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Howdy Hunters!
I’m Troy Schram, Lead Designer on theHunter: Call of the Wild. Today we’re talking about the upcoming Revontuli Coast reserve, and how we chose Finland as one of our reserve locations.
The generic response to this question is something like: ‘There are many reasons and considerations when determining what reserve location we choose’. That’s very likely not what you want to hear, and despite how true it may be!
Let’s see if we can dig a little deeper into the specifics of choosing Finland and how we got there.
No hat-trick this time
“Yay, not another North American map!”
It’s true, we lean heavily on North American locations when it comes to our reserve locations. Our two most recent reserves are located there, after all, and we’re conscious of this.
When the time came to look at candidates for a ‘bird-focused’ reserve that would make use of the highly requested waterfowl rework, we immediately scratched all such candidates from the list, despite their ideal regions.
Near and dear to the team
Knowing we’d very likely be doing a reserve located in Europe, we dipped into our folder of previous candidates.
Whenever we create a reserve, there’s always a decision to make between multiple locations. This usually leaves us with a surplus of pitches for locations we’d like to do, but don’t for one reason or another.
All the way back in 2020, someone seeded the idea for Finland. Dusting that pitch off, we started researching the animal roster further, with an eye toward the bird selection.
So many feathers
With the waterfowl rework being a key attraction, we knew we wanted the roster to be heavily weighted for waterfowl. Upwards of 40% would be ideal.
With this in mind, we looked at Finland and generated a long list of the 22 bird species hunted in that region. As it turns out, 15 of these were ducks and geese!
To maximize the sheer amount of content we wanted to include in this release, we had to get creative and work as efficiently as possible. Out of the 19 species chosen in total, 12 of them are birds.
Don’t get too wet
When it came to the overall design of Revontuli Coast, we wanted to capture the archipelago feel of Finland. Here you’ll find lots of interconnected islands on coastal shores.
Knowing we’d launched Mississippi Acres Preserve without enough water-crossing opportunities, we made sure this wouldn’t be an issue this time around.
For example, players can utilize boats and shallow water-crossings in Revontuli Coast, to easily reach their preferred hunting spots.
Talking of hunting spots, there are multiple opportunities to find several bird species occupying the same area or island throughout Revontuli Coast. Bird hunters will be able to set up and find a variety of prey without needing to move constantly.
By utilizing the new water layout blind, callers, and decoys, players can get out into the water and hunt waterfowl like never before.
We look forward to players meeting the new warden and exploring all the unique landmarks that are inspired by Finnish culture, history, and geography!
Welcome to Revontuli Coast!
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