Pocketpair Grants Day Off for Monster Hunter Wilds Launch After 'Mysterious' Staff Notes

The developer of Palworld, Pocketpair, has graciously given its staff a day off to enjoy the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds. As reported by Automaton, the Japanese studio announced on social media that it received several "mysterious" notices from employees claiming they would "probably be feeling unwell" on the game's release day, February 28. In a light-hearted gesture, Pocketpair declared this day a sort of holiday for its staff, though it reassured fans that updates for its games would not be affected by this break.

Monster Hunter Wilds has made a stunning debut, amassing 1 million concurrent players on Steam and securing a spot in the platform's top 10 most-played games of all time. This achievement places it ahead of popular titles like Baldur's Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy, and Elden Ring. Despite this success, the game has received a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam, prompting Capcom to release official guidance on PC performance issues. Furthermore, Capcom has teased early details for Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub for players.

The impact of Monster Hunter Wilds' launch extends globally, with a particularly strong influence in its home market of Japan. One Japanese indie developer humorously noted on social media that they hadn't sold a single game on Steam since Monster Hunter Wilds was released. Pocketpair's tradition of allowing staff days off to play new games is not new; they did the same in 2022 for the release of FromSoftware's Elden Ring.

For those embarking on their Monster Hunter Wilds journey, we offer comprehensive resources to enhance your experience. Check out our guide on what Monster Hunter Wilds doesn't explicitly tell you, along with an in-depth look at all 14 weapon types available in the game. We're also developing a detailed Monster Hunter Wilds walkthrough, a multiplayer guide to help you play with friends, and instructions on transferring your character from the open beta.

IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, praising the game for refining the series' mechanics in intelligent ways, resulting in enjoyable combat, though it noted a lack of significant challenge.