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

The developer of Palworld, Pocketpair, has graciously given its staff a day off to enjoy the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds. As reported by Automaton, the Japanese studio shared on social media that numerous employees mysteriously claimed they would be "feeling unwell" on the game's release day, 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 title. Despite this, the studio reassured fans that updates for their own games would continue unaffected.

Monster Hunter Wilds has stormed onto the scene, boasting an impressive start with 1 million concurrent players on Steam. This milestone has propelled the game into Steam's top 10 most-played games of all time, surpassing notable 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. Additionally, Capcom has teased early details about Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1, which promises to introduce an endgame social hub for players.

The impact of Monster Hunter Wilds' launch resonates globally, with a particularly strong influence in its home market of Japan. Automaton highlighted a humorous post from a Japanese indie developer who claimed not to have sold 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 back in 2022.

To help you embark on your Monster Hunter Wilds journey, we've compiled resources on what the game doesn't explicitly tell you, a comprehensive guide to all 14 weapon types, and an ongoing walkthrough. For those looking to play with friends, our multiplayer guide explains how to connect. If you participated in 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."