User blog comment:Mckrongs/Monster Hunter 4 for the Nintendo 3DS/@comment-2049092-20120630230147/@comment-50.52.239.87-20120701012422

Even if the game is open world, there can still be other enviroments within the large map. Personally, I don't think it will be one large map because the distant areas look pretty blank and crude. Also, if Capcom took out those three areas, there would be a lot less variety in monsters.