Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1 is out April 4 and looks stacked: Zoh Shia returns, the Grand Hub adds a social space, plus Arch-Tempered Rey Dau, arena speedrun contests, and Mizutsune

Monster Hunter Wilds' first free update, Title Update 1, will arrive on Friday, April 4 with two additional monsters up front, a third in the chamber, and a boatload of quests and features in-between.

The update will lead with Mizutsune, a bubbly leviathan last seen in Monster Hunter Rise, and a full-fledged version of Wilds' final boss Zoh Shia, who can now be hunted repeatedly to farm a new and, frankly, stunning set of angelic armor. A brief look at Mizutsune suggests it may have inherited some of the attacks previously reserved for its Soulseer form, and Zoh Shia looks as fierce as ever even as a normal quest target a la Jin Dahaad. Mizutsune will be available at Hunter Rank 21, while Zoh Zhia is reserved for HR 50.

Mizutsune and Zoh Shia will appear (and reappear) alongside the release of the Grand Hub, a new multiplayer social space filling in for the guild halls of old, finally giving players a place to hang out that doesn't look like it was freshly slapped together from emergency supplies.

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The Grand Hub is "a massive gathering space for hunters to engage in new ways, such as competing in the new Barrell Bowling minigame to earn useful items and pendants," Capcom explains in a press release. "Hunters can also gather in the Grand Hub to observe the village of Suja’s traditions, including the Diva’s nightly vocal performance.

"Talking to Tetsuzan in Suja after reaching Hunter Rank 16 unlocks the Grand Hub, at which point the Squad Information Counter will relocate from the Windward Plains so hunters can conveniently manage their Squads in the communal area. The entrance to the Grand Hub will also host the Expedition Record Board, where the newly added Arena Quests' fastest global clear times will be displayed alongside Arena Quest limited bounties."

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Those arena quests will challenge players to defeat specific monsters as quickly as possible, with the fastest times unlocking special pendants, and the fastest players in the world earning a spot on global leaderboards tied to more exclusive cosmetics.

Speaking of: Title Update 1 will see the release of a new wave of free and paid emotes and add-ons, including free returning gestures and an optional new look for Alma. From April 22 through May 6, a seasonal event called the Festival of Accord: Blossomdance will be available, unlocking plenty of limited-time decorations and quests, and reviving most previous event quests.

From April 29 through May 20, Arch-Tempered Rey Dau will be available as an event quest, unlocking yet another new armor set. Arch-Tempered monsters have more health and deal more damage than even Tempered monsters, and it just feels right for Rey Dau, our first Apex predator, to raise the difficulty ceiling in Wilds. AT Rey Dau will be unlocked at HR 50.

Capcom finished the TU1 showcase with a nod to Title Update 2, which is coming this summer on the heels of an unspecified Capcom collab, and which we now know will bring back the fan-favorite monster Lagiacrus, who hasn't been seen since 2018's Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate.

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