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

The developer of Palworld, Pocketpair, has 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 several employees had mysteriously indicated they would be "feeling unwell" on the game's release date, February 28. In a heartwarming gesture, Pocketpair declared this day a sort of holiday for its team, allowing them to dive into the new Monster Hunter game. Despite this, Pocketpair assured fans that their ongoing game updates would not be affected.

Monster Hunter Wilds has made a phenomenal start, hitting 1 million concurrent players on Steam and securing a spot in the platform's top 10 most-played games of all time, surpassing 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. In response to player feedback, Capcom has also teased early details for Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub.

The launch of Monster Hunter Wilds has had a significant impact worldwide, particularly in Japan. One indie developer humorously noted on social media that they hadn't sold a single game on Steam since Monster Hunter Wilds was released. This isn't the first time Pocketpair has shown such generosity; they previously gave their staff a day off to play FromSoftware’s Elden Ring in 2022.

To help you kickstart your journey in Monster Hunter Wilds, check out our guides on what the game doesn't tell you, a comprehensive overview of all 14 weapon types, a detailed walkthrough, and a multiplayer guide to enjoy the game with friends. If you participated in one of the open betas, learn how to transfer your Monster Hunter Wilds Beta character.

IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, stating, "Monster Hunter Wilds continues to smooth off the rougher corners of the series in smart ways, making for some extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge."