Companionship and teamwork have always been cornerstone themes of the Monster Hunter franchise. Although the games are designed to be experienced with other players, a hunter is never alone even in single player. Thanks to Palicoes, there's always a loyal ally at the player's side that will help them take on even the most fearsome monsters. Naturally, these beloved cat folk play an important role in Monster Hunter World, tailing the player from the very first cutscene. However, what if the Palico wasn't the only companion Monster Hunter World had to offer?
This installment in the franchise is coming to the end of its tenure, especially with Monster Hunter Rise on the horizon, but there's still time for Capcom to add a few surprise updates. One of those really ought to introduce one of the biggest selling points of Monster Hunter Rise: the Palamute. After years of traveling with Palicoes, now the player will have the option to have a huge and highly reliable canine companion. It's a surprising but very exciting change to the series that offers a lot of potential, and is sure to have just as much utility in game. The Palamute ought to be added to MHW, as it would be just as useful and delightful in this game as it will be in Rise.
A New Type of Teamwork
As one might expect, Monster Hunter Rise's Palamute is a very different type of companion from the Palico. It's much larger, in fact, and one of the most important things it offers to hunters is its service as a steed. In a game like Monster Hunter where a player has to run through hunting grounds and is prone to running out of stamina, the Palamute seems like an idea way to get around exhausting navigation. On top of this, the Palamute is an aggressive, damage-focused companion as opposed to a more utilitarian Palico. A high damage companion seems especially ideal for players who want another significant presence on the battlefield, like ranged weapon or Hunting Horn users.
Monster Hunter World might need a little bit of adjusting to incorporate the Palamute, admittedly. It's not really designed to accommodate play with a Palamute. Still, Capcom could likely find a way to implement an adjusted version of this companion in the game, perhaps more focused on its fighting capabilities than what it provides in mobility. If Monster Hunter World's player base dwindles in a few months once Rise releases, the Palamute would be a good way to make difficult hunts more approachable in single player.
A Worthy Farewell
Mechanics aside, adding the Palamute just seems like a good way to pay respects to the incredibly successful Monster Hunter World. This game accounts for about a quarter of all sales of Monster Hunter games, showing just how important it's been as an entry point into the franchise for players everywhere. In fact, adding the Palamute as a closing update would be a good way to encourage World players to keep their eyes on Rise. If MHW isn't getting any more major updates, it only seems natural to encourage the players to give Rise a try. The friendly face of a Palamute seems like the perfect ambassador.
Admittedly this update seems like a long shot. Capcom is probably must more focused on Rise itself right now, rather than thinking of potential finishing touches to put on World. However, there's still a few months left before the new game comes out. Capcom could easy turn around and surprise players with an update intended to put a bow on MHW, even if it's already sort of getting one with the last MHW: Iceborne update. Hopefully Capcom looks back at World fondly enough to offer players Palamutes as thanks for enjoying their game for all these years.
Monster Hunter World is available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.