Monster Hunter Wilds (aka MH6) - speculations, launches early 2025

[Anonona]

Is the blonde chick wit the nice tiddies the new handler? Huge upgrade if true.

It seems that we will be traveling with the same crew as MH4, so the blonde woman will probably be our blacksmith, while the one with glasses is the handler (she was the Guildmarm, so I guess she will be the handler in Wilds), if they retain their original roles from 4

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Damned Registrations]

Worms look cool.

 

[Perkel]

Yeah leviathans are in. I wonder if it will have water gameplay in it. So far everything looks sandy but i have no doubt there is more stuff. They already made simple attack animations when riding so making simplified underwater animations should be on menu.

And since it is mh4-2 i hope they will bring back Najarala and narscylla. My favorite mid grade monsters to fight from mh4.

 

[Perkel]

I want to go back to prediction, rumors and stuff i heard and compare it to what we have. So far predictions seems to be on point with unknowns still waiting to be confirmed. I hope watergameplay will make a comeback, especially since they created simplified animations for combat while riding raptor.

RELEASE DETAILS AND PLATFORMS (pretty solid rumors):
(game was delayed by a year and trailer was shown few months later) Trailer and announcement will happen at Games Awards on December 7 2023 with PR campaign starting heavily in middle of december.
Simultaneous worldwide release for both PC and consoles (unlike before), mostly due to World (5th gen) selling the most on PC.
(It was a different game) Capcom in latest investors call said that they will release MAJOR unannounced game in march 2024.
Capcom leak from 2020 leaked both MH Rise and MH 6th gen before they were officially announced and so far every single unannounced game.
(sort of) MH6 will be launched on PC/PS4/PS5/Xboxes/Switch and Iphones. Only so far announced ps5/xbox/pc (still up in air, if they will announce second version it will be on some nintendo stream and then apple event later this year. Focus mode was officially shown which seems to confirm it.)
There will be two versions with same mechanics but different graphics.
PC/PS5/SeriesX will get high end version.
PS4/Switch and Iphones will get lower end version. Switch sets the bar for PS4/Iphone.
It will run on REX engine which is heavily modified RE engine to make next gen looking games.
there are rumors that there won't be G-rank/master version anymore it will be now tied to overarching story with live service.
game is designed as complete live service game and game will be updated much more than it used to in World or Rise
heavy microtransaction store shenanigans. Almost nothing gameplay wise but ton of cosmetics, wings and other garbage like decorations to player room etc.
Capcom heavily invested into game. Huge headcount, huge sales predictions at 50mil over lifetime.
Unlike all other MH games this is 4 year project as there will be no "portable version" like MH Rise was.

GAMEPLAY AND CONTENT(less solid rumors):
6th gen when it comes to combat mechanics will be more of a progression rather than big shakeup like World was
(constant hinting) Heavy rumors that it will have actual open world not just open zones.
Content wise it will be the biggest MH game for new generation. Largest base MH was MH4 with 50 monsters. World had half of that.
16th weapon introduction but much like in MH Tri it won't have full tree
All of weapons will get moveset refreshes. 2 weapons apparently will get major rework
Dogs will not make comeback to mainline from Rise. (we got instead those raptors)
NPCs that can join you offline on hunt will be featured again in major way. Devs apparently loved that. (shown gameplay)
Main story is focused on party of newbie hunters (including you) that will hunt with you on main quests and you will be able to take them on sidequests.
end game will have some sort of overarching story as live service game that will progress with new monsters introduced in updates that will culminate in some event that will introduce master/grank mode upon which base end game will be removed and end game will be only in master/grank mode.
Underwater combat makes comback but it won't be focus of whole game. Effectively a supporting role for monsters than used to have it like Laga, Ludorch or Plesioth. It will be a feature only on one part of map.
"Portable" features like better cat management etc. will be in base version but not crazy movesets and speed known from Rise/Generations
(focus mode) There will be some sort of assist mode/easy mode for phones (due to problems with input)

 

[toro]

Monster Hunter Wilds | Summer Game Fest 2024 Previews:
• "The next generation of Monster Hunter"
• Seamless transitions between village and wilds with no loading screens
• Dynamic day and night system affects what monsters appear and their behavior
• Dynamic weather with rain, lightning strikes, dust storms, etc
• Map is "twice the size" of any other Monster Hunter game before
• Quests can be dynamically started in the field without the need for a quest board
• You can now swap weapons mid-hunt from your mount
• New mounts called Seikrets are more agile than Palamutes
• Attack, pick up items, and even swap weapons while mounted
• Mounts have an auto-run feature that will take you to a pinned destination
• Continue exploring freely after completing a quest, doesn't force you back to camp
• Large monsters can now run in herds
• As usual, monsters can interact and fight with each other as well
• Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, and Hunting Horn have seen some of the biggest changes to make them feel better
• Capcom placed a big focus on the story this time including playing with camera angles and cinematics
• Online co-op has seen matchmaking improvements
• Playing through the story in multiplayer is more convenient but there are still some story moments you have to watch solo
• 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

 

[Elttharion]

Monster Hunter Wilds | Summer Game Fest 2024 Previews:
• "The next generation of Monster Hunter"
• Seamless transitions between village and wilds with no loading screens
• Dynamic day and night system affects what monsters appear and their behavior
• Dynamic weather with rain, lightning strikes, dust storms, etc
• Map is "twice the size" of any other Monster Hunter game before
• Quests can be dynamically started in the field without the need for a quest board
• You can now swap weapons mid-hunt from your mount
• New mounts called Seikrets are more agile than Palamutes
• Attack, pick up items, and even swap weapons while mounted
• Mounts have an auto-run feature that will take you to a pinned destination
• Continue exploring freely after completing a quest, doesn't force you back to camp
• Large monsters can now run in herds
• As usual, monsters can interact and fight with each other as well
• Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, and Hunting Horn have seen some of the biggest changes to make them feel better
• Capcom placed a big focus on the story this time including playing with camera angles and cinematics
• Online co-op has seen matchmaking improvements
• Playing through the story in multiplayer is more convenient but there are still some story moments you have to watch solo
• 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

• Capcom placed a big focus on the story this time including playing with camera angles and cinematics

Please let me skip all this crap

 

[Perkel]

“We approach each title on its own terms,” Tsujimoto said. “We’ve moved forward with the times from the days with the divided maps – now even the base area and the field itself is seamlessly traversable.”

 

[Perkel]

Some impressions from people who know stuff rather than being gamejourno losers:

- Only one area in demo, they don't know if it will be connected or it will be part of greater map.
- Developers played game not them.
- zone in demo is like 2-3 times bigger than Wildspire Waste
- zone has 3 levels of verticality unlike WW.
- there are 3 seasons in that zone. normal, sandstorm, "bountiful"
- each time season changes completely zone, look, what monsters roam, what can you find etc.
- heavy focus on heard behaviors.
- heavy focus on ecosystem on massive scale.
- to hunt some monsters you will have to find a way to fish them out of heard otherwise you will be hunting whole heard
- developers said there is no longer limit on maximum amount of monsters (MHW had 3 monster limit)
- which means that some monsters could be multiple on same map if it makes sense.
- turf wars are back and expanded more than ever
- turf wars are key component to how to deal with heards
- you find camp spots and you unlock new camps to which later you can travel.
- camps can be destroyed by monsters
- main camp is connected to map, no loadings or anything.
- everything is seamless when it comes to movement from camp or going on a quest
- monster mounting is back in similar form to MHW
- mantles are back (guile mantle was shown)
- new sneak attack that does massive damage if monster doesn't see you.
- SOS flare form MHW is back
- If you play offline it will call 3 NPCS to fight with you
- quests now function more like expeditions from MHW, once you finish quest there is no timer and you have still active quest until you return it.
- once monster is dead monster body is now physical so you can step on it and carve it rather than vanish into it
- trailers don't give game justice at all. Game looks amazing and performance is amazing too, animations, lighting etc. everything is next level.
- feels like proper sequel to MHW.

 

[Damned Registrations]

Now I want to see a whole herd taken down at once with just an absolute fuckton of barrel bombs.

 

[Elttharion]

I really hope they expand on environmental hazards and interactions. Planting timed bombs to creat ambushes, setting cannons and other stuff on cliffs and canions, dropping rocks to separate and disrupt a herd. Stuff like that.

 

[Grampy_Bone]

- main camp is connected to map, no loadings or anything.
- everything is seamless when it comes to movement from camp or going on a quest

- quests now function more like expeditions from MHW, once you finish quest there is no timer and you have still active quest until you return it.

I heard the quest board is gone too. It's like Christmas, I'm getting everything I wanted.

 

[Lyre Mors]

Really hoping they bring the actual tracking and hunting elements back in a significant way. Please no more scoutflies.

 

[Cheesedragon117]

Monster Hunter Wilds | Summer Game Fest 2024 Previews:
• "The next generation of Monster Hunter"
• Seamless transitions between village and wilds with no loading screens
• Dynamic day and night system affects what monsters appear and their behavior
• Dynamic weather with rain, lightning strikes, dust storms, etc
• Map is "twice the size" of any other Monster Hunter game before
• Quests can be dynamically started in the field without the need for a quest board
• You can now swap weapons mid-hunt from your mount
• New mounts called Seikrets are more agile than Palamutes
• Attack, pick up items, and even swap weapons while mounted
• Mounts have an auto-run feature that will take you to a pinned destination
• Continue exploring freely after completing a quest, doesn't force you back to camp
• Large monsters can now run in herds
• As usual, monsters can interact and fight with each other as well
• Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, and Hunting Horn have seen some of the biggest changes to make them feel better
• Capcom placed a big focus on the story this time including playing with camera angles and cinematics
• Online co-op has seen matchmaking improvements
• Playing through the story in multiplayer is more convenient but there are still some story moments you have to watch solo
• 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

• Capcom placed a big focus on the story this time including playing with camera angles and cinematics

Please let me skip all this crap

I don't think this means what you think it means at all.

Once you're done with the story in MH, it's completely out of your way. You never have to sit through it again, and you can ignore the optional storylines. The only thing that's changing is more scripted sequences that actually contain gameplay, which is an improvement.

Really hoping they bring the actual tracking and hunting elements back in a significant way. Please no more scoutflies.

Really? I don't know about past games, but I think the Scoutfly system still let you have some freedom in tracking down the monster. You have to find a bunch of their tracks/traces to slowly work your way over to them. Though I do admit, the Scoutfly/Research Level system in World kinda defeats the purpose/cool factor of the Scoutflies, since once you've maxxed out the Research Levels for all monsters, they are always marked on the map, and you only have to grab one track to bring it to level 3.

I would like a happy medium between the old and new systems, where the max amount of guidance the Scoutflies give is to the next track or trace, but there are armor skills (Like Scenthound or Scoutfly Range Up) that can return things to the more relaxed system of tracking monsters, if you choose to equip them. They could even give those skills multiple levels.

 

[Lyre Mors]

Really? I don't know about past games, but I think the Scoutfly system still let you have some freedom in tracking down the monster. You have to find a bunch of their tracks/traces to slowly work your way over to them. Though I do admit, the Scoutfly/Research Level system in World kinda defeats the purpose/cool factor of the Scoutflies, since once you've maxxed out the Research Levels for all monsters, they are always marked on the map, and you only have to grab one track to bring it to level 3.

I would like a happy medium between the old and new systems, where the max amount of guidance the Scoutflies give is to the next track or trace, but there are armor skills (Like Scenthound or Scoutfly Range Up) that can return things to the more relaxed system of tracking monsters, if you choose to equip them. They could even give those skills multiple levels.

I'm fine with scoutflies as long as you can turn them off in some way. Research is a fine system, but it felt very ineffectual and somewhat pointless early on. I want more use of bait, environment recognition and utilization, specific trap usage, etc. More attention put on the prep and execution, rather than just smacking on monsters over and over. I love smacking on monsters, but I liked in the earlier titles when you really had to work for a hunt, especially in earlier quests.

EDIT: Actually, no, I'm not okay with scoutflies at all, even if you can turn them off. If you're doing any kind of multiplayer with randoms, they will always follow the path of least resistance to get to the monster as soon as they possibly can. Fuck highlighting and quest marker mechanics. Getting immersed in the field and having to pay close attention to your surroundings is a much better, non-casual option that's overall much more engaging. Thus they'll probably never do it again.

 

[Elttharion]

Monster Hunter Wilds | Summer Game Fest 2024 Previews:
• "The next generation of Monster Hunter"
• Seamless transitions between village and wilds with no loading screens
• Dynamic day and night system affects what monsters appear and their behavior
• Dynamic weather with rain, lightning strikes, dust storms, etc
• Map is "twice the size" of any other Monster Hunter game before
• Quests can be dynamically started in the field without the need for a quest board
• You can now swap weapons mid-hunt from your mount
• New mounts called Seikrets are more agile than Palamutes
• Attack, pick up items, and even swap weapons while mounted
• Mounts have an auto-run feature that will take you to a pinned destination
• Continue exploring freely after completing a quest, doesn't force you back to camp
• Large monsters can now run in herds
• As usual, monsters can interact and fight with each other as well
• Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, and Hunting Horn have seen some of the biggest changes to make them feel better
• Capcom placed a big focus on the story this time including playing with camera angles and cinematics
• Online co-op has seen matchmaking improvements
• Playing through the story in multiplayer is more convenient but there are still some story moments you have to watch solo
• 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

• Capcom placed a big focus on the story this time including playing with camera angles and cinematics

Please let me skip all this crap

I don't think this means what you think it means at all.

Once you're done with the story in MH, it's completely out of your way. You never have to sit through it again, and you can ignore the optional storylines. The only thing that's changing is more scripted sequences that actually contain gameplay, which is an improvement.

I know this, obviously.

Tokuda said that while there would still be a few instances where a cutscene would need to be viewed before you can do co-op, the overall headache would be lessened thanks to matchmaking improvements. Players can stay partied up, even though these cutscenes and the background matchmaking is always happening, so you can quickly get more players in once the cutscene ends. There will even be a notification as soon as you can invite other players to your section. While it sounds like players will have to still deal with some of these cutscenes, Capcom has taken the time to make it a much smoother and easier experience.

My biggest problem with World was the focus on the story at the start of the game and unskippable cutscenes. I dont care a single bit about story and characters in a MH game, in fact I would rather the game have zero story and for Capcom to focus on something else. Just drop me in the world and let me advance my hunter rank without annoying characters dragging me along. Rise even let me skip all this by going directly to the hub, world was just obnoxious with the too long cutscenes and the handler herself. Ideally they should do the same thing as they did in Rise, village or whatever they name it could be a tutorial+story and hub is just straight to the hunting. No scripted sequences, no cinematics, no Zorah missions that take a stupid long time beating a rock, etc. Just me, my gigantic hammer and the monsters.

 

[Perkel]

I really hope they expand on environmental hazards and interactions. Planting timed bombs to creat ambushes, setting cannons and other stuff on cliffs and canions, dropping rocks to separate and disrupt a herd. Stuff like that.

Huge amount of time was spent on showing viewers enhanced environment interactions. It is one of key ways to handle herds.

Really hoping they bring the actual tracking and hunting elements back in a significant way. Please no more scoutflies.

No specific info on that. They only said that your mount can lead you to your target much like it could in MHW (once you unlock it). We don't know if there are signs of monsters, tracks etc like in MHW.

I doubt they will go with Rise everything is on map approach.

 

[Vorark]

Here's hoping focus mode/new tenderizing method will at least fit more organically into the flow of battle than the clutch claw ever did.

 

[Elttharion]

 

[H. P. Lovecraft's Cat]

Plz let the release date be early 2025.

 

[Hell Swarm]

I hope they get rid of sharpening. There's no need for so much autism in an open world game.

Also really hope they have more than just the horses to ride around on. Elden ring is boring as fuck at times due to huge map with nothing to do but run past things. Wilds needs to find ways to make travel interesting or it's going to change a 5 minutes monster track into a 20 minute holding W and yawning session.

 

[Damned Registrations]

I hope they get rid of sharpening.

Once upon a time I'd have fought you over this, but honestly with things like mantles and the various charge up mechanics on weapons, sharpnening in combat just completely ruins a lot of playstyles to the point that trivializing it is basically mandatory anyways. If the best build is the one where you never sharpen to begin with, they indeed may as well get rid of it.

 

[Hell Swarm]

I hope they get rid of sharpening.

Once upon a time I'd have fought you over this, but honestly with things like mantles and the various charge up mechanics on weapons, sharpnening in combat just completely ruins a lot of playstyles to the point that trivializing it is basically mandatory anyways. If the best build is the one where you never sharpen to begin with, they indeed may as well get rid of it.

They have 2 options with the open world as far as I see it.
1. It's empty and mostly non threatening so you can travel around it while you craft pots and sharpen your weapons. Basically what World did. It's not relevant in any way and doesn't count as gameplay because it's down time. Sharpen on your dog and ignore it while battle happens.
2. Make the open world part of the gameplay where you have to jump, climb and engage with other animals so you can't ever really relax. Then stuff like sharpening and non-auto crafting should just be removed because that busy work doesn't have a proper down time.

What I expect to happen is it will be like Rise except corridors between biomes/areas.

 

[Cheesedragon117]

Taking a break from coaling up the ER thread, are you, Hell Swarm? Okay.

I really don't understand your two bullet points above. I think you might have gotten things mixed up, since World's regions have plenty of jumping, climbing, scaling walls in and out of combat, interactive elements, stage hazards that either change the arena or send you to a completely different area if you fall into them like the waterfall at the top of Ancient Forest, ect... anything BUT empty, irrelevant and non-threatening. I'd apply that bullet point much more to Rise, although it did take good lessons from it's predecessor by giving you stuff to find and adding a ton of verticality, due to the Switch's limitations the environs don't feel as rich or alive as World. If you don't have any sub-objectives it does just feel like downtime in-between bouts with the quest's target.

I'm really against the removal of sharpening simply due to grandfather clause, although I admit it has fallen by the wayside as a balancing factor to differentiate weapons. When's the last time you actually equipped Bludgeoner?

 

[Hell Swarm]

Well fuck my post got eaten.

World has much better visuals than rise but the maps are mostly empty. The dam is an exception to the rule not the main game. Rise does a much better job of having interesting maps but fails in almost every other way. I've never felt threatened by anything except the main monsters while exploring and climbing/jumping is mechanically the same as running. It works like assassins creed where your character auto navigates.

No one's ever had more fun due to sharpening but plenty have been annoyed by it. As a mechanic it is a negative with no positives.