theHunter

{{About|the video game series|other uses|the Hunter (disambiguation){{!}}the Hunter|and|Hunter (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox video game series

| italic title = no

| title = theHunter

| image = TheHunterLogo.png

| caption = theHunter series logo as of Call of the Wild

| platforms = {{Unbulleted list|Microsoft Windows|PlayStation 4|Xbox One|PlayStation 5|Xbox Series X/S}}

| developer = {{Unbulleted list|Avalanche Studios {{small|(2009–2015)}}|Expansive Worlds {{small|(2015–2017)}}}}

| publisher = {{Unbulleted list|Emote Games {{small|(2009)}}|Avalanche Studios {{small|(2015)}}|Expansive Worlds {{small|(2015–present)}}}}

| genre = Simulation

| first release version = theHunter: Classic

| first release date = April 2009

| latest release version = theHunter: Call of the Wild

| latest release date = 16 February 2017

}}

theHunter is a series of simulation video games developed by Expansive Worlds and published by its parent company, Avalanche Studios.{{Cite web |title=ANNOUNCING theHunter: Call of the Wild WATCH REVEAL TRAILER AND JOIN THE CLOSED BETA |url=https://news.cision.com/avalanche-studios/r/announcing-thehunter--call-of-the-wild-watch-reveal-trailer-and-join-the-closed-beta,c2132390 |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=News Powered by Cision |date=28 November 2016 |language=en}} The first game in the series, known as theHunter: Classic, was developed and published by Emote Games, in association with Avalanche Studios, and released in April 2009. Subsequently, Avalanche Studios bought the rights to the franchise and opened Expansive Worlds as a subsidiary that would exclusively focus on theHunter development. A standalone expansion, theHunter: Primal, was developed and published by Expansive Worlds and Avalanche Studios, and released on March 15, 2015.{{Cite web |title=THEHUNTER: PRIMAL HAS BEEN LET LOOSE ON STEAM EARLY ACCESS |url=https://news.cision.com/avalanche-studios/r/thehunter--primal-has-been-let-loose-on-steam-early-access,c9696949 |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=News Powered by Cision |date=15 December 2014 |language=en}} The most recent entry in the series, theHunter: Call of the Wild, was developed by Expansive Worlds and published by Avalanche Studios on February 16th, 2017.{{Cite web |title=theHunter: Call of the Wild Coming to Consoles on October 2, 2017 |url=https://news.cision.com/avalanche-studios/r/thehunter--call-of-the-wild-coming-to-consoles-on-october-2--2017,c2330866 |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=News Powered by Cision |date=22 August 2017 |language=en}}

Gameplay

theHunter games play as first-person hunting games that recreate hunting wild animals in a manner as realistic as possible. The initial setting is on an open world island based on various locations, including the islands and surroundings of Washington state in the United States. The player can hunt from a variety of animals ranging from Deer, Elk, Bears, Rabbits, Birds and other types depending on the reserves.

To play the player must first create a character on the game's website, which includes social networking tools and messaging capabilities to allow players to connect and share in-game experiences. Creating a character requires selecting an avatar from a pool of unique faces, and adding a unique name. Once a character is created and the tutorial completed, the player can hunt freely, activate missions and earn one of two types of in-game currency called gm$. Completing the first 3 whitetail deer missions unlocks further missions from other animals in the game.

Players must use natural cover to avoid detection by the animals in the game; each animal species reacts to different stimuli in different ways. Scent detection for the quadrupeds is their keenest sense, which means the player has to be aware of wind direction or the animal might smell the player's scent and run off. Players must also pay careful attention to the soundscape, listening for subtle signals that indicate the presence of animals in the locality.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/the-hunter-review/ |title=The Hunter review |website=gamesradar.com |date=21 April 2009 |access-date=7 June 2018}}

The core gameplay revolves around tracking and harvesting (killing) animals with the weapons provided, although a digital camera is also provided for those who do not wish to shoot with a gun or a bow (taking these digital pictures only store in files on computer). Animal tracks can be found and identified with the "Huntermate", an in-game GPS-like device that identifies tracks, scat, rooting, bedding, blood trails, and animal calls and grunts. To hunt certain species, theHunter requires the player to utilise the correct weapon for each hunt. Most bows are considered ethical for all species while rifles, handguns and shotguns of different calibre must be selected according to the animal the player will hunt. Players that break this rule lose a ranking on the animals trophy rating.

Hunting areas added since May 2011 are: Settler Creeks (rugged North American mountain forest with abandoned homesteads); Redfeather Falls (rough Canadian mountains and swamps); Hirschfelden (German highland farms and forests); Hemmeldal (Northern Swedish snowy mountains, swamps and icy lakes), which is also the first reserve to allow hunting during snowfall; Rougarou Bayou (Southern United States); Val des Bois (rugged mountains, meadows and woods in the Alps), Bushranger's Run (dry, rocky and sandy Australian Outback), Whiterime Ridge (chilly arctic landscape surrounded by high mountains and icefields), Timbergold Trails (Rocky Mountains-inspired Reserve), and Piccabeen Bay (Australian tropics-inspired reserve). Subscribers can choose to start anywhere in these hunting areas (provided they have a tent, otherwise a hunting lodge can be chosen to start in a list of two or three in each reserve), and at any time of day, between 5 AM and 6 PM.

Development

= ''theHunter: Classic'' =

Prior to announcing theHunter: Classic, British developer Emote Games and Swedish developer Avalanche Studios revealed on 8 April 2008 that they had formed a joint venture through which they would create a "unique cross-format socially-enabled game".{{cite magazine |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development/emote-and-avalanche-form-joint-venture |title=Emote and Avalanche form joint venture |website=mcvuk.com |date=8 April 2008 |access-date=7 June 2018}} theHunter was officially announced on 17 September 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/09/17/emote-games-and-avalanche-studios-announce-the-hunter |title=Emote Games and Avalanche Studios Announce The Hunter |author=IGN Staff |date=17 September 2008 |website=ign.com |access-date=7 June 2018}} The game was released as a free-to-play title in April 2009.{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/14/the-hunter-qa |title=The Hunter Q&A |first=Jason |last=Ocampo |date=14 October 2008 |website=ign.com |access-date=7 June 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/07/07/the-hunter-hits-1-million-visitors |title=The Hunter Hits 1 Million Visitors |author=IGN Staff |date=7 July 2009 |website=ign.com |access-date=7 June 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/12/15/ridealong-stalking-a-wounded-deer-with-the-hunter/ |title=Ridealong: Stalking a wounded deer with the hunter |date=15 December 2016 |website=rockpapershotgun.com |access-date=7 June 2018}}

Avalanche Studios announced on 18 February 2010 that they had acquired the intellectual property to theHunter: Classic from Emote Games.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/118251/Just_Cause_Dev_Avalanche_Acquires_The_Hunter_Franchise.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509122636/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/118251/Just_Cause_Dev_Avalanche_Acquires_The_Hunter_Franchise.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 May 2012 |title=Just Cause Dev Avalanche Acquires The Hunter Franchise |first=Chris |last=Remo |website=gamasutra.com |date=18 February 2010 |access-date=7 June 2018}} According to Avalanche Studios' chief technology officer, Linus Blomberg, the studio lost {{GBP|35 million|link=yes}} and 20 employees due to publishing deals in 2009, because of which they sought to take advantage of theHunter: Classic independently.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development/avalanche-hopes-on-growth-with-hunter-ip-deal |title=Avalanche hopes on growth with Hunter IP deal |website=mcvuk.com |date=18 February 2010 |access-date=7 June 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/avalanche-secures-rights-to-the-hunter |title=Avalanche secures rights to The Hunter |website=gamesindustry.biz |date=17 February 2010 |access-date=7 June 2018}} He further noted that, although the game had 100,000 registered users at the time, the number of active users had declined significantly since November 2009.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development/avalanche-weathering-the-storm |title=Avalanche: weathering the storm |website=mcvuk.com |date=22 February 2010 |access-date=7 June 2018}} Christofer Sundberg, chief executive officer for Avalanche Studios, explained that the company planned to establish a separately managed subsidiary studio that would focus exclusively on theHunter: Classic.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development/new-hunter-studio-for-avalanche |title=New Hunter studio for Avalanche |website=mcvuk.com |date=22 February 2010 |access-date=7 June 2018}} This studio was announced as Expansive Worlds on 23 March 2010, with Stefan Pettersson, previously senior consultant at Netlight Consulting, leading the establishment as managing director.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/118725/Just_Cause_Developer_Founds_New_Casual_OnlineCentric_Studio.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512202853/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/118725/Just_Cause_Developer_Founds_New_Casual_OnlineCentric_Studio.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 May 2012 |title=Just Cause Developer Founds New Casual, Online-Centric Studio |first=Kris |last=Graft |website=gamasutra.com |date=23 March 2010 |access-date=7 June 2018}}

= ''theHunter: Primal'' =

On 24 November 2014, Expansive Worlds announced theHunter: Primal, a standalone expansion to theHunter that would feature dinosaurs.{{cite web |url=https://www.vg247.com/2014/11/25/dinosaurs-in-thehunter-primal/ |title=Dinosaurs are coming to theHunter: Primal - VG247 |date=25 November 2014 |website=vg247.com |access-date=7 June 2018}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/being-eaten-by-dinosaurs-in-thehunter-primal/ |title=Being eaten by dinosaurs in theHunter: Primal |website=pcgamer.com |date=8 January 2015 |access-date=7 June 2018|last1=Wilde |first1=Tyler }} The game was made available through Steam Early Access on 15 December 2014,{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/frighteningly-realistic-dinosaur-hunter-goes-live-/1100-6424220/ |title="Frighteningly Realistic Dinosaur Hunter" Goes Live on Steam |first=Eddie |last=Makuch |date=15 December 2014 |website=gamespot.com |access-date=7 June 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-12-15-just-cause-devs-thehunter-primal-launches-on-steam-early-access |title=Just Cause dev's theHunter: Primal launches on Steam Early Access |website=eurogamer.net |date=15 December 2014 |access-date=7 June 2018}} and was fully released on 31 March 2015.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/just-cause-dev-s-dinosaur-hunting-game-available-n/1100-6426284/ |title=Just Cause Dev's Dinosaur-Hunting Game Available Now, Adds Eye-Tracking |first=Eddie |last=Makuch |date=1 April 2015 |website=gamespot.com |access-date=7 June 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-03-31-just-cause-developer-releases-prehistoric-survival-game-thehunter-primal |title=Just Cause dev's TheHunter: Primal leaves Early Access, launches proper |website=eurogamer.net |date=31 March 2015 |access-date=7 June 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/thehunter-primal/dinosaur-survival-game-thehunter-primal-stomps-out-of-early-access |title=Dinosaur survival game theHunter: Primal stomps out of Early Access |website=pcgamesn.com |date=31 March 2015 |access-date=7 June 2018}} The game was developed and published collaboratively by Expansive Worlds and Avalanche Studios.{{cite web |url=https://www.videogamer.com/news/thehunter-primal-brings-dinosaur-hunting-to-steam-early-access |title=theHunter: Primal brings dinosaur hunting to Steam Early Access - VideoGamer.com |website=videogamer.com |date=15 December 2014 |access-date=7 June 2018}}

= ''theHunter: Call of the Wild'' =

A sequel to both games, titled theHunter: Call of the Wild, was announced on 28 November 2016.{{cite web |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/11/29/thehunter-call-of-the-wild-announced/ |title=TheHunter: Call Of The Wild has gorgeous scenery |date=29 November 2016 |website=rockpapershotgun.com |access-date=7 June 2018}} This time developed by Expansive Worlds and only published by Avalanche Studios, the game was released on 16 February 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/01/23/thehunter-call-of-the-wild-release-date/ |title=theHunter: Call of the Wild starts stalking in February |date=23 January 2017 |website=rockpapershotgun.com |access-date=7 June 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/16/thehunter-call-of-the-wild-released/ |title=Time for a stroll! theHunter: Call of the Wild released |date=16 February 2017 |website=rockpapershotgun.com |access-date=7 June 2018}} Expansive Worlds confirmed on 27 March 2017 that the game would also receive ports for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/just-cause-devs-open-world-hunting-game-headed-to-/1100-6448997/ |title=Just Cause Dev's Open-World Hunting Game Headed To PS4 And Xbox One |first=Eddie |last=Makuch |date=27 March 2017 |website=gamespot.com |access-date=7 June 2018}} These were released on 2 October 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-hunter-coming-to-ps4-and-xbox-one/1100-6452775/ |title=The Hunter Coming To PS4 And Xbox One |first=Eddie |last=Makuch |date=22 August 2017 |website=gamespot.com |access-date=7 June 2018}}

The game continued to receive development throughout 2019 with the introduction of TruRacs, an implementation of random rack design being applied to animals with racks that provides more diversity in the look of certain animals. Expansive Worlds announced that they aim to include TruRacs for all species that have horn/antler variations within the game.

To date, Expansive Worlds has released seventeen hunting reserves for theHunter: Call of the Wild:

Africa

Vurhonga Savannah (2018), Southern Africa

Asia

Medved-Taiga National Park (2017), Siberia, Russia
Sundarpatan Hunting Reserve (2024), Nepal

Europe

Hirschfelden Hunting Reserve (2017), Central Europe
Cuatro Colinas Game Reserve (2019), Spain
Revontuli Coast (2022), Finland
Salzwiesen Park (2024), Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Oceania

Te Awaroa National Park (2020), New Zealand
Emerald Coast Australia (2023), Australia

North America

Layton Lake District (2017), Pacific Northwest
Yukon Valley (2019), Yukon River Basin, Alaska
Silver Ridge Peaks (2020), Colorado
Mississippi Acres Preserve (2021), Mississippi
Rancho del Arroyo (2021), Sonora, Mexico
New England Mountains (2022), New Hampshire
Askiy Ridge Hunting Reserve (2025), Alberta, Canada

South America

Parque Fernando (2018), Patagonia, Argentina

In January 2020, Expansive Worlds announced a beta which would look at changes to weapons and scoring of the animal system in the game to make the game more in line with simulation play and provide a better overall experience. With feedback provided the Expansive Worlds team launched a second round of their beta in late January to further get feedback on the proposed Scoring 2.0 system. The Animal Scoring System 2.0 went live on 18 February 2020.{{cite web | url=http://callofthewild.thehunter.com/posts/animal_scoring_2_0_now_live/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212184216/http://callofthewild.thehunter.com/posts/animal_scoring_2_0_now_live/ | archive-date=12 February 2021 | title=Animal Scoring 2.0 Now Live }}