Monster Hunter Wilds is set to be another blockbuster entry in Capcom’s ongoing franchise, the follow-up to the record-breaking Monster Hunter World. Considering this is the successor to Capcom’s best-selling game of all time, there’s heightened anticipation for Monster Hunter Wilds.
Right now, we've seen several Monster Hunter Wilds trailers, most recently at PlayStation’s State of Play showcase for May 2024. The game might potentially be more than a year away, but there's already plenty of exciting news out there surrounding what has become one of the most upcoming PS5 games on the way, including brand new gameplay features.
Monster Hunter Wilds release date
Right now, the Monster Hunter Wilds release date has been set for some point in 2025. Capcom unfortunately hasn’t been able to specify at what point of the year it'll launch, or whether it'll arrive this fiscal year, which would’ve put the potential release date before April 2025.
Monster Hunter Wilds platforms
What's great about Monster Hunter Wilds is that it'll release across all platforms simultaneously - PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S systems. This might not be a huge change from Monster Hunter World, which similarly arrived across all platforms at once, but it is a pleasant change from the more recent Monster Hunter Rise, which began life as a Nintendo Switch exclusive before hitting console and PC systems.
Monster Hunter Wilds trailers
The Monster Hunter Wilds trailer just above is the debut one from late 2023, where Capcom finally pulled back the curtain on the next entry in the series. The trailer showed our hunter roaming vast open maps, which some took to be a confirmation that Monster Hunter Wilds would be the series’ first fully open-world game. Right now, Capcom hasn’t actually confirmed that this is the case, so it’s still pure speculation.
Monster Hunter Wilds gameplay
As for Monster Hunter Wilds gameplay, the most recent trailer from PlayStation's State of Play showcase gave us actual gameplay details for the first time. The most prominent new feature is the new mounts, called Seikrets, which ferry our hunters around the maps. Their sense of smell can actually lead hunters straight to targets, which is a potential game-changer for how we track down monsters.
But that's not all - Seikrets can actually carry a weapon for the hunter. You can see footage of a hunter switching their primary weapon while atop the mount in the trailer just above, which is a massive new feature for Monster Hunter Wilds. Now we can change out our weapon, like switching Dual Blades to a Charge Blade, without having to head all the way back to our base camp.
Another big new feature is changing weather conditions. Weather can change while you’re out in the middle of a mission - it might go from bright sunshine one minute, to chucking it down with rain the next. This is a brand new feature for a Monster Hunter game, and it’ll also change how individual monsters act.
Monster Hunter Wilds monsters
Let's address one hot topic: the beasties themselves. Monster Hunter fans always love to know which creatures a new game features (and which one a game leaves out), so just below, you’ll find a complete list of all the monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds that we’ve been able to confirm so far.
Doshaguma - This fearsome new foe is strong and muscular, and looks like it boasts an incredibly tough hide to match its fearsome fangs.
Chatacabra - This amphibian uses its saliva, of all things, to attach rocks and other materials to its skin and form a protective armor-like shield.
Ceratonoth - The male version of these herbivores catch lightning from the sky with the huge horns atop their back, and release it on the ground in a wide discharge to protect their herd.
Dalthydon - Another herbivore creature, this lot have big hard shells right at the front of their heads, and will batter anyone who poses any threat.
Pukei-Pukei - That's right, this poisonous old critter looks to be back for another round, judging by teasing screens in Monster Hunter Wilds' most recent trailer. However, it looks like a tiny version of the beast, almost like a child.
Monster Hunter Wilds characters
Alright, time to meet the newcomers we'll be adventuring around with.
Alma
The role of the Handler in Monster Hunter Wilds will be filled by Alma, a guild-appointed individual who’ll help us while we’re out in the field.
Gemma
Meet Gemma, our new smithy for Monster Hunter Wilds. Be prepared to spend a hell of a lot of time with our new smithy in Capcom’s new game, crafting and tinkering with armor and weapons.
Nata
Finally for characters, we have Nata. We don't have much information about this new kid right now, but Capcom’s post on the PlayStation Blog says they’ll play a "key role" in Monster Hunter Wilds' story.
See what other adventures await us with our roundup of new games for 2024 and beyond.
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