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

The developer of Palworld, Japanese studio Pocketpair, has graciously given its staff the day off to enjoy the release of Monster Hunter Wilds. As reported by Automaton, Pocketpair humorously noted on social media that they received several "mysterious" notices from employees claiming they would be "feeling unwell" on the game's release day, February 28. In a lighthearted gesture, Pocketpair declared this day a sort of holiday for its staff, while reassuring fans that this would not impact updates on their games.

Monster Hunter Wilds has exploded onto the scene, amassing an impressive 1 million concurrent players on Steam alone. This staggering figure has propelled the game into Steam's top 10 most-played games of all time, surpassing heavyweights like Baldur's Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy, and Elden Ring. Despite its popularity, the game has garnered a 'mixed' user review rating on Steam, prompting Capcom to release official guidance on PC performance issues. Additionally, Capcom has teased early details about Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub for players.

The launch of Monster Hunter Wilds has had a significant global impact, particularly in Japan. Automaton highlighted a humorous post from a Japanese indie developer who jokingly lamented not selling a single game on Steam since Monster Hunter Wilds' release. This isn't the first time Pocketpair has shown such generosity; they previously allowed staff a day off to play FromSoftware's Elden Ring in 2022.

To help you dive into Monster Hunter Wilds, we've compiled essential guides and resources. Check out what Monster Hunter Wilds doesn't tell you, a comprehensive guide to all 14 weapon types, and our ongoing Monster Hunter Wilds walkthrough. For those interested in multiplayer, we have a detailed guide on how to play with friends. If you participated in one of the open betas, learn how to transfer your Monster Hunter Wilds Beta character over.

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."