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

In a heartwarming move, the developer of Palworld, Pocketpair, has granted its staff a day off to enjoy the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds. As reported by Automaton, the Japanese studio humorously noted on social media that it had received several "mysterious" notifications from employees, claiming they would likely be "feeling unwell" on the release day, February 28. Embracing the spirit of the occasion, Pocketpair declared this day a sort of holiday for its team, though they reassured fans that this would not impact updates on their games.

Monster Hunter Wilds has made a spectacular debut, boasting an impressive 1 million concurrent players on Steam, securing a spot in the platform's top 10 most-played games of all time. This achievement places it ahead of heavyweights 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 will introduce an endgame social hub to enhance player interaction.

The launch's global impact is undeniable, with a particularly strong resonance 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 hit the market. This isn't the first time Pocketpair has shown such camaraderie; they similarly allowed staff time off for the release of FromSoftware's Elden Ring in 2022.

For those diving into Monster Hunter Wilds, there are plenty of resources to kickstart your adventure. Check out our guide on what the game doesn't explicitly tell you, a comprehensive overview of all 14 weapon types, and our ongoing Monster Hunter Wilds walkthrough. If multiplayer is your focus, we have a detailed guide on playing with friends. And for those who participated in the open betas, learn how to transfer your Monster Hunter Wilds Beta character.

IGN's review of Monster Hunter Wilds awarded it an 8/10, stating, "Monster Hunter Wilds continues to refine the series in smart ways, offering extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge."