Confirmation of NPC hunters came via Wilds' latest gameplay trailer, which showed a newly revealed character joining the fight alongside the player. However, Capcom's now elaborated on the NPC system.
It's called 'Hunter Support', and it lets you summon helpers into the fray even if you're midway through a hunt. What's more, you can actually utilise NPCs to form a full hunting party of four. NPCs can even make up the numbers when you're playing with other people.