Monster Hunter Wilds Director’s Letter August 2025 reveals potential weapon-related end-game features and more

Before the upcoming 1.021.00.00 version update of Monster Hunter Rise on tomorrow, which includes extended end-game content and additional features, Capcom has revealed further plans for the game in this month’s letter from game director Yuya Tokuda.

This month’s Director’s Update provides an overview of the numerous changes, enhancements, and potential features arriving soon, including preparations for Steam version improvements and prospective elements for Title Update 4 slated this winter. If you missed the patch details for the upcoming update, be sure to check it out. Furthermore, in the latest Talisman system, completing quests involving 9 specific monsters will reward you with a Glowing Stone appraisal item as part of the quest.

The action-packed game, Monster Hunter Wilds, has been released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. For those interested, you can find comprehensive guides for the game right here.

You can find the full Director’s Letter for May 2025 below:

A Message from Director Tokuda (August 2025)

Greetings, hunters! I’m Yuya Tokuda, the director of Monster Hunter Wilds.

A huge thank you to each one of you for playing our game. Your support means a lot to us!

We also extend our gratitude to those who have been generously sharing their thoughts and suggestions about the game. Rest assured that our entire development team is meticulously going through all your feedback, working tirelessly to incorporate improvements and tweaks.

We understand that some changes might take time, but we’re dedicated to enhancing your gaming experience. So please bear with us during this process.

As previously announced, the Ver. 1.021 Update is scheduled for release on Wednesday, August 13. This update will bring new end-game content, weapon balance adjustments, and various other improvements and tweaks.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Expanded End-game Content

Initially, we intended to introduce the expanded end-game content with our third update slated for late September. However, we’ve decided to bring it forward and you can now expect it in the Version 1.021 update instead.

New challenging missions are going to be incorporated, and upon their completion, you will receive talismans that come with random advantages, such as weapon proficiencies.

1. As a new set of high-difficulty quests, 9★ monsters will start appearing when you are HR 100 or higher.

From Version 1.021 onwards, you’ll find Tempered Monsters from nine different species showing up in various locations. In our upcoming third title update towards the end of September, more of these high-level 9★ monsters will be introduced in special event quests.

For those seasoned players who have tackled end-game challenges in past Monster Hunter games, you might have found the initial difficulty of Tempered Monsters underwhelming. However, beginning with Title Update 2, we’ve introduced a refined system for tailoring monster parameters in greater detail, along with various modifications to guarantee an engaging and rewarding gameplay.

2. We’re adding the Glowing Stone appraisal item as a quest reward for quests with 9★ monsters.

After finishing the quest, the Glowing Stone, a prize for quests featuring 9-star monsters in the game, will metamorphose into a Blessed Charm, which comes with randomly bestowed abilities.

Unlike regular talismans that can be enhanced at a smithy, Appraised Talismans do not allow for upgrades, yet they have an advantage: they can spontaneously grant both weapon skills and armor skills, as well as decoration slots (for both weapons and armor). This feature opens up opportunities for tailoring builds and experimenting with various playstyles. We believe this added versatility will enhance gameplay and motivate hunters to explore diverse weapon and armor options based on the talismans they acquire.

Furthermore, we found that post-launch content for Arkveld was slightly imbalanced. Given its resistance to elements, this led to fewer chances to experiment with different character builds. To address this issue, we’ve modified the difficulty, hunting time, and rewards for the 9★ monsters being introduced. Our aim is to ensure that each monster offers fair rewards proportionate to the effort invested in hunting them. Feel free to choose your hunts according to your abilities, gear, or requirements, and have fun conquering each challenge.

9★ Monster Adjustments

Given the introduction of 9-star monsters, we’ve extended the duration of meal effects to minimize the chance they’ll run out if hunts extend beyond the usual timeframe. Furthermore, we’ve increased the maximum upgrade level for armor of rarity 5 and above, enabling players to boost their defense levels a bit more before taking on these tough new monsters.

Starting from HR 100 and upwards, Rey Dau and Nu Udra will show up in the Wounded Hollow, while each region’s top predator will appear more frequently even when that region isn’t experiencing adverse weather conditions.

Title Update 3

Previously mentioned, Title Update 3 will gradually introduce 9-star monsters in Event Quests. To balance the power of these new monsters, we’re boosting support hunters’ strength. We understand that these changes are being made in stages after the introduction of the 9-star monsters themselves, but it’s due to expediting the monster implementation process.

To offer more variety, we’re planning to have Lagiacrus appear in the Wounded Hollow, as well as other additions like hunts for groups of monsters. We’re also making improvements to enhance gameplay convenience, such as preventing monsters from destroying pop-up camps spontaneously and resetting mantle cooldowns when starting a quest.

In addition, we’re excited to let you know that with Title Update 3, any newly introduced monsters will come accompanied by quests of 9-star difficulty. Anticipate the new content and in the interim, take advantage of Version 1.021 updates to enhance your gear and gather Appraised Talismans for the tough battles on the horizon.

Weapon Balance Changes

Previously, we shared that we were considering tweaks for five specific weapon categories. But now, we’ve broadened our approach and will be making changes, primarily enhancements, to a total of eleven weapon types instead.

Altered Weapons:
Great Sword, Long Sword, Sword and Shield, Twin Blades, Horned Instrument, Spear, Transforming Axe, Dual-mode Blade, Flying Glaive, Light Crossbow, Heavy Crossbow.

Bug Fixes Only: Gunlance, Bow

Overall Direction

In our past updates, we focused on enhancing the variety of hunting techniques and weapon configurations, including items with elemental attributes. We made adjustments to balance these changes, sometimes reducing their effectiveness, to prevent any one strategy from being excessively effective against newly introduced monsters. Regrettably, this adjustment process inadvertently made some hunting styles less appealing, while certain weapon types were found to be less useful than initially intended.

We’re sorry for the unintended consequences and for not explaining our balance changes more clearly earlier on.

In this new update, we aim to correct the overly reduced performance seen in Title Update 2 and improve the unique characteristics of each weapon type. This includes boosting their power against challenging monsters that we have planned for the future. We’re planning to enhance a total of 11 different weapon types.

Revisiting Downward Adjustments

In our upcoming update, we’ll once again review the modifications made to swords, shields, blade-type Light Bowguns, and Heavy Bowguns that were implemented during Title Update 2.

Sword & Shield

In our game “Wilds,” we’ve been dedicated to ensuring the weapon is user-friendly for newcomers, modifying its moveset so that it deals a reasonable amount of damage with any action taken. However, some actions were discovered to inflict too much damage in comparison to their simplicity compared to other weapons. As a result, we made certain reductions in Title Update 2.

This change resulted in the elimination of the Perfect Guard window during Counter Slash’s latter part. Yet, this adjustment made it challenging to consistently use Counter Slash for dealing damage and maintaining combat flow. To counteract this, we plan to boost its power through another modification.

Charge Blade

In Update 2, our goal was to make Amped Element Discharge a more reliable alternative for dealing damage beyond multiple attacks in Axe Mode, but the changes made it less potent than intended and didn’t provide additional play options. To rectify this issue, we went back to these adjustments and now, when you use enhanced phials in Power Axe Mode, you’ll see an increase in damage. This should make it simpler to keep a high level of damage output while continuing to use Power Axe Mode.

Light Bowgun & Heavy Bowgun

In the Version 1.011 update, we made some reductions to the power of elemental and piercing ammunition for weapons to prevent them from being too strong against tougher monsters that were recently added, such as Arch-tempered Uth Duna. This was done to ensure a range of weapon types remained viable. However, we are currently reconsidering this change and plan to slightly boost the effectiveness of elemental ammo for light bowguns.

Additionally, we’ll be easing back on the reduction in rapid fire and ignition gauge recovery when using piercing ammo. Furthermore, we aim to enhance gauge recovery for various ammunition types and improve the handling and strength of special ammo to provide more versatile ammo options for different scenarios.

Other Weapons

We plan to make some tweaks that increase their power for weapons such as the great sword and insect glaive, since they haven’t received any balance adjustments so far.

To enhance the functionality of dual blades, we’ve primarily worked on making them more user-friendly. This includes simplifying Demon Boost Mode and streamlining the use of Focus Strikes. In response to player suggestions, we’ve incorporated a new Focus Strike action that can be linked with others, offering an additional method for continuing attacks without having to reposition yourself.

We’ve made improvements to every weapon category, aiming to broaden the variety of playstyles. After the update goes live, feel free to revisit each weapon and give them a spin. For specific details about these changes, keep an eye on our official social media accounts for updates in the Guild Reports.

We aim to make improvements on certain complex skills that were challenging to utilize, with the ultimate objective being to expand the variety of equipment we can assemble.

Efforts to Improve Game Stability

Additionally, let’s discuss our focus on enhancing the stability of our games, specifically for the Steam edition, which aligns with many player feedback.

Bug Fixes

At present, we’ve noticed a problem on all platforms where the game might unexpectedly stop if a player performs certain actions like the Water Gun gesture and it coincides with a particular kind of communication glitch occurring between players simultaneously.

As an enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that we’re working diligently on resolving the current issue. You can expect this fix in our upcoming update, Version 1.021. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we strive to deliver a smoother experience for you.

To ensure smooth gameplay, we’re enhancing our system for checks, aiming to avoid crashes due to application-related problems. If any bugs are discovered during gameplay, we promise to swiftly investigate and rectify them as soon as possible.

CPU Usage Optimization (Steam Version)

Title Update 2 addressed issues with shader compilation and significantly lightened the effect of anti-cheat measures on processing by approximately 90%. Furthermore, to minimize CPU usage and boost frame rate, we’ve added support for advanced super-resolution tech like DLSS 4 and FSR 4.

With Title Update 3, we’re planning to enhance the texture loading process for NPCs and Seikret mounts, aiming to minimize instances where low-quality textures appear when they suddenly enter your view.

Future Plans

Generally speaking, raising the native frame rate can lead to higher CPU usage. If you set the frame rate limit to its maximum or a very high value in the settings, the CPU will work at its full capacity aiming to boost the frame rate, which could result in excessive CPU usage. To ensure optimal performance, consider adjusting your graphics options to cap the frame rate according to your hardware’s capabilities.

*In cases where GPU performance is bottlenecked, CPU performance may not be fully utilized.

We understand that some players might worry about their PCs overworking, especially those with CPUs prone to instability (as noted by multiple manufacturers), given extended periods of high CPU usage while gaming. However, since altering CPU processing could impact the game’s overall performance, we aim to approach any changes with care.

Regarding reducing CPU load, we’ve planned to tackle this issue in our fourth title update, set for release this winter. After the initial phase of improvements has been implemented, we’ll move on to additional steps aimed at further reducing the load.

Similarly, we will work on GPU load reduction using a similar approach.

We’re committed to enhancing the game’s reliability, ensuring a smoother gaming experience on PC for everyone. Your patience is appreciated.

Looking Ahead!

We’d like to take a moment to heartily thank everyone who has generously shared their insightful feedback and thoughtful requests with us. Your contributions are greatly appreciated!

Moving forward, you can expect updates about the development team’s progress on these matters through our Guild Reports. For more comprehensive details about changes, including those not discussed in this update, feel free to check out our official social media accounts and website for further information.

For the most up-to-date information, make sure to keep an eye on our social media channels first. The data will subsequently be added to our main website as well.

In upcoming releases, we’ll keep fine-tuning with fixes and enhancements, and add more thrilling fresh content too! Additionally, we aim to incorporate changes left out from Version 1.021 in our subsequent title updates.

Anticipate that we will be revealing further information about Title Update 3, planned for late September, which includes new monsters and potential enhancements to the end-game weapons.

We’re committed to putting forth our best efforts to ensure that Monster Hunter Wilds remains an exciting experience for hunters globally. Your ongoing backing means a lot to us.

Yuya Tokuda, director of Monster Hunter Wilds