Why Monster Hunter Wilds Is A Sequel To MH World, Not Rise

Those new to the Monster Hunterseries might not know about the chronology of the series, since MH World is where the series exploded and Monster Hunter Wildsis helping it become the sensation that it is today. It also helps that practically any Monster Hunter game can serve as the series' entry point, with each tending to have a separate story. The only carry-overs are the general gameplay formula and the monsters themselves, although each new entry brings with it a new cast of creatures too, keeping each title feeling unique while part of the Monster Hunter franchise.

Monster Hunter Wilds is doing well to carry on the series' success, even before its release on February 28, with the two open betas bringing in some impressive concurrent player numbers on Steam. It's shaping up to be the biggest game in the series, from both a success and world-size perspective, and while it doesn't really affect the experience of the game, new players might see Wilds as a sequel to Rise. From a design and continuity standpoint, MH Wilds is a sequel to World, not Rise, and there are a few reasons for this.

Capcom Calls Monster Hunter Wilds MH6 Internally

Capcom Stopped Using Numbers After MH4

Internally, Capcom still uses numbers for some Monster Hunter games, although these games don't officially use numbers in naming. Monster Hunter World is MH5 and Wilds is MH6, making Wilds a direct sequel to World (2018), not Rise (2021), the series' most recent game. The reason for not using the numbers anymore is purely for marketing, since new players are less likely to play a new Monster Hunter game if it has a number, thinking that they have to play the prior entries instinctively. Dropping the numbers clearly works, considering World's popularity and the success seen in Wilds' two betas ahead of its full release.

Monster Hunter has expanded with more spin-off titles, like Monster Hunter Stories 1 and 2 and MH Now.

Each new mainline Monster Hunter title heralds in a new generation, which is where numbers are still used in the series. Monster Hunter World brought in the fifth generation, with World's Iceborne expansion, Rise, and Rise's Sunbreak expansion continuing that generation, andWilds is bringing in the sixth generation. An indicator of whether a Monster Hunter game is a spin-off or a main title heralding a new generation is the team behind it, since the developers of the franchise are split into two teams and work on different types of games as a result, or at least traditionally speaking.

Monster Hunter Is Split Into Two Teams

One Handles The Main Games, The Other Handles Portable Titles

Anjanath being caught by vines in Monster Hunter World.

A good way to understand Monster Hunter development is to split the studio into two teams, Team A and Team B. Team A handles the main numbered entries (MH 1–4, World, Iceborne, and Wilds) while Team B handles the spin-off games (MH Freedom, Unite, Generations, Rise, and Sunbreak). With both Wilds being made by the same team behind Iceborneand World, it makes it the sequel to that game, not Rise, although it does share some of Rise's mechanics, like having a mount, talking player characters, and named NPCs.

Unlike Palamutes from Rise, Seikrets will not help fight a monster but will allow for weapon changing and work as mobile storage.

Another way of looking at the two teams is that one handles big releases on consoles while the other works on games for handheld devices. This can get messy since Monster Hunter hasn't always had a concrete home on consoles. Handheld consoles have always been there to help Monster Hunter, with MH4 being on the 3DS and MH2 being on the PSP, but splitting the teams as home console and handheld will likely work in the future, since Team B will probably make another title for the Switch 2 later down the line.

See Related: Monster Hunter Wilds Wiki

Monster Hunter Wilds Is Following World's Example

And It Looks Likely To Emulate Its Success

Gemma holding a glowing hunk of iron in Monster Hunter Wilds.

Whether or not players understand how Monster Hunter releases work, it is clear to see that World is the game that informs Wilds the most.Wilds is pushing the series to a new level of graphical fidelity, just like World did back in 2018, and the gameplay has the slower, more deliberate feel of World, rather than the rapid pace of Rise. In many ways, Wilds has taken aspects of both entries that have come before, but it feels like it is building off World while taking what works and ignoring what didn't from Rise.

A Monster Hunter Wilds Hunter holding a greatsword with characters from the story behind them.

Monster Hunter Wilds Beta Has Shown Me The Series Needs A Good Story Now More Than Ever

Now that I’ve completed the Monster Hunter Wilds beta, I’m more sure than ever that this series absolutely deserves a good and compelling story.

Posts

Either way, Monster Hunter Wilds will be the most approachable entry in the series and, although it will still have the series' famed difficulty, it will introduce itself to many new players, just like World did. By nature, Monster Hunter titles don't require players to have played prior entries, sticking to its formula in a similar way to Nintendo titles like The Legend of Zelda or Pokémon. Much like Pokémon, players don't need to play prior titles to know what's happening, but when they're in the loop, it's impossible to get out of it.