Monster Hunter Wilds Update Arrives, Addressing PC Performance and Adding New Content
Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds continues to evolve, receiving its first major update, Title Update 1, after four weeks since launch. This update introduces the fearsome Mizutsune, a new gathering hub for players, and challenging arena quests. The developer, Capcom, has outlined a roadmap of further enhancements extending into May, with a second significant patch anticipated this summer.
Major Milestone and Future Updates
In a recent blog post, director Yuya Tokuda celebrated a significant milestone: Monster Hunter Wilds surpassing 10 million units sold. The post offered insights into previously announced features and, importantly, acknowledged and addressed the performance issues impacting the PC version of the game. Furthermore, Tokuda provided additional details on upcoming content and improvements planned for the game in the coming months.
Key Features of Upcoming Updates:
- Challenging New Hunts: 8-star tempered monsters arriving at the end of May.
- Weapon Adjustments: Balancing adjustments for the Hammer and other weapon types.
- Mantle Balancing: Nerfs to the Corrupted Mantle, alongside buffs for other mantles.
- User Experience Enhancements: Improvements to the UI/UX.
- PC Version Stability: Enhanced game stability on Steam.
- Game Balance Adjustments: Ongoing refinements to overall game balance.
- Cosmetic Customization: Introduction of highly anticipated layered weapons.
Layered Weapons: A Focus on Hunter Style
The announcement of layered weapons has sparked excitement among players eager for greater customization options. Currently, the aesthetic diversity of weapons feels somewhat limited, particularly with weapons like the Artian series. While powerful, these weapons are often criticized for their uninspired, uniform appearance.
Many players, alongside community feedback, express a preference for wielding visually appealing weapons crafted from monster parts, even if slightly less potent, over the generic aesthetic of some existing weapon designs, like the Artian series. The desire for layered weapons echoes their popularity in previous Monster Hunter titles like World and Rise, although these were introduced later in those games’ respective expansion cycles.
Layered Weapons Expected in Base Game Updates
While a specific release timeframe for layered weapons remains unconfirmed, Director Tokuda’s comments suggest they may arrive sooner than a full expansion release. The blog post states, “In addition, layered weapons will be coming in a future update,” with a promise to share more information as it becomes available.
Hopes are high that “future update” signifies upcoming base game content, rather than a distant, paid expansion. Regardless of the exact timing, confirmation of layered weapons is welcome news for players keen to personalize their hunter’s appearance with matching weaponry. For many, a weapon is a crucial element of their overall hunting attire.
Addressing PC Performance Concerns on Steam
Significantly, Tokuda directly addressed the performance issues experienced by PC players, which have negatively impacted the game’s Steam user rating. Although specific details regarding the issues were not extensively discussed, Tokuda described optimization as “an ongoing process” with a commitment to “continual steps forward in this area and respond to critical issues.”
Immediate steps to improve PC performance include “a reduction in VRAM usage and an upgrade to the DirectStorage version of the Steam version in Free Title Update 1.” These changes are intended to enhance overall stability for PC players, particularly those with graphics cards with 8GB of VRAM or less.
Looking Ahead to Smoother Hunts
Optimism remains that performance will steadily improve in the coming months. Veterans of Monster Hunter World’s initial PC release recall similar launch challenges, which were eventually resolved, leading to a well-optimized PC version. Many players hope for consistent frame rates during intense combat scenarios to enhance their overall hunting experience.
