Monster Hunter Wilds Co-Op Update: Easy Play, Tough Choices

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The extraordinary achievement of Monster Hunter Wilds isn’t really surprising given its success, yet it remains impressive. The series’ commitment to accessibility, evident since Monster Hunter World, has led to Monster Hunter Wilds being a perfect entry point for newcomers. This has propelled the game beyond a million simultaneous players on Steam, an achievement without even considering console performance. It’s likely that many of these over a million players are enjoying Monster Hunter Wilds in cooperative mode, a traditionally rewarding way to play a Monster Hunter campaign. However, this latest installment introduces some significant modifications to the way online multiplayer functions, changes that may be beneficial or detrimental.

In contrast to earlier Monster Hunter games where players had to engage with a Quest Board for posting quests, sending invites, and connecting with friends for multiplayer hunts, Monster Hunter Wilds has significantly changed this system. Now, players can directly link up with friends in Linked Parties, allowing them to effortlessly join any of their party members’ ongoing quests without the necessity for invitations or SOS Flares. However, while this new approach simplifies cooperative gameplay more than any previous Monster Hunter title, some might argue that Monster Hunter Wilds has discarded the structure and focus that was previously provided by the Quest Board.

Monster Hunter Wilds Enables Seamless Co-Op Play But at a Cost

While Monster Hunter Wilds boasts some of the series’ finest and smoothest multiplayer experiences, navigating the process of joining friends isn’t immediately intuitive. Crucial information about inviting friends and forming a Linked Party, one of the key methods for effortless co-op, is somewhat hidden within the game. Once in a Linked Party, players no longer have to deal with SOS Flares or traditional Monster Hunter methods like posting quests and using vouchers to team up. Instead, when a Linked Party member starts a monster hunt, Wilds automatically sends out an invitation to all Linked Party members, enabling them to leave their current mission and join the hunt.

In essence, while the new cooperative play in Monster Hunter World is more seamless, it has resulted in a loss of the structured system found in previous titles, such as Monster Hunter XX or Generations. The Quest Board system, although requiring players to navigate some additional steps for posting quests and accepting invites, offered a sense of organization that ensured all party members were aligned, regardless of their progress through the main story.

Now, with the improved ease of access to co-op play in Monster Hunter World, there’s a potential issue: if one member of a Linked Party becomes locked into a quest chain due to the main storyline, they won’t be able to participate in any cooperative hunts until they complete that chain. Unfortunately, this game doesn’t do a great job of making this clear, potentially leading to confusion and frustration for players.

What Players Should Know Before Attempting Co-Op in Monster Hunter Wilds

A helpful suggestion when using Linked Parties in Monster Hunter Wilds’ co-op feature: It’s beneficial not to advance story content if your intention is to play together with friends. If a member of your Linked Party starts main story content, they won’t be able to join any invitations until that content has been finished. This could involve completing multiple quests within a chain, which may last over an hour, and missing the opportunity for instant entry into the game with friends during this time.

In essence, the latest addition to Monster Hunter Wilds‘ cooperative feature is advantageous overall. While it may forgo the defined structure of the Quest Board system from earlier Monster Hunter games, teaming up with friends and focusing on the fundamental gameplay of tracking and slaying monsters to craft equipment has never been more accessible. However, it’s advisable to progress the storyline individually as much as possible, so you don’t miss out on co-op invitations once they become available.

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2025-03-03 18:16