Monster Hunter Wilds Becomes A Summer Cookout In Its Strangest Update
Don’t forget the sunscreen.
Some seasonal traditions are so strong that it just wouldn’t feel like summer without them, like corn on the cob, water guns, hunting monsters with comically large weapons, just to name a few. And now summer has officially arrived in Monster Hunter Wilds, thanks to an update that brings a festive vibe to Capcom’s multiplayer action game, along with a fan-favorite addition from Monster Hunter Rise.
Monster Hunter Wilds is getting the Festival of Accord: Flamefete event starting on July 23 and running until August 5. Unlike the event quests that feature crossover characters or add new monsters to hunt, Flamefete is full of mostly cosmetic changes, turning the game’s hub city into a summer festival and adding new beachy outfits to unlock.
Monster Hunter Wilds is getting festive in its latest update.
The highlight of the update — and I swear I’m not making this up — is a giant roasted corn on the cob. First introduced in Monster Hunter Rise, the Mighty Cornpopper is a special gunlance in the shape of a human-sized corn cob. It works just like any other gunlance in the game, except that after it fires a ranged shot at monsters, the kernels on the weapon get a nice char. Tasty! Even better, the Cornpopper was actually one of the best weapons in Monster Hunter Rise after it was introduced, so if Monster Hunter Wilds follows the same pattern, you can expect to see hunters joining your game with a giant roasted treat for a long time to come. The Mighty Cornpopper is a reward from an event quest that also grants sunglasses for both your hunter and handler Alma.
The Flamefete update is also adding a new weapon you can actually use in the Grand Hub. A new gesture coming with the patch lets hunters in the social hub spray each other with water guns for a break from all the actual monster slaying. Given all the fire and hot stones that make up the Grand Hub, it looks extremely refreshing, too. After pulling out your firearm (waterarm?) with the new gesture, you’ll keep it equipped so you can have a full-on water battle with other players.
The Might Cornpopper is one of Monster Hunter’s most eye-catching weapons.
Just logging in during the event will grant the new gesture, as well as a skin for the Seikret mount that turns it into an impressive fire-winged bird. Logging in will also grant tickets that you can exchange for special armor sets, including a summer skirt and top combo and a diving suit complete with face mask. Completing event quests will also grant tickets to earn more. On top of your hunter’s own special armor, your Palico companion also gets an adorable shirt and straw hat combo that can be forged using tickets.
Some NPCs are also changing for the festival. Alma, Erik, and Gemma will wear their most festive summer outfits back at camp, which become paid DLC after the event ends. For the duration of Flamefete, hunter Fabius will also appear as a support character to help on hunts if you’re playing offline or can’t find other players to answer your S.O.S. call.
From the looks of it, Flamefete could be one of the best updates to jump into Monster Hunter Wilds for yet. While it’s not introducing any new monsters to hunt, its focus on seasonal cosmetics and atmosphere emphasizes the social side of the game, which can be lacking when you’re just running repeated hunts. The new weapon, gesture, and armors it adds are also among the best in the game — or ones that at least stand out the most — so they’re options you’ll probably get a lot of use out of long after the party is over.
