When is the Monster Hunter Wilds release date? With the recent resurgence of Monster Hunter World and Rise in late 2023, there’s naturally a bit of a buzz regarding the first sixth-generation Monster Hunter.
We have already seen some of the big changes coming to the RPG game series with Monster Hunter Wilds, not least the sheer level of mobility your mount offers, and some of the newly revealed mechanics excite us greatly. With the power offered by new-generation consoles, perhaps this will be the first in the series to embrace a fully open-world game concept. We can all but estimate here, but here is everything we currently know about the Monster Hunter Wilds release date and all the game features shown off so far.
Monster Hunter Wilds release date estimate
The Monster Hunter Wilds release date has been confirmed for 2025. It will be the first game in the mainline series to come to PC from day one, and is also coming to Xbox Series and PS5 on the same date.
Looking at the trend of previous Monster Hunter release dates, we think it could arrive in Q1 of next year. Capcom usually releases a game during the first quarter of the year, and historically, those games have been mostly brand-new Monster Hunter games. World released on consoles in January 2018, and Rise released on Switch in March 2021.
Monster Hunter Wilds was first announced during the Game Awards 2023 show, but we also got a post in the New Year on X (formerly known as Twitter) from series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto, who states that the team “is deep in development and working diligently towards release in 2025.” During the same video from the New Year post, Tsujimoto also confirmed that “The next announcement for the game is planned for Summer 2024”, adding that “we hope you look forward to it.”
One cool detail is that players who have played Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter World Iceborne will receive Palico armor sets and weapons. Those who’ve played World get the Felynne Leather armor set and the Felyne Acorn Spade weapon. Making it through the campaign as far as the Iceborne expansion gives you the Felyne Duffel armor set and the Felyne Trekker Peckaxe.
Will Monster Hunter Wilds have crossplay?
Yes, Monster Hunter Wilds crossplay has been confirmed by Capcom for all platforms.
During the Summer Game Fest 2024 stream, Tsujimoto appeared on stage to introduce the second trailer of the summer show. Before rolling the footage, he confirmed that crossplay will be available on every platform.
Monster Hunter Wilds trailers
The first trailer gives us an early look at Monster Hunter Wilds’ new mount and potentially a gameplay variant. The mount is very similar to Monster Hunter Rise’s Palamutes; only it’s a feathered creature with wings. Later revealed to be called Seikrets, they can also glide for a short time and are a bit more nimble, able to hop between crags.
We’re shown a herd of smaller herbivorous monsters pursued by three bear-like sand-dwelling large monsters right as a sandstorm hits. Inside the sandstorm, we see a storm erupt as the beasts tear apart their armored prey. At the end of the trailer, a similar sand cloud transforms a barren wasteland into rich plains with flowing rivers and lush grass.
The next trailer debuted during the May 2024 PlayStation State of Play stream. The previously revealed bear-like monsters are known as Doshaguma, with their behavior resembling a lion pride. We also see a second monster, the Chatacabra, a hulking gorilla and bullfrog hybrid. We are also introduced to a few new characters from the hunting expedition who assist the player on their journey.
Next up is the trailer from the Summer Game Fest 2024 stream, where we have a scripted sequence as the hunters are attacked by a pack of a new leviathan-class monster: Balahara. In it, we get confirmation of the return of Turf Wars, a feature introduced in Monster Hunter World, where large monsters briefly fight each other in scripted sequences. However, this time, multiple monsters of the same type can gang up on a solitary beast, as shown by the Doshaguma quickly being overwhelmed by several Balahara.
The latest batch of trailers features a lot of in-game footage, exploring the game’s basic mechanics and the Focus Mode mechanic. Capcom has also dropped weapon overviews for the Insect Glaive, Heavy Bowgun, and Great Sword. Monster Hunter World prior to its launch in 2018 went through a similar release cadence, potentially hinting that Wilds could be launching sooner rather than later.
All known monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds
Historically, the series has three different types of monsters: small, large, and Elder Dragons. Typically, Elder Dragons are late-game bosses that are kept as a surprise until the game’s release, though the likes of Nergigante and Velkhana from Monster Hunter World and its Iceborne expansion were flagship monsters.
New large monsters
Two new large monsters have been revealed, with the first chasing the hunter during the first trailer. This was later revealed to be the Doshaguma, which are highly territorial beasts with a huge habitat. It’s unclear how the dimorphism works here, but the larger ones have fuller, red manes similar to lions. They hang around in packs, with several smaller Doshaguma accompanying the later red-maned version.
The second monster we know about for sure is the Chatacabra, which is a scaly bullfrog with the stance of a gorilla. In the trailer, we see it pound the ground with multiple punches, get attacked by what looks like a pack of Shamos – a returning small monster, and use its adhesive tongue to gobble up prey.
The third main trailer introduced the Balahara. These territorial sandworms burrow deep into the vast sea of desert sand to ambush their prey. They can also form packs to lead unsuspecting hunters to their lair or gang up on larger beasts like Doshaguma.
Finally, we have this as-of-yet unknown dragon-like beast. In the trailer, we see it exclusively during the sandstorm portion, which seems to be the main cause of lightning in the area. Its design is partially similar to past Elder Dragons, such as Gore Magala, so there is speculation that this is a new flagship monster. Recent flagship monsters have included Magnamalo and Malzeno from Monster Hunter Rise and Nergigante and Velkhana from World, and this electric beast certainly gives off similar vibes.
Returning large monsters
So far, the only returning monster we’ve seen from the first trailer is none other than series staple Rathalos, who we see swooping across the plains at the end of the trailer. Rathalos is generally considered a mid-late campaign boss and regularly uses rather chaotic fire attacks. He’s also been known to poison with his claws and swipe would-be hunters with his tail.
Small monsters
Ceratonoths are the small monsters shown in the trailer. They’re brand new and resemble Pangolins. However, they’re also a more obviously dimorphic species as some have massive spikes erupting through their backs, while others keep a more streamlined appearance. This is similar to Kestodons from previous games, where the males are noticeably larger than the females.
Another herbivore described on the PlayStation Blog post accompanying the trailer is the Dalthydon. This is a cross between a ram and a bipedal dinosaur, such as a velociraptor. When threatened, it will adopt a defensive stance, fighting back with its hard head shell. While not confirmed by the blog, we can clearly see Shamos attacking the Chatacrabra during the second trailer.
Alongside them are some tiny lizard-like monsters fleeing the large beast-like enemies. Early shots also show small birds resting on top of the Pangolin-like monsters and a single flying Winddrake variant (it’s unknown if this is a new small monster or an existing Winddrake).
Monster Hunter Wilds characters
In addition to the Hunter, who, according to the PlayStation Blog post, will be fully voice-acted for the first time, you also have a faithful Palico friend to accompany you on each hunt.
While Monster Hunter Rise introduced Palamutes, Wilds gives us the Seikret. These bird-like dinosaurs have an astonishing sense of smell and come with satchel pouches to help hunters keep alternative weapons to hand. They also hold slings, which return from Monster Hunter World. You can now fire them while riding your Seikret.
Like every Monster Hunter game on PC in the past, there is a point of contact for starting hunts and a few other NPCs to help you out in the hub area. Alma is your handler this time around, assisting you with encyclopedic knowledge about the creatures in the area. You also have Gemma, your local blacksmith, who handles all weapon and armor requests, provided you have the parts. There is also a mysterious boy named Nata who will join you on your adventure. We don’t know much about him just yet,
Monster Hunter Wilds gameplay
Here are the 14 base weapons returning to Monster Hunter Wilds:
- Great Sword
- Long Sword
- Sword & Shield
- Dual Blades
- Hammer
- Hunting Horn
- Lance
- Gunlance
- Switch Axe
- Charge Blade
- Insect Glaive
- Light Bowgun
- Heavy Bowgun
- Bow
According to the PlayStation blog post, “Hunters will have more precise control over how they guard, aim, and attack in order to target a monster’s weak points for big damage.” You can get a better gauge of how the basic mechanics work in the video below.
Furthermore, the blog says that the introduction of Focus Mode “makes it easier to adjust your distance to the monster and aim your attacks, making the distinctive Monster Hunter hunting action more accessible to a wider variety of players.” You can check out the official Focus Mode overview video here.
The other detail is that the first area we’ve seen so far, the Windward Plains, is a vast, untamed savannah, that’s highly changeable due to the extreme weather conditions. Sometimes it’ll be a lush field with golden grass, but sometimes it’ll be a dusty lifeless wasteland. As sandstorms roll in, you can even see lightning erupt in the distance. All of these weather effects make their mark on the local monster population and how they interact with one another.
It will still be quite a while before we learn the Monster Hunter Wilds release date, so until then, here’s a list of the best games like Monster Hunter if you want to scratch that particular itch. Otherwise, there are also lists of the best upcoming games of 2024, as well as the best PC games of the past year.