Monster Hunter Wilds: New Start Weapons and Hope Series Gear Revealed - IGN First

If you ask players what excites them about the *Monster Hunter* series, many will undoubtedly mention the thrill of crafting new equipment from materials gathered during their hunts. Every hunter knows the satisfaction of completing a full armor set and matching weapon after repeatedly taking down the same monster.

The concept of equipment in the Monster Hunter series has remained consistent since its inception: defeat monsters and harness their power by crafting gear from their remains. Players use their strength to slay formidable beasts, then adopt those monsters' abilities through their equipment, growing stronger with each hunt.

In an interview with IGN, Monster Hunter Wilds Executive Director and Art Director Kaname Fujioka elaborated on the philosophy behind the series' equipment. "While our design range has expanded, we used to focus heavily on the idea that if you're wearing Rathalos' equipment, you should resemble Rathalos," he explained. The new title, *Monster Hunter Wilds*, introduces fresh monsters, each with its own unique and colorful equipment. For instance, the monster Rompopolo, designed to evoke a mad scientist, features a distinctive head armor piece resembling a plague doctor's mask. You can view this armor set in the hunt video below.

Among the various sets of monster equipment, the developers emphasize the importance of the starting gear that your hunter wears at the beginning of the game. Fujioka stated, "I designed the starting weapons for all 14 weapon types from scratch. That's a first for me. In previous games, new hunters started with basic, primitive weapons. But in this game, since the protagonist is a chosen hunter, it felt inappropriate for them to wield such plain gear. I wanted to ensure that even with starting equipment, players feel like stars."

Monster Hunter Wilds Director Yuya Tokuda added, "In Monster Hunter: World, weapon designs maintained a certain form but were customized based on the monster materials used. In Wilds, however, each weapon boasts a unique design."

These starting weapons are crafted to reflect the narrative of an experienced hunter chosen to explore the Forbidden Lands. Tokuda also noted that the starting armor, dubbed the Hope series, is meticulously designed to align with the game's story. "The Hope series looks incredibly stylish, to the extent that it could be worn throughout the entire game without feeling out of place," he said.

The Hope set features a deep emerald green base color and transforms into a complete outfit with a hooded long coat when fully assembled. Fujioka elaborated on the complexity of its design, saying, "We've devoted more attention to the Hope series than any other equipment in this game. Previous games separated upper and lower body armor, which couldn't be combined into a cohesive look like a coat. We wanted to create a flowing hooded coat, and we achieved this by dedicating significant in-game resources to it. As players progress, they'll discover various equipment pieces, and we encourage them to experiment with different weapons. That's why we designed the Hope series to blend elegance and coolness without overpowering other sets."

It's a luxury to begin a game with equipment that the creators have meticulously designed and thought out. The 14 starting weapons and the Hope series are crafted to appear as gear befitting a distinguished star hunter. We eagerly anticipate examining the intricate details of this equipment in the final game.