Palworld Dev Pocketpair Grants Day Off on Monster Hunter Wilds Launch

The developer of Palworld, Japanese studio Pocketpair, has given its staff the day off to play the highly anticipated game, Monster Hunter Wilds. This decision came after a series of "mysterious" notices from employees claiming they would be "feeling unwell" on the game's release day, February 28. Pocketpair embraced this enthusiasm, turning the day into a sort of holiday for its staff. Despite this generous gesture, the studio reassured fans that updates on its own games would continue uninterrupted.

Monster Hunter Wilds has launched to an impressive start, breaking into Steam's top 10 most-played games of all time with 1 million concurrent players. This achievement places it ahead of popular titles like Baldur's Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy, and Elden Ring. However, the game has received a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam, prompting Capcom to release official guidance on PC performance issues. Additionally, Capcom has already announced details for Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub for players.

The impact of Monster Hunter Wilds' launch has been felt 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' release. This isn't the first time Pocketpair has shown such support for gaming releases; they did the same in 2022 when FromSoftware's Elden Ring hit the market.

To aid players in embarking on their Monster Hunter Wilds adventure, several resources are available. These include guides on what the game doesn't explicitly tell you, a comprehensive breakdown of all 14 weapon types, a detailed walkthrough, a multiplayer guide to help you play with friends, and instructions on transferring your character from the open betas. IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, praising the game for its engaging combat while noting a lack of significant challenge.