Monster Hunter Wilds Developers Talk Weapon Changes – IGN First

ign.com:

Players prepare themselves each time a new Monster Hunter is released, wondering how their favorite weapon will feel in their hands in the upcoming game.

Each of the 14 weapon types displays its own unique characteristics while still changing to fit the design of each new title. Monster Hunter: World did away with segmenting off each area during a quest, while Monster Hunter Rise is notable for its Wirebug action. The weapons that feel at home in the hunters' hands show a new side of themselves in line with a game's design. So, what kinds of concepts guided the tuning of each weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds, a game that aims to create a seamless hunting experience?

To hear about these weapon details that act as determining gameplay factors, we spoke with the Monster Hunter Wilds art director and executive director, Kaname Fujioka, and Wilds director, Yuya Tokuda. Fujioka was also the director of the first Monster Hunter game, while Tokuda has had a hand in the series since Monster Hunter Freedom.

In the interview, we heard about the concept and development process for various weapons, garnering new details on weapons that players have been particularly interested in, as well as the kinds of adjustments made for the release version of the game after the feedback they received from the November 2024 Open Beta Test.

Tokuda starts by saying that significant changes needed to be made to how a number of weapons are used due to major shifts in the gameplay loop, affected by Wilds’ seamless map and changing weather conditions.

"There are a number of large changes to the Light and Heavy Bowgun, as well as the Bow," he says.

While previous Monster Hunter titles featured a routine of returning to your base to replenish your resources after each quest, Wilds aims to offer seamless play, making this process no longer required. Ranged weapons in Monster Hunter historically use consumable ammo and coatings, so there was a possibility that they would be more of a burden to use in Wilds