Chapter 235: Monster Hunter: World (Fifth Update, Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Pass)

Chapter 235: Monster Hunter: World (Fifth Update, Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Pass)

After Chen Xu left, the team members couldn't help but start discussing.

"Hunting? The new game is actually about hunting? Isn't that kind of a niche theme?" Ruan Ningxue said, slightly puzzled.

Although Nebula Games Platform was currently at its peak, and Minecraft was extremely popular,

according to previous discussions Chen Xu had with them about the company's subsequent development, Nebula Games was supposed to focus on large-scale games next.

The main goal was to further strengthen player retention on the platform.

After all, while independent games and medium-to-small scale titles from second- and third-tier developers formed the foundation of a platform,

blockbuster titles that served as the platform's flagship were equally important for continuously attracting players.

But hunting games—whether domestic or overseas—had never really achieved outstanding success.

"Yeah, the best-selling hunting game I can think of is probably The Wilderness by overseas UA Company. Plus, games with this theme often draw opposition from animal protection groups abroad," Yang Xin nodded in agreement.

"Oh, Brother Qin, weren't you in charge of optimizing and researching the new AI technology? Surely it'll be applied in the new title, right?" Lin Tao suddenly remembered and asked Qin Yi, who had been silent all along.

Hearing someone finally address him, Qin Yi, who had been quiet until now, smiled and cleared his throat twice. "Ahem, of course! The AI performance will be absolutely incredible. In fact, I heard Mr. Chen originally planned to develop a game featuring a massive number of NPCs."

"But during testing, we found that current Technical capabilities still fall slightly short—even VR platforms aren't powerful enough. We could have compromised, but that would have drastically reduced the AI's full potential. So, as a compromise, Mr. Chen proposed an alternative solution: focusing the AI on specific monsters, allowing players to experience the thrill of hunting. That's how we ultimately settled on a hunting game," Qin Yi said, recalling his conversation with Chen Xu in the office, his face glowing with excitement.

"I see!" Ruan Ningxue and the others suddenly understood, their minds immediately filled with vivid mental visualizations.

"With the latest AI technology delivering lifelike hunting experiences, this actually sounds pretty interesting," Lin Tao speculated.

"Lions, tigers—even bolder, how about extinct creatures like saber-toothed tigers and mammoths? Those could all be potential prey!" Yang Xin boldly suggested.

"But what about the game's setting?" Ruan Ningxue pondered, shifting focus to the game's background.

"That's easy—Time Travel Machine! Just like modern poachers, in the Future Era, Time Travel Machines have been invented. But criminals use them to travel back in time to hunt rare and extinct animals. This creates a Time Paradox, causing these creatures' existence to vanish entirely from the future. So the player's character is tasked with stopping these time-traveling poachers," Yang Xin said, imagination running wild.

"Sister Xin, aren't you turning this into an action-adventure game now? Mr. Chen said it was a hunting game. If we're stopping poachers, we can't exactly be breaking the law ourselves, can we?" Ruan Ningxue pointed out.

"Then make the player a poacher? No, that wouldn't have the right three views either," Yang Xin scratched her head.

........................

Meanwhile, in the lounge, Ruan Ningxue and the others were still boldly speculating and carefully analyzing possibilities.

In his office, Chen Xu was refining the conceptual design documents for the upcoming game.

"Monster Hunter: World"—the name of the new project appeared on his computer screen.

Actually, prior to this, thanks to the latest AI advancements, Chen Xu had initially considered developing other game types,

such as an open-world game.

Compared to sandbox games, open-world games were undoubtedly another monumental game type,

yet fundamentally different.

Both shared one core principle: giving players a sense of freedom.

But they differed completely in their approach.

Sandbox games allowed players to create their own worlds, while open-world games involved designers building a world for players to inhabit.

That's why many players often confused sandbox, diorama, and open-world games as the same genre.

To deliver a truly lifelike open-world experience, NPCs were essential.

With the latest AI technology, if NPCs could behave with greater logic and realism, the player's immersion would skyrocket.

After all, a vibrant, living world was the hallmark of a true open-world game—though exploration and puzzle-solving like in Breath of the Wild belonged to another major direction.

However, testing revealed that both current technology and average player hardware standards still couldn't achieve the effect Chen Xu envisioned.

But having a small number of individual or multiple creatures showcase advanced AI? That was entirely feasible.

Thus, after several tests, Chen Xu decided on Monster Hunter, as it aligned perfectly with current feedback.

As for why specifically Monster Hunter: World, it was because this title was particularly special.

Monster Hunter: World was undoubtedly a milestone entry in the Monster Hunter series.

In fact, its release single-handedly saved the Monster Hunter series from near collapse.

In his previous life, Monster Hunter had always been exclusive to handheld consoles, but the series' sales had steadily declined—peaking at 5 million in P3, but dropping below 2 million by XX.

Finally, the series made a revolutionary breakthrough:告别 the limited performance of handhelds and launching versions for console and PC.

And Monster Hunter: World blew every player away.

Because it was from this entry that players truly realized: the Elder Dragons they once hunted were actually this majestic.

And the world these Elder Dragons inhabited was this breathtakingly beautiful.

Moreover, the new Monster Hunter introduced several targeted optimizations—eliminating loading zones, and finally allowing players to drink potions without the awkward "ding" sound and strange animation.

While preserving the core gameplay fans loved, it greatly reduced negative experiences, making combat smoother than ever.

Of course, reduced difficulty was another factor. Previous entries featured brutal modes like Super Special and G-Rank 140.

In comparison, the Arch-Tempered monsters in Monster Hunter: World were much more forgiving.

After all, under Super Special or G-Rank 140 difficulty, even a slight brush from a dragon's foot, tail, or wings could send our poor little Hunter back to camp for repairs. How could regular players possibly endure that?

With a greater focus on newcomer accessibility, a seamless open world, a complete and vivid ecological chain, and thrilling hunting gameplay,

Monster Hunter: World became the best-selling entry in the series.

First-month sales surpassed 7.5 million.

In just one month, it shattered the previous series sales record.

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