theHunter: Call of the Wild™ News

[p]2026's first Community Challenge is here for the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in Scottish wildlife. Here's how to participate:[/p]

• [p]Get in-game[/p]
• [p]Hunt a mustelid (minks, martens, badgers)[/p]
• [p]Pass the harvest check [/p]
• [p]Repeat until the progress bar reaches 100%[/p]

[p]Once everyone in the community has reached the goal together, you'll each unlock Clan Roan and Bonny Vinnie Tartans[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Good luck![/p]

[p]Hello! My name is Emily, and I’m a technical animator on theHunter: Call of the Wild! With the new Scotland reserve we finally introduced mustelids to the game: the Badger, Pine Marten, and my personal favorite, the Mink! Join me as I give you all a peek behind the fur on how we brought this wonderful critter to life.[/p][p][/p][h3]What does a Technical Animator do?[/h3][p]In case you didn’t read Dev Diary: A Peek Behind the Tech of the Beaver, here’s a short summary of the part I as a technical animator play in the development of our animals.[/p][p]

My job is basically laying the groundwork for the animation in the game. Among other things, I create the skeletons that drive the models made by our artist and make animation rigs to allow our talented animators to animate them! Sometimes I also work with the system that drives the animations, which we call a state machine: a behaviour tree that transitions the animal to and from the animations that correspond to its current action, as well as controlling other aspects of the animals movement.[/p][p]
[/p][h3]The Right Tool for the Job[/h3][p]Minks and many of their mustelid cousins are famously flexible animals, like furry noodles. In order to capture this it is important that the rig has the right controls that are easy for an animator to manipulate, so that we can properly display this unique physiology.[/p][p][/p][p]Have you ever paused an animation mid-movement and noticed that the limbs are all bent and noodley? That’s what we sometimes call a “ribbon”. These ribbon controls are usually used for cartoonish exaggeration, but we can also utilize it for the spine to create the crazy twists and bends minks are known for with only a handful of controls to keep track of. This is a common solution for most quadruped rigs, but this time a little extra effort was needed to get more precise control of the shape.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Those ribbon controls came in handy when our animators made these lovely hitreact animations where the mink jumps in the air, twisting and flailing in a very dramatic fashion, but there was one issue: the minks are class 1. They almost always die in one hit, meaning that those animations would never be seen! Luckily we were able to make them still play these animations before dying, like the rabbits do, and the roll at the end blending into the death-state tied it all together.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h3]Smallest game in the game[/h3][p]In case it wasn’t obvious, the mink is small, in fact it’s the smallest mammal in theHunter: Call of the Wild to date. They are also fast and nimble. Part of my job involves shooting the animals I work with over and over and over again, and let me tell you when these guys get running they are not easy to hit, and I have access to dev-cheats! You might find them easier to shoot while out on the water, so bring a retriever.[/p][p] [/p][p]That’s right, minks are semi-aquatic. Many of us on the team are Swedes and just like us, minks have a taste for fish, so keep an eye on the lakes. Getting the swimming right was tricky due to their small size. One decimal wrong and they could either look like they’re drowning or like they’re floating above the water, so they needed quite a bit of fine-tuning. Their size turned out to be as much of a challenge for us as it hopefully will be for you![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Working on the minks has been such a joy for me. Mustelids are my favourite family of animals, so when I heard they were on the list for Scotland you better believe I was excited! I am super proud of the work me and my team have put into these adorable little guys, and I hope you all enjoy them as much as I have! While they may look too cute to shoot, I trust they’ll look splendid in your trophy lodges. [/p]

[p]Grab a dog or map or extra gear or gift COTW to a friend for 90% off. [/p][p](We won't tell them you only spent $2)[/p]

[p]Hogmany is almost here! To celebrate, we're gonna need you to find us lots and lots of hogs. Are you in?[/p][p][/p][p]To contribute:[/p]

• [p]Go hunting for Wild Boar[/p]
• [p]Pass the harvest check[/p]
• [p]Repeat until the progress bar reaches 100%[/p]

[p]When the progress bar reaches 100%, everyone who participated will unlock two exclusive skins: Twine Spray and Polished Lilac Metal.[/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[p]Scotland Hunting Reserve is now available![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Immerse yourself in the story of Tòrr nan Sithean. Stalk through old castles and whispering stones amongst vast landscapes. [/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]From the towering Highland mountains to the Celtic woodlands, you won’t be walking alone; 17 huntable animals call this misty place home. [/p][p]Red Deer are returning, and as a symbol of leadership and renewal in Scottish folklore, it’s only natural that they are getting a remaster with new and improved models. Also returning with remodels are the Roe Deer and Wild Boar.
[/p][p]Mustelids are featured for the first time, including the European Badger, Eurasian Pine Marten, and American Mink. They are elusive creatures, so be vigilant! [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Full species list:[/p]

• [p]New! American Mink[/p]
• [p]New! Eurasian Pine Marten[/p]
• [p]New! European Badger[/p]
• [p]New! Eurasian Woodcock[/p]
• [p]New! Red Grouse[/p]
• [p]Wild Boar – Remastered with a New Great One[/p]
• [p]Roe Deer – Remastered[/p]
• [p]Red Deer – Remastered[/p]
• [p]Sika Deer[/p]
• [p]Fallow Deer[/p]
• [p]Feral Goat[/p]
• [p]Western Capercaillie[/p]
• [p]Black Grouse[/p]
• [p]Pheasant[/p]
• [p]Eurasian Wigeon[/p]
• [p]Mountain Hare[/p]
• [p]Red Fox[/p]

[p]Breathe in the mythical atmosphere through a unique storyline with 18 missions that bring you into a vast history of Scottish hunting traditions and folklore. Hunt between ruins and fishing villages, through Highlands and Lowlands. The early autumn mists beckon.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]It also comes with the Benelhag 12G, a new semi-auto shotgun with a tubular magazine. You can get it either as a reward for completing the story, or at the in-game shop for in-game currency. [/p][p]Known for its seamless shot-after-shot delivery, its innovative gas-operated system reduces recoil even on fast-moving targets. The new shotty is versatile and can birdshot, buckshot, and slug, so it’s great for hunting all sorts of game up to class 8. It’s also compatible with various scopes and has an ammo capacity of 3.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p]With the release of Scotland comes a new game update, Patch 8.4, available for everyone! You can read the full patch notes and known issues in our previous announcement here. [/p][h2]TROPHY LODGE FILTERING[/h2][p]The Trophy Manager and Trophy Placement UI screens have been completely overhauled to make sorting and placing your trophies much easier.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h2]TROPHY CUSTOMIZATION[/h2][p]We’ve added 16 new plaques and 40 new stands for everyone. You can also now customize them with select patterns.[/p][p] Want even more trophy customization? Check out the new Trophy Mount Pack DLC that comes with even more plaques, stands, and special mounts![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h2]3 REMASTERS[/h2][p]The Red Deer (with 3 new fur variations), the Roe Deer (with 2 new fur variations), and the Wild Boar (with 2 new fur variations) have all been remastered.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]NEW GREAT ONE: THE WILD BOAR[/h2][p] If you’re lucky you’ll even run into one of the 9 variations of the new Wild Boar Great One.[/p][p][/p][p]Other quality of life features and bug fixes can be found in the Patch 8.4 Patch Notes.[/p][hr][/hr][p]Discord | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Group | YouTube | Twitch[/p][p]Weibo (微博) | Bilibili | Rednote (小红书) | Douyin (抖音) | QQ Group (QQ群) – 1072643830[/p]