I still remember the first time I saw a Mizutsune in Monster Hunter Rise. Its elegant, bubble-wreathed movements were mesmerizing right up until it slammed me into a wall. Now, three years later, Capcom is finally bringing this fan-favorite leviathan into Monster Hunter Wilds on April 4, 2026, and I’m already sharpening my weapons in anticipation. The announcement dropped during the March 25 showcase, and the community has been buzzing ever since. But here’s the thing that really gets my hunting instincts tingling: could Mizutsune’s arrival also pave the way for the return of Wyvern Riding?
Let’s be honest. When I first loaded up Wilds back in 2025, I felt a pang of disappointment the moment I realized I couldn’t mount a monster and steer it into another angry beast. I mean, who didn’t love that chaotic thrill in Rise? It was like being handed the keys to a very angry, very toothy sports car. So why did Capcom leave it out of the newest entry? And more importantly, does the Mizutsune update finally give them a reason to bring it back?
The Allure of the Bubble Fox
Mizutsune isn’t just another monster. Since its debut in Monster Hunter Generations, the “Bubble Fox” has managed to become one of those creatures that hunters actively look forward to fighting. It’s flashy, it’s unpredictable, and its soapy attacks can turn a carefully planned assault into a slip-and-slide disaster zone. In Monster Hunter Rise, Mizutsune felt almost tailor-made for Wyvern Riding. Its sinuous body and flowing movements translated perfectly into a controllable mount, allowing you to unleash a torrent of bubbles on other monsters with a satisfying sense of domination.
I’ve saved more hunts than I can count by latching onto a Mizutsune mid-fight, steering it into a Rathalos, and letting them sort out their differences while I carved a downed teammate back to health. That synergy was magical. Now, with Wilds cranking its open-world immersion to eleven, the absence of that feature feels like a gaping wound in the combat loop. Sure, we can still mount and wound monsters, but it’s just not the same as full-on puppet-master chaos.
What Wyvern Riding Actually Brought to the Table
Let’s break down why Wyvern Riding was such a game-changer, and why I’m clutching at hope for its return.
1. It Made Multiple Target Hunts a Party, Not a Panic Attack
Honestly, before Rise, when two monsters showed up at the same time, my first instinct was to panic-dive into a bush and pray. With Wyvern Riding, that double trouble became a golden opportunity. You could immediately jump onto one monster, slam the other one repeatedly, and even trigger a mountable state on the second creature. In Wilds, where hoards of monsters already roam the map together, having this tool back would transform those “oh no” moments into “oh yes!” highlight reels.
2. It Incentivized Creative Combat
Do you ever find yourself falling into the same combo rhythm over and over? Wyvern Riding broke that monotony by rewarding you for thinking like a monster. You could reposition an enraged beast to your advantage, use it to break hard-to-reach parts on another target, or simply enjoy a few seconds of pure, destructive power. It turned the ecosystem itself into your weapon, and that fits Wilds’ heavy emphasis on a living, breathing world perfectly.
3. It Was Just Plain Fun
Let’s not overcomplicate this. Ramming a Zinogre into a cliff face? Perfection. Forcing a Rathian to face-plant into her angry spouse? Comedy gold. Wyvern Riding added a layer of spectacle that made every hunt feel like a highlight reel. Reintroducing it would not only please veterans but give new players yet another reason to dive into the gorgeous, interconnected biomes of Wilds.
The Wirebug Connection
Now, here’s where the speculation gets even juicier. What if Wyvern Riding’s return opens the door for Wirebugs? I know, I know—Wirebugs were a Rise exclusive tied to the game’s verticality and Japanese-inspired setting. But think about it: you couldn’t perform Wyvern Riding without a Wirebug in Rise. The entire mounting system depended on that little silk-slinging buddy. If Capcom is truly bringing back the Riding mechanic, they’d have to introduce some equivalent traversal gadget, and Wirebugs are the obvious candidate.
Imagine scaling the towering peaks of the Windward Plains or darting between the floating ruins of the Scarlet Forest with the fluidity of a Wirebug. Exploration in Wilds is already incredible, but adding that extra layer of agility would make gathering, tracking, and chasing down fleeing monsters infinitely more dynamic. It might even give the mounting system a fresh twist—maybe a hybrid of the Seikret’s mobility and the precise silkbind moves we loved in Rise.
Will Capcom Actually Do It?
I’m not going to pretend this is a sure thing. Programming Wyvern Riding into an open-world game as vast as Wilds would be a monumental task. Monster AI would need to account for being controlled by a player across every possible terrain. And then there’s balance: how do you stop a clever hunter from chaining rides indefinitely and trivializing hunts? Capcom would have to walk a tightrope, and that’s not exactly a small ask.
But here’s why I’m still bullish on the idea. Mizutsune was practically the mascot of Wyvern Riding in Rise. Its announcement trailer back in 2021 famously ended with the hunter steering a Mizutsune into a Magnamalo, and the crowd lost their minds. Bringing that specific monster into Wilds without any nod to its iconic gameplay pairing feels like a missed opportunity. And Capcom has been surprisingly responsive to player feedback lately—look at how they quickly adjusted hitstop and weapon balance after the first month of Wilds’ release. If the roar for Wyvern Riding stays loud enough, I wouldn’t be shocked to see it surface in Title Update 2 or beyond.
The Waiting Game
All I know for certain is that April 4 can’t come fast enough. When I finally square off against Mizutsune in the shimmering waters of Wilds, I’ll be testing every button combination just in case I suddenly find myself gripping its soapy mane. Whether Wyvern Riding returns next week or next year, one thing is undeniable: the hunt is always better when you can turn a monster into your own personal wrecking ball.
So, will Capcom grant me my chaotic wish? I’ve got my fingers crossed and my Wirebug-shaped charm ready. Until then, I’ll be sharpening my Dual Blades and hoping for the best. Happy hunting, everyone—and may your mounts never be interrupted by a stray Bnahabra.