Some say gaming is just something someone does for fun. Others believe it’s a way to kill off time. But for a lucky few, it might just be a serious job qualification. Tencent’s latest recruitment post proves that those hundreds of hours grinding monster materials may have finally paid off. According to a social media post, the company is hiring only hardcore Hunters as Monster Hunter Outlanders devs.
On the r/MonsterHunter subreddit, user lvyin shared a screenshot of a job listing for the Monster Hunter mobile spin-off posted on Chinese social media. As claimed by the poster, anyone who wants to join as a combat planner must fulfill a surprising requirement. Applicants must have played Monster Hunter World for at least 500 hours — and logged over 800 hours across the series.
Naturally, the internet erupted, with longtime fans celebrating a job requirement that only veteran Hunters could realistically fulfill.
“See, MOM, I told you those 1500 hours would be useful!” user SoulOfMod joked.
Key-Mathematician759 added, “Finally, a job position that I fulfill all the requirements for!! MOM!!! I’M NOT A FAILURE!!!!!!”
Of course, that’s not the only ability that an aspiring combat planner must have. Here’s the complete job requirements for the Monster Hunter Outlanders devs, translated using Google Translate and other tools:
- Must have over 500 hours of playtime in Monster Hunter: World, and over 800 hours total across the Monster Hunter series.
- Bachelor’s degree or above, with 2+ years of planning experience in action games.
- Strong sense of structure, clear logic, good communication, creativity, and presentation skills; hands-on ability emphasized over previous experience.
- Strong teamwork, ability to iterate quickly, good under pressure, and possesses good work habits.
- Experience completing full-cycle development of action projects, preferably those responsible for core combat modules.
- Experience with Unreal Engine 4/5 is preferred.
- Passion for action games is a strong plus.
Some players welcomed the requirement, seeing it as a promising sign for the game’s design. If the people crafting the combat system actually understand and enjoy Monster Hunter, there’s a better chance they’ll preserve what fans love.
“This is actually great news,” wrote Yeetus_001. “Means that the people planning the most important part will actually know how it works, and more importantly ENJOY the current iteration of the combat.”
Still, others, like user escapevelocitykoala expressed concern. Turning hardcore players into developers could lead to a less welcoming experience for newcomers. For example, veterans may tolerate — or even enjoy — obtuse and grind-heavy systems that turn off newer players. Especially when the devs should realize they’re making Monster Hunter Outlander as a free-to-play mobile game. No doubt that the new gameplay mechanics should make people still unfamiliar with the series feel welcomed.
Whether this bold hiring strategy results in a spin-off that captures the heart of the series remains to be seen. As Tencent Games and its subsidiary TiMi Studio has yet to announce a release date. If nothing else, Monster Hunter Outlanders team will be comprised of veteran Hunters. Just pray they don’t balance the game around people who think Furious Rajang and Fatalis are easy.
