Wild Hearts is less than a day from full launch but developer Omega Force is already confirming plans for the Monster Hunter-like's first post-launch content update. Early access to Wild Hearts through EA Play has already led to thousands of players trying out the game for the first time. It will take a while yet before these players complete Wild Hearts' campaign, let alone its endgame. Yet they'll be pleased to know that even then there will be more Wild Hearts to come with relative quickness.
There's more than enough room in the video game industry for Monster Hunter and games like it. Wild Hearts is entirely unashamed to be just such a game, in more than one way. Part of what has made Monster Hunter's modern releases so successful is its dedication to post-launch content. For both Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise, Capcom has delivered consistent free content updates with new monsters, weapons, and events.
In a letter to potential Wild Hearts players, Omega Force signaled that it plans to follow Monster Hunter's path of free content updates. That starts with Wild Hearts' first major content update, which will arrive in March. March's update will include two new Kemono, the Hellfire Laharback and the Grimstalker. The first is a "particularly fierce" Deeply Volatile Kemono and the second is a new wolf-type Kemono, a subspecies related to the Deathstalker.
Accompanyin the two new Kemono will be plenty of complementary high-difficulty quests, including a Hellfire Laharback Talisman and a whole slew of Grimstalker-themed weapon and armor types. March's update will also include social content as well, including a new emote and chat stamp. All of March's Wild Hearts content will be provided free to current players.
Omega Force plans to continue releasing substantial updates for Wild Hearts month to month, going forward. April is already confirmed to have both a new Deeply Volatile Kemono, an entirely new Kemono, additional weapon and armor variations, a new Karakuri, and a new weapon and equipment enhancements system. Specific details about the April update, and connect planned for later this year, will be made available as it's ready.
If Electronic Arts and Omega Force are serious about making Wild Hearts a true competitor to the Monster Hunter franchise then delivering consistent free content updates is a smart start. Early impressions of Wild Hearts are strong, outside of frustrations with the game's PC performance. Building an audience for a new IP, and then retaining it, isn't a simple matter, though. Regardless, those looking forward to playing Wild Hearts can expect a robust post-launch content release schedule.
Wild Hearts releases February 16 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
