The developer of Palworld, Japanese studio Pocketpair, has shown its playful side by giving its staff a day off to enjoy the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds. As reported by Automaton, Pocketpair received numerous "mysterious" notices from employees claiming they would likely be "feeling unwell" on the game's release day, February 28. In a humorous nod to their team's enthusiasm, Pocketpair declared the day a sort of holiday, ensuring fans that this wouldn't impact updates on their own games.
Monster Hunter Wilds has hit the ground running, boasting an impressive 1 million concurrent players on Steam, which is enough to secure its spot in the platform's top 10 most-played games of all time. This achievement places it ahead of blockbuster titles like Baldur's Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy, and Elden Ring. However, despite its popularity, the game has received a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam. In response, Capcom has issued official guidance to address PC performance issues and has teased early details about Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which promises to introduce an endgame social hub.
The impact of Monster Hunter Wilds' launch has been felt worldwide, with a particularly strong resonance in Japan. Automaton highlighted a local indie developer's humorous social media post claiming no sales on Steam since Monster Hunter Wilds' release. It's worth noting that Pocketpair has a history of such gestures, having previously given its staff a day off for the launch of FromSoftware's Elden Ring in 2022.
To help players dive into Monster Hunter Wilds, there are several resources available. Guides cover what the game doesn't explicitly tell you, a comprehensive breakdown of all 14 weapon types, a detailed walkthrough currently in progress, and a multiplayer guide to help you team up with friends. Additionally, if you participated in any of the open betas, there's information on how to transfer your beta character into the full game.
IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, praising the game for refining the series' mechanics in intelligent ways, leading to enjoyable battles, though it noted a lack of significant challenge.
