Capcom continues to build momentum and hype for the highly anticipated release of Monster Hunter Wilds by featuring its flagship monster, Arkveld, at the Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido, Japan.
The festival’s 75th celebration, running from February 4 to 11, will showcase a wide range of sculptures — not just from Monster Hunter but also other works of art created by professionals and local hobbyists. There’s an abundance of anime-themed snow sculptures, including Studio Ghibli-inspired creations like the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro and Yubaba from Spirited Away. Additionally, Mario fans can enjoy a variety of Snow Goombas and other iconic enemies from the franchise’s history.
Alongside Arkveld — about which Monster Hunter fans still know very little — there’s also a Palico featured at the festival, positioned right next to the mysterious new monster for reasons unknown.
This is just one of many marketing pushes Capcom has planned for Monster Hunter Wilds, which is undoubtedly their biggest upcoming title. Another major promotional effort includes a crossover event with Monster Hunter Now, Niantic’s Pokémon GO-like mobile game. Players who participate in the event when Monster Hunter Wilds launches will receive exclusive rewards and cosmetics.
Capcom is clearly intent on maintaining this momentum. Monster Hunter: World catapulted the company’s profits, selling over 21 million units since its release in 2018, according to their sales report for 2024. Now, they’re banking on Wilds to surpass that success.
There’s no denying that Monster Hunter Wilds is one of the most highly anticipated games this month — especially as fans continue to discover strange coincidences in the other new monster’s skin patterns. February 28 is coming fast and fortunately, a second open beta arrives this week, welcoming both new and returning players to Wilds’ first map, the Windward Plains.
More information about the festival can be found on its official website.