Capcom has been dropping a steady stream of weapon breakdown videos ahead of the Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance expansion, and one of those videos has a producer who knows exactly which weapon is about to get more love. Ryozo Tsujimoto, the series producer who has worked on Monster Hunter since Freedom 2 in 2007, told PC Gamer that the hammer should definitely climb the popularity rankings in Ascendance. He was asked what weapon he’d stake 10,000 yen on, and he didn’t hesitate.
“I think the hammer should definitely go up a place or two,” Tsujimoto said.
The Hammer’s Case For Popularity
Tsujimoto has a long history with the hammer. At the 2023 Justdan Game Festival in Taiwan, he revealed his Monster Hunter Rise guild card, which confirmed he’d used the hammer in each and every one of his 895 completed hunts. That’s a lot of hammer swings.
He also made his devotion explicit in prerelease interviews for Monster Hunter Wilds. Asked by PlayStation Asia how he’d utilize mid-hunt weapon swapping, a new feature in Wilds, he said it plainly: “both of my weapons will be hammers.”
The hammer’s new Boost Bracer moves might finally give him a chance to convince others. Capcom’s Ascendance hammer breakdown video shows the return of Rise’s Impact Crater switch skill as the new attack that lets hammer hunters enter boost mode. Once in sicko status, hammer users get a mid-charge boost dash for repositioning and closing distance, plus a brutal new one-armed slam that follows up the hammer’s heaviest charged attacks.
What The Producer Actually Said
Tsujimoto’s prediction carries a bit of bias. As a hammer main himself, he naturally thinks the weapon is excellent. But the fact that he’s been using it since 2007, across hundreds of hunts, means his opinion comes with context. He knows the weapon intimately.
The Boost Bracer toolkit looks pretty sick, according to the breakdown video. The mid-charge dash and the one-armed slam both offer ways to punish enemies that were difficult to reach before. The hammer has always been a powerful weapon, and the new moves add to that base.
The Gunlance Counterargument
Not everyone agrees the hammer is the weapon to watch. Ascendance director Takuro Hiraoka offered a second opinion, and he pointed elsewhere. The long sword has always enjoyed its place at the top of the MonHun weapon popularity rankings, but Hiraoka said gunlance will likely win over some converts.
“There’s definitely an appeal—a special kind of romance—to gunlance this time that’ll maybe see it go up the rankings as well,” Hiraoka said.
The gunlance’s appeal involves using its explosive shells to perform airborne plunging attacks and overheated stake thrusts. If that isn’t a special kind of romance, I don’t know what is.
Why The Gunlance Might Win Over Converts
The gunlance’s new moves in Ascendance are designed to make it a more exciting weapon. The airborne plunging attacks and the overheated stake thrusts give it a distinct identity. Players who enjoy vertical combat or want a weapon that feels different from the standard charge-and-strike approach might find the gunlance more appealing.
Hiraoka’s prediction suggests the gunlance could move up the rankings. The long sword has been the dominant weapon, but Hiraoka sees room for a new contender.
The Order Of Predictions
The two predictions break down into a simple order:
- Tsujimoto believes the hammer will go up a place or two.
- Hiraoka believes the gunlance will win over some converts.
- The long sword enjoys its place at the top of the rankings.
That’s a neat triangle of expectations. One producer wants his favorite weapon to rise, one director sees room for a new contender, and the established champion holds its current position.
What This Means For Players
The predictions aren’t just idle chatter. They reflect how Capcom is thinking about the balance of Ascendance. If the hammer’s new moves are strong enough, more players might pick it up. If the gunlance’s new tricks catch on, more players might try it out.
Both predictions are reasonable. The hammer has a strong base of players already attached to it, and the new moves give it a reason to shine. The long sword, meanwhile, has been the top weapon for years.
The Bottom Line On The Unbiased Prediction
Tsujimoto’s prediction is amusing precisely because it’s not unbiased. He’s been hammering away for decades, and he’s made no secret of his affection for the weapon. His prediction that the hammer will go up a place or two is a vote of confidence in a weapon he’s loved since 2007.
But the fact that he’s been using it for so long doesn’t make him wrong. The hammer’s new moves are genuinely impressive, and they give the weapon a reason to climb the rankings. The one-armed slam, in particular, looks brutal.
The gunlance prediction adds a layer of complexity. Hiraoka’s suggestion that the gunlance will win over some converts is a different kind of bet. It’s not about the gunlance replacing the hammer, but about the gunlance finding new fans.
What Comes Next
Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches in 2027. You can wishlist it on Steam now. The full slate of weapon breakdowns hasn’t been released yet, so players still have plenty to look forward to.
When the expansion drops, players will see which weapons actually catch on. The hammer’s new moves will be judged by how they feel in practice, not just on paper.
For now, the producers have spoken. Tsujimoto believes the hammer should go up a place or two, and Hiraoka believes the gunlance will win over some converts. The long sword, meanwhile, will continue to enjoy its place at the top of the rankings.
The predictions remain the talk of the town until the game arrives.
Source material: “Unbiased Monster Hunter producer predicts one weapon will climb the popularity rankings in Ascendance, has no agenda: 'Hammer should definitely go up a place or two',” PC Gamer.
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