Monster Hunter Wildsis a practically flawless game and yet another masterpiece from Capcom. In fact, it is further proof that the developer is on a roll, releasing incredible game after incredible game to the delight of fans. Outside a few minor points, there’s very little to criticize aboutMonster Hunter Wildsfor both newcomers who are delighted by its level of accessibility and veterans who are enjoying all the innovative features.
As a result of all the hard work that Capcom has poured into it,Wildshas broken many records, quickly becoming one of Capcom’s biggest games of all time. It is an unmitigated triumph, one deserving of all the praise that’s being heaped upon it. Well, apart from one contentious feature that has fans in two minds. While not an enormous deal,Capcom has implemented its favorite caveat that has soured some players onWildsbut is also completely understandable to others.
Monster Hunter Wilds Has Paid Character Edit Vouchers
Players Must Pay To Customize Their Character Again
Capcom has once again added seemingly unnecessary microtransactions into one of its full-priced games. Players get to create their own hunter and Palico at the start ofWildsusing the game’snearly flawless character customization tools, with there being plenty of options to choose from. However, if players aren’t happy with their character, voice, or Palico design, thenthey may need to fork over $7 for theMonster Hunter Wilds - Character Edit Voucher: Three-Voucher Packvia their preferred digital storefront.
As reported byVGC, these were not made available during the review period ofMonster Hunter Wilds, meaning that Capcom snuck them in post-launch. Of course, as nefarious as that may sound,it needs to be stated that most players won’t need to spend any money. That’s because everyone can edit their appearance, voice, and Palico once after the initial customization period before they need to pay for additional edits.
Monster Hunter Wilds Is Missing My Favorite Series Tradition, & I Don’t Care If It Makes Sense
Monster Hunter Wilds feels like a brand new era for the series, tampering with old traditions, although it misses one that I wish Capcom would add.
Considering just how much time one should spend customizing their character - it is one of the most important thingsnewcomers must do inWilds- it is unlikely that the majority of people will need to edit their character more than once, if at all. That’s what makes the Edit Vouchers inclusion inMonster Hunter Wildsso baffling, however, perhaps a little unsurprising. After all,Capcom, for all its incredible work, is no stranger to unconventional microtransactions.
Capcom Is No Stranger To Weird Microtransactions
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Also Featured Them
To its credit,Capcom often forgoes the traditional microtransaction route like battle passes. Instead, it implements a lot of optional cosmetics or monetizes smaller and largely optional in-game features. This was the case withDragon’s Dogma 2’scontroversial microtransactions, that made players pay to fast travel among other things. Much like withWilds, players criticized Capcom for adding these microtransactions to the game, although the discourse largely died down when people realized they weren’t that important.
Dragon’s Dogma 2has 22 listed pieces of DLC on its Steam store page, although one of those is its soundtrack. These range from the ability to resurrect pawns using Wakestones to Rift Points, which can be used to hire Pawns in the first place. Importantly, unlike theMH WildsEdit Vouchers, every item that can be purchased as DLC can also be acquired in-game by simply exploring and playing it. The DLC just makes it easier to unlock it in the first place.
Modern Monster Huntergames always have microtransactions, with bothWildsand World featuringhundredsof them, including Edit Vouchers. Suffice it to say, Capcom and theMonster Hunterfranchise are no strangers to paid additional content. Of course, while it is understandable that some players are upset by their inclusion, ultimately,microtransactions are what allowed Capcom to create such incredible and passion-driven games in the first place.
Capcom’s Microtransactions Accompany Fantastic Games
They Allow It To Make Bigger Expansions
WhileMonster Hunteris known for its microtransactions, it is also known for its amazing expansions, including thegame-changingMonster Hunter World Iceborneand similarly largeMonster Hunter Rise Sunbreak. Both of these took Capcom a significant amount of time and resources to craft, especially as they’re both almost as big as their base games. While the sales from bothWorldandRisewere great,Capcom also has a lot of other games that need money and time to develop and publish.
Switch 2 Isn’t Even Out Yet, & Monster Hunter Wilds Already Highlights Its Biggest Uphill Battle
The Nintendo Switch 2 was always going to struggle at launch, but Monster Hunter Wilds’ recent performance issues prove that more than ever.
These microtransactions allow it to generate revenue long after the game has been released, ensuring it has the finances to take risks on games like the incredibly uniqueKunitsu-Gamiand theunexpected upcomingOkamisequel. The fact that they are largely unobtrusive or monetize mechanics that are, for the most part, unnecessary, while not necessarily the most consumer-friendly practice, at least ensures that all fans, including those that don’t pay for the microtransactions, get more amazing Capcom titles made with as much passion and care asMonster Hunter Wilds.
