"Monster Hunter Wilds: Inspired by FFXIV and Witcher 3 Collabs - IGN"

Monster Hunter Wilds brings a host of new changes, features, and quality-of-life improvements to the beloved Monster Hunter series. Interestingly, the seeds for these innovations were planted during the crossover events of Monster Hunter World. Key influences came from suggestions by Final Fantasy 14's director, Naoki Yoshida, during the FFXIV crossover, and the positive reception to The Witcher 3 crossover, which directly shaped new gameplay elements in Monster Hunter Wilds.

The collaboration with Naoki Yoshida, known as Yoshi-P, during the FFXIV crossover event for Monster Hunter: World, sparked a significant change in Monster Hunter Wilds. Yoshi-P suggested that players enjoy seeing the names of their attacks displayed on screen as they execute them. This idea inspired the new heads-up display (HUD) feature in Monster Hunter Wilds, where attack names are now visible during combat. This feature was initially tested during the 2018 FFXIV crossover event in Monster Hunter: World, which included unique elements like catchable Cactuars, a giant Kulu-Ya-Ku with a crystal, and the challenging Behemoth fight. In the Behemoth fight, players could see the monster's attack names displayed, similar to how it's done in MMORPGs. Furthermore, the Jump emote, inspired by Final Fantasy's Dragoon, also showcased this feature by displaying "[Hunter] performs Jump" on screen when used.

The positive feedback from the FFXIV collaboration directly influenced the development of Monster Hunter Wilds' HUD.

The Witcher 3 crossover also played a pivotal role in shaping Monster Hunter Wilds. Director Yuya Tokuda was inspired by the dialogue options and gameplay elements introduced in the collaboration. In the crossover, players took on the role of Geralt of Rivia, who speaks and engages in conversations with other characters, a stark contrast to the silent protagonists of previous Monster Hunter games. The positive reception to this feature encouraged the development team to include a speaking protagonist and more dialogue options in Monster Hunter Wilds, enhancing the game's narrative depth and player engagement.

The influence of The Witcher 3 crossover is evident in the more interactive and dialogue-rich gameplay of Monster Hunter Wilds.

Although Monster Hunter Wilds was not in active development during the time of these collaborations, Tokuda was already contemplating future directions for the series. He personally pursued the opportunity to collaborate with CD Projekt Red for the The Witcher 3 crossover, which proved to be highly successful.

These insights were revealed during an exclusive visit to Capcom's Japan offices as part of IGN First, where further details about Monster Hunter Wilds were shared, including hands-on previews, in-depth interviews, and exclusive gameplay footage.