: Dynamic Ecosystems
The environmental design in Monster Hunter Wilds showcases Capcom’s commitment to creating living, breathing ecosystems. One of the most striking examples is the Scarlet Forest, featuring a dramatic transformation where the water shifts from blue to red during weather changes. When asked about the creative process behind this unique locale, Fujioka revealed that while they initially planned for a traditional lush forest setting, they wanted to differentiate it from Monster Hunter: World’s forest areas.
“When he was kind of trying to map out the color schemes of each locale, he kind of just tried making the water just completely red just to see how it would look. And it was a very striking image,” Fujioka explained. This initial experimentation led to deeper ecological considerations: “When we made the water red, we had to think about the entire ecology of the environment. We went back to think about the scientific and realistic reasons why the color would turn red.”
The environmental transformation of the Scarlet Forest showcases the locale in Monster Hunter Wilds.
As Fujioka explained, this concept “informed the world building of the entire locale itself, thinking about how it would move between the different phases of the locales that we have this time in Monster Hunter Wilds.” This dramatic transformation required the development team to carefully consider not just the visual aspects, but also how to make these environmental changes feel natural within the game’s ecosystem.
The technological advancements have enabled more complex environmental interactions than ever before. “With the kind of improvement of hardware and technologies, there has been new concepts that have been able to be realized in the newer games,” Fujioka explained. This includes the ability to render “herds of big monsters” simultaneously, which “would definitely have been really hard and almost not possible” in previous games. These improvements allow for more dynamic and populated environments that feel truly alive.
The expansive nature of these environments also influenced core gameplay mechanics, as evidenced by the introduction of the Seikret mount. As Fujioka explained, they needed to “tie in its design aspects to the fact that this time in Monster Hunter Wilds, you have the hunter kind of being in a very expensive field and their freedom to roam whatever they want, to fight whatever monsters they want without having the need to return to base camp every single time.”
Gameplay Innovation & The Seikret – More Than Just a Mount
The Seikret represents a significant departure from the Palamutes of previous games. Ryozo Tsujimoto explained the key differences: “Palamutes and Seikret both serve as mounts, but they are completely different existences with completely different purposes.”
Kaname Fujioka delved deeper into the Seikret’s design: “We designed it with four limbs instead of two, with the ability to glide through the sky. The goal was to support the hunter’s traversal in the expansive Forbidden Lands.” The practical considerations were significant, with Fujioka noting, “We needed to tie its design to the fact that hunters can now freely roam the field without returning to base camp every single time.”
The design was intentionally created to maintain gameplay immersion. “It doesn’t break the progression for the player having to go back to the base camp every single time to change their weapon or items,” Fujioka explained.
Balancing Accessibility and Depth
The developers were keenly aware of potential concerns about the game becoming too easy. Ryozo Tsujimoto addressed this directly: “The game might seem easier to experienced players who quickly adapt to new systems, but for first-time players and veterans alike, there are many new aspects to learn.”
He emphasized the game’s complexity: “When you’re encountering the game for the first time, no matter if you’re a newcomer or a veteran, there is definitely that need to get used to the game, how it works in general, just because it’s a completely new game with new aspects to it.”
Tsujimoto reassured fans about the game’s depth: “The game cycle itself has not been watered down. The truly meaty, core Monster Hunter experience comes after clearing the base game, with event quests and high-level content for veterans to explore.”
Customization and Inclusivity: Breaking Traditional Barriers
A standout feature in Monster Hunter Wilds is the removal of gender-locked armor. Fujioka explained the rationale: “In the past, when you were relegated to one single gender, the options for armor design were very limited. Now, no matter what gender you pick, you can wear any armor, which bolsters customization for players.”
This change required significant technological development. Tsujimoto noted, “We actually had to completely overhaul the modeling of the hunter itself. In the past, it was really hard to have both gender-type armor apply to the same hunter because of the modeling and rendering.”
The decision was driven by fan feedback, with Tsujimoto adding, “A lot of fans actually asked for this design change, and now we have the resources to do so.”
Monster Hunter Wilds appears to be a meticulously crafted evolution of the series. As Tsujimoto beautifully summarized, the game aims to express “the uniqueness of Monster Hunter” – highlighting the series’ distinctive design and gameplay progression.
Fujioka’s final words capture the essence of their approach: “We put all of our love into every single aspect of the game,” promising an experience that honors the series’ legacy while pushing its boundaries.
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