Monster Hunter Wilds' arachnophobia mode that turns spiders into crawling piles of goo "might be creepier" than the bugs themselves, so fans will take their chances

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It affects more than just the spider-like monsters, too

Monster Hunter Wilds screenshot shows a character and their Palico looking towards the camera.
(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds' beta test is now live for PS Plus subscribers on PS5, and fans have uncovered an arachnophobia mode – an optional setting for those who don't fancy seeing spiders and creepy crawlies in their action RPG, which transforms bugs into something very different.

As highlighted on Twitter, the Arachnophobia Assistance toggle "adjusts the appearance of multi-legged creatures such as arachnids, insect-like small monsters, and endemic life" without altering their movements or actual difficulty. What does that look like? Slimy, apparently. Bug-like creatures become piles of goo, which still crawl around like they have legs, just… stretchy, tentacle-like ones. You can take a look at the setting in action below.

While this setting doesn't tackle arachnophobia quite so directly as Lethal Company – which literally just turns spiders into the word 'SPIDER' – this was probably the best way for Capcom to ensure that the creatures' movements still match what they're supposed to look like. The result, though, means that the blobs themselves are arguably also a little unsettling – one fan on Twitter suggests that they "might be creepier than the spiders themselves," questioning if "we need a setting for this setting," too. "Honestly, both are kinda freaky," adds another, responding to a before and after of the setting working its magic. 

Like the setting's description suggests, this transformation isn't just limited to actual arachnids, either, with one player on Reddit noting that it also applies to the mosquito-like monsters. Understandably, people are already wondering if it'll also turn the Lala Barina – a new bug-like Temnoceran monster introduced in Wilds – into an enormous blob. In theory, you'd think so – it's a pretty scary-looking one, after all, although as one fan-made mock-up shows, a giant slime is pretty intimidating in its own way. "I personally find the fucking blob more terrifying," one player responds.

Even so though, it's definitely a solid option for those who'd prefer to avoid any insects when they're just trying to have a nice time hunting monsters, and props to Capcom for finding a way to incorporate it without removing the movements of the bugs entirely.

Monster Hunter Wilds casually mentions 100-player lobbies ahead of its first beta, but this is no MMO: 16 players show up at once just like Monster Hunter World.

Catherine Lewis
Catherine Lewis
Deputy News Editor

I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.