Monster Hunter Wilds Director Urges Lapsed Players to Return as Updated Endgame Raises the Challenge Level

Monster Hunter Wilds entered the market earlier this year with strong anticipation but also widespread criticism regarding its surprisingly low difficulty curve. Newcomers and seasoned hunters alike agreed that the early game and launch endgame provided little challenge, leaving many players disengaged shortly after completion. Even those without deep Monster Hunter experience found the title too forgiving, prompting a return to prior entries such as Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak for a more satisfying hunt. Now, according to producer Yuya Tokuda, those early shortcomings have been addressed, and he is openly encouraging players who stepped away to return.

During the PlayStation Partner Awards 2025 Japan Asia, Tokuda spoke with IGN about the balancing challenges the team faced at launch. In the IGN interview report he explained that the development team placed significant focus on lowering barriers for newcomers by reviewing where players typically struggled in past titles such as Monster Hunter World. Improvements in progression, accessibility to specific monsters, and crafting requirements were all adjusted to ensure new players could advance. Features like Focus Mode were implemented to support both new and returning users.

However, Tokuda acknowledged that this approach inadvertently softened the experience for long time fans. By tuning the game to be approachable, the difficulty curve at launch lacked the edge expected by existing Monster Hunter veterans. Throughout the months following release, Capcom rolled out a series of updates introducing additional hunts and a revamped endgame designed to elevate difficulty and restore challenge depth.

With these updates now in place, Tokuda believes the overall experience has improved considerably. He directly appealed to players who completed the game early and never returned, stating: “If you beat the game immediately after its release and stopped playing, I would appreciate it if you could pick it up again.”

Despite the improvements to gameplay balance and endgame structure, lingering performance issues remain a point of frustration for many players. First impressions are powerful, and for some, the combination of low launch difficulty and technical shortcomings has already shaped their perception of the title.

Still, Monster Hunter Wilds introduced ambitious open world progression systems that significantly modernize the franchise’s formula. With further updates and refinements expected before the inevitable major expansion, the hope is that Capcom will fully realize the potential of its new direction and re inspire the community around Wilds.

Have you returned to Monster Hunter Wilds since its latest updates? Did the improved endgame restore the challenge you were missing? Let us know.