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’ve already seen some of the big changes coming to the RPG game series with Monster Hunter Wilds, including unprecedented mount mobility and all-new mechanics. Thanks to the power of next-gen consoles, Wilds is shaping up to be a stunning open-world game, as Ken’s Monster Hunter Wilds preview at Gamescom 2024 can attest. Now you’re suitably buzzing, here is everything we know about the Monster Hunter Wilds release date and all the new features shown off in the latest trailers.
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. Monster Hunter World released on consoles in January 2018, and Monster Hunter Rise released on Switch in March 2021.
Monster Hunter Wilds was first announced during the Game Awards 2023 show, but we also saw a video in early 2024 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.” Tsujimoto also confirms that “The next announcement for the game is planned for Summer 2024,” adding that “we hope you look forward to it.”
For those who have played Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter World Iceborne, you 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.
Monster Hunter Wilds trailers
The first trailer gave us an early look at Monster Hunter Wilds new mount and potentially a gameplay variant. The mount is very similar to Monster Hunter Rise 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 Monster Hunter Wild 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.
The team released another trailer at Gamescom Opening Night Live alongside a lengthy blog post detailing The Scarlet Forest, an eerie, dark forest with blood red rivers and large, spider-like monsters called Lala Barina that live within. We also found out more about apex predators, the new large mosnters that guard each region, and a fresh look at the base camp, as well as the new characters Olivia and her Palico, Athos.
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, check out whether Monster Hunter Wilds is getting crossplay and 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.