The developers at Pocketpair, the studio behind Palworld, gave their staff a well-deserved day off to celebrate the release of Monster Hunter Rise (Wilds appears to be a typo). As reported by Automaton, the studio jokingly attributed the absence to a wave of "mysterious" employee illnesses predicted for February 28th, the game's official launch date.

This generous gesture, while clearly intended as a fun team-building exercise, prompted Pocketpair to assure fans that game updates would remain unaffected. The decision highlights a positive work culture and underscores the game's significant impact.

Monster Hunter Rise Weapons Tier List

Monster Hunter Rise Weapons Tier List

Monster Hunter Rise has enjoyed a phenomenal launch, boasting 1 million concurrent players on Steam alone. This impressive figure propelled it into Steam's top 10 most-played games of all time, surpassing titles like Baldur's Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy, and Elden Ring.

Despite its initial success, Monster Hunter Rise received a "mixed" user review rating on Steam, leading Capcom to release official guidance on PC performance issues. Furthermore, Capcom announced early details for Title Update 1, which will introduce an endgame social hub.

The game's impact is global, but particularly noticeable in Japan. Automaton reported on a Japanese indie developer who humorously lamented a lack of Steam sales since Monster Hunter Rise's release, highlighting the game's dominance.

This isn't the first time Pocketpair has given its staff a gaming-themed holiday; a similar event occurred in 2022 for the release of Elden Ring.

To enhance your Monster Hunter Rise experience, explore our resources: uncover hidden game mechanics, master all 14 weapon types, follow our detailed walkthrough, learn the multiplayer ropes, and discover how to transfer your beta character.

IGN's review awarded Monster Hunter Rise an 8/10, praising its improvements while noting a lack of significant challenge: "Monster Hunter Rise continues to smooth off the rougher corners of the series in smart ways, making for some extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge."