Monster Hunter Wilds debuted a new look at its scaly new critters last week, but fans are so memorized by an NPC named Gemma the Smithy that they’ve added a “Dating Sim” tag to its official Steam page.
Pointed out by @QuirklessStoner on X/Twitter, Capcom’s next Monster Hunter game’s Steam tags include “Action,” “Multiplayer,” and, now, “Dating Sim” (spotted by Games Radar). Tags are user-generated, but the ones that appear first are the most popular among fans. That means players gathered and tagged Monster Hunter Wilds as a dating sim enough to propel the term to be one of its most-used tags.
Gemma, the Research Commission Smithy, will be in charge of all things armor and weapons! Gear up for frequent visits to her as you craft and improve your equipment throughout your journey. #MHWilds pic.twitter.com/WTXydzRA4C
— Monster Hunter (@monsterhunter) June 2, 2024
Of course, it’s worth pointing out that, at least as far as Capcom has revealed, Monster Hunter Wilds isn’t a dating sim, and the franchise has never offered dating sim mechanics. That didn't stop the players who added the tag on Steam — just a few days after Capcom showed off Gemma.
Gemma first appeared in a trailer that premiered during last week’s PlayStation State of Play presentation. She’s only on-screen for about 12 seconds of the three-minute trailer and says two sentences. Of course, that was more than enough for players to latch on to.
“A smithy with the Research Commission,” a description for Gemma on the Monster Hunter Wilds website says. “She’ll take care of all your weapon and armor crafting needs!”
Considering Gemma is already popular enough to change Monster Hunter Wilds’ Steam page, it should be no surprise to see that social media has already been flooded with fan art and posts hoping to hear more about the character soon.
Meet #Gemma, 'a smithy with the Research Commission. She'll take care of all your weapon and armour crafting needs!' ⚔️
— Camdenvania • (@camdenvania) June 1, 2024
| #MonsterHunter | #MonsterHunterWilds |
| #MHW | #Capcom | #PixelArt | pic.twitter.com/zVEhdpXH4k
Playing Monster Hunter for her ? pic.twitter.com/lET8QTVKqE
— PridefulSin? (@ReignOfPride) May 30, 2024
Peak character design?
— Pure PlayStation (ピュア プレイステーション) (@Pure_PS) June 1, 2024
Gemma | Monster Hunter: Wilds | PS5 pic.twitter.com/9iqqe0cnNp
excited for mh wilds so i drew gemma, the new smithy<3 :3#monsterhunter #monsterhunterwilds #モンスターハンター #mhw pic.twitter.com/NxEOmWJ8AA
— laney (@NimraenArt) June 2, 2024
We'll learn more about Gemma when Monster Hunter Wilds launches for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S in 2025. For more, you can read everything else announced at the PlayStation State of Play here.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
