The developer of Palworld, Japanese studio Pocketpair, recently announced a unique gesture towards its employees. On February 28, the official release date of Monster Hunter Wilds, Pocketpair granted its staff a day off to enjoy the game. This decision came after the studio received several "mysterious" notices from employees, who humorously claimed they would be "feeling unwell" on the game's launch day. Despite this fun break, Pocketpair reassured fans that the development and updates on their own games would continue unaffected.
Monster Hunter Wilds has made a significant impact since its launch, achieving over 1 million concurrent players on Steam alone. This impressive number has propelled the game into Steam's top 10 most-played games of all time, surpassing popular titles such as Baldur's Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy, and Elden Ring. Despite its success, the game has received a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam, prompting Capcom to release official guidance to address PC performance issues. Additionally, Capcom has teased early details about Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub for players.
The launch of Monster Hunter Wilds has had a notable effect globally, especially in Japan, where its influence has been particularly pronounced. An indie developer in Japan even took to social media to jokingly lament that they hadn't sold a single game on Steam since Monster Hunter Wilds was released. This isn't the first time Pocketpair has shown such generosity; they previously gave their staff a day off to play FromSoftware's Elden Ring in 2022.
To aid players in their Monster Hunter Wilds journey, there are numerous resources available. These include guides on what the game doesn't explicitly tell you, a comprehensive overview of all 14 weapon types, and an ongoing detailed walkthrough. For those interested in multiplayer, there's a guide on how to play with friends, and for participants of the open betas, instructions on how to transfer their beta characters to the full game.
IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, praising the game for its smooth gameplay and enjoyable fights, though it noted a lack of real challenge in the series' progression.
