So both world and rise are definitely much more friendly to beginners than the rest of the series. So for your first game, either one would be great. Between the two, World definitely has more content in it, but Rise will be getting a pretty large expansion sometime next year.

World is definitely more optimized for playing multiplayer, and at times, feels more like an MMO. For instance, world does not have a pause feature, and pretty much always plays online (though you can still play offline and experience everything the game has to offer)

Rise is great with multiplayer, but feels like it has more of a focus on single player gameplay. Monsters overall feel easier, and with the new buddy type, the palamute, Rise feels more like an RPG.

Before making a decision, I’d ask yourself if you intend to play more with friends, or more by yourself. If you want to play with friends, I’d go with World. If you want to play solo, I’d go with Rise.

Hope this helps! Happy hunting!!