Monster Hunter Wilds Says Goodbye to Gender-Specific Armor SetsFashion Hunting is Officially the Endgame
For years, Monster Hunter players have dreamt of a world where hulking armor sets weren’t restricted to burly hunters and sleek skirts weren’t locked away from their female counterparts. Well, dream no longer! During the Monster Hunter Wilds Developer Stream on Gamescom yesterday, Capcom confirmed a long-awaited change for the upcoming title: Armor sets will no longer be gender-locked.
"In previous Monster Hunter games, male and female armor were separate," said one of Capcom’s developers while showcasing the starting armors in the game’s camp. "I’m happy to confirm that in Monster Hunter Wilds, there’s no more male and female armor. All characters can wear any gear."
"WE DEFEATED GENDER," a Reddit user declared humorously in response to the news. Joy rippled throughout the Monster Hunter community, especially among the dedicated "fashion hunters" who prioritize aesthetics alongside or rather than raw stats. Previously, players were limited to the specific designs assigned to their chosen character's gender. This meant missing out on coveted armor pieces simply because they were categorized as "male" or "female."
Imagine wanting to rock the Rathian skirt as a male character or look like a football player with the Daimyo Hermitaur set as a female character, only to discover these options were exclusive to the opposite gender. This was a frustrating limitation in the past, as male armor designs often leaned towards bulky aesthetics, while female armor sets tended to be more revealing than some players preferred.
The issue extended beyond aesthetics in some cases. Monster Hunter: World, for instance, introduced a voucher system for players who wanted to change their character’s gender and appearance. The first voucher is given to all players for free, but subsequent vouchers have to be bought for $3. This meant players who initially chose a character of a gender but later desired the aesthetics of a specific armor set locked to the other, had to pay real money just to complete their dream look without having to create a new save.
While Capcom hasn’t officially announced anything specific, it’s highly probable that Wilds will have the "layered armor" system of previous games. This means players can mix and match their favorite looks without sacrificing stats. This, paired with the removal of gendered sets, opens up an array of possibilities for player expression.
Capcom had more in store at Gamescom than just gendered armor sets. The latest trailer introduced two new monsters to the hunt: Lala Barina and Rey Dau. For more on Monster Hunter Wilds’ new features and monsters, check out the article below!
