breaking player count records for Capcom. While Wilds already offers a full experience that delivers hundreds of hours of replayability, I can't help but wish the franchise would have shared a crossover with the ever-popular Magic: The Gathering​​​​​​ card game already.

Monster Hunter is no stranger when it comes to collaboration events either, as it has had countless references and full-blown crossovers with other media, ranging from The Witcher 3, Final Fantasy 14, Sonic, to even a Metal Gear Solid tie-in. While it would be difficult to translate much of what makes Magic: The Gathering so beloved into Monster Hunter Wilds itself, the reverse is a completely different story. From hundreds of iconic monster designs to a wide array of unique gameplay mechanics, the release of Monster Hunter Wilds is the perfect opportunity to share an official collaboration with Magic: The Gathering​​​​​.

Magic: The Gathering Is More Than Open To New Collaborations

Taking In The Best From Countless Game Worlds

Magic: The Gathering's collaborations have become a major selling point for many fans at this point, with their ever-growing line of Universes Beyond products becoming a staple of the game. Given that MTG's transformation with universes beyond doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon, there's a higher chance your favorite franchises will make their way into card form at some point in the future. While there are countless highly requested options to choose from out there deserving of a future slot, Monster Hunter is one of the very first that comes to mind.

Much like the most recent Final Fantasy collaboration with MTG, the Monster Hunter franchise has amassed more than 20 games under its belt, with its popularity only growing over the decades. While even Monster Hunter Wilds alone has more than enough content for plenty of crossover potential, there's a staggering amount of content that Capcom and Wizards of the Coast could pull from when it comes to making excellent cards. With the sheer number of monsters, weapons, and locations the franchise is known for, it's easy to imagine what a Secret Lair lands theme or a set of commander decks would look like in reality.

The Monster Hunter Franchise Is No Stranger To Card Games

Giving Fans Plenty Of Ways To Experience Monster Hunting Action

While it never saw a release in the west, the Monster Hunter franchise has already had its very own card game endeavor, originating all the way back in 2008. Featuring several starter decks and individually purchasable booster packs, the official Monster Hunter Hunting Card series aimed to replicate the mechanics and goals of the game versions in physical form as accurately as possible.

Rather than simply defeating your opponents, the Monster Hunter card game has you making use of Hunter Cards, Event Cards, and more to defeat iconic monsters from the series and various optional quest objectives. Each of the objectives and monsters slain will provide you with guild points much like their game versions, with the player reaching 2,000 points first being the winner.

Aside from the Japanese exclusive card game, even the previous Monster Hunter World had its very own board game adaptation with a worldwide release, featuring several large-scale expansion packs which offer even more variety. While the trading card game format is a much more drastic undertaking than a board game, it still made use of cards in interesting ways while players tackled iconic monsters from the series.

Having some experience in the market already combined with trading card games like Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering being more popular than ever, Capcom has the perfect opportunity to license an official MTG partnership. A Magic: The Gathering collaboration wouldn't be the first crossover for the studio either, as Capcom has already released official MTG cards in the form of its Street Fighter Secret Lair release, with future collaborations being more than likely based on its success.

Magic: The Gathering's Mechanics Fit Perfectly With Monster Hunter Wilds

A Crossover Wouldn't Require As Many Workarounds

Even one of the very first monsters encountered in Wilds shows how much unique potential there is with a Monster Hunter-themed MTG set, with Gypeceros able to fake its own death and steal equipment from other players. On top of the possibilities for new and unique gameplay interactions in the card game format, plenty of Monster Hunter's current mechanics already tie into MTG's without needing much alteration

It's no wonder there are so many fan-made concepts out there already.

Plenty of fans like unique weapons and equipment, poison mechanics, and breathtaking landscapes, it's no wonder there are so many fan-made concepts out there already regarding a potential crossover​.

It wouldn't be Monster Hunter without the monsters themselves, which is exactly where a Magic: The Gathering collaboration would shine the brightest. While it's easy to categorize most of the monsters in Wilds into the large creatures expected from green decks, there are plenty more options for other color denominations, best showcased in these fan-made cards. Whether it's Gore Magala and Vaal Hazak manipulating the dead in black, blue sea serpents capable of slipping past blockers, or a hasty Tigrex and Odagaron, seeing Monster Hunter's iconic creatures come to life on physical MTG cards would be a dream come true.

Monster Hunter's Growing Popularity Makes A Collaboration Even More Likely

A Bright Future Ahead For Both Franchises

While the Monster Hunter franchise might not have the same cultural impact as Marvel or Final Fantasy, resulting in their recent MTG collaborations, Wilds has proven there's an overwhelming demand for the series in the modern gaming landscape. Selling over eight million copies in just three days, Monster Hunter Wilds has become the fastest-selling Capcom title in history, on top of its staggering 1.38 million active player-count peak on PC alone. Even Capcom itself has taken advantage of the increased popularity of the series, releasing several mobile games offering familiar concepts with a Monster Hunter-themed twist.

At this point, with how advantageous Magic: The Gathering has been with its collaborations, it would almost be more of a surprise if Monster Hunter didn't make its way into the game sometime soon. While I would be a little disappointed to see such a monolithic franchise relegated to a single Secret Lair drop rather than a full-blown release, I'd be more than happy to take whatever I can get from the partnership. Given how creative Capcom and MTG's Street Fighter collaboration was, it's easy to see a crossover with Monster Hunter Wilds or the franchise itself becoming one of MTG's bestsellers.

Sources: Rhen8927/Reddit