Monster Hunter Wilds: everything we know about the open world Wilds

Monster Hunter Wilds is launching in February, so now is the perfect time to get to grips with what to expect the next time you head out on a hunt. It's been a long wait for those of us desperate to play ever since the game was announced in 2023, and even though we've seen a reasonable amount of trailers since its reveal, there's still a lot to know ahead of launch.

Whether you're just looking to brush up your knowledge on the series, or you're keen to learn ahead of your first ever hunt, here's all the important information about the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds so you'll know how to prepare for your next expedition ahead of time.

Release date

What is the Monster Hunter Wilds release date?

The Monster Hunter Wilds release date is February 28, 2025, and it'll release simultaneously on PC and console. You'll be able to download the game through Steam, but it's currently unclear as to whether or not it will be Steam Deck compatible. It's the first mainline game from the Monster Hunter series to launch on PC day one, as well.

Unfortunately, there is no early access for PC players, even if you participated in either of the Monster Hunter Wilds open beta tests. If you pre-order the game ahead of its launch, you will get a number of in-game rewards like avatar cosmetics too. If you've got save files in Monster Hunter Worlds and Iceborne, you'll also receive a set of armour for your Palico for each save file.

Trailers

What trailers have we seen for Monster Hunter Wilds?

Monster Hunter Wilds was announced with a reveal trailer shown at The Game Awards in 2023. With plenty of sweeping shots of what we now know as the Windward Plains and a stampede of Doshaguma, our first introduction to Monster Hunter Wilds was pretty much just a teaser.

Luckily, there have since been five promotional trailers for Monster Hunter Wilds. Each has shown a different landscape and a different monster, with the fifth featuring the Oilwell Basin and three new monsters. We've had a trailer for each weapon, a beginners guide to Monster Hunter video, and some general videos about the mechanics of the game. With a handful of new mechanics to learn such as Focus Mode, these videos are great for anyone who missed either of the beta tests.

Combat

Combat and weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds

Monster Hunter Wilds has fourteen different weapons confirmed, and we don't expect any more to be announced ahead of its release. They're all weapons that fans will recognize as standard for the series but there are new moves for a select few weapons and new ways to use both monsters and the surrounding environment to your advantage within a hunt with things like natural traps.

A new addition for the game is Focus Mode, which allows you to aim your attacks or guards rather than dashing in all guns blazing. This mode can also highlight any wounds or weak points on the monster worth targeting to make your attacks more successful. While in Focus Mode, you'll also be able to perform Focus Strikes on these wounds and weaknesses to deal significant damage and potentially stunning the monster.

There are also a few encounters worth keeping in mind while you are hunting. For example, you may engage in a power clash with a monster when blocking against certain attacks. If you successfully defend yourself, you'll push the monster back and knock it off balance to open up the opportunity for a few more attacks before it regains its balance. Offset attacks also act similarly, knocking the monster off balance and opening up the opportunity for you to follow up with unique attacks to this scenario.

New features

What new features does Monster Hunter Wilds have?

One of the biggest changes in Monster Hunter Wilds compared to previous games is the open world. Rather than taking on a quest from a board and being met with a loading screen before you head out on your hunt, you'll wander from your camp right out into a hunt. On paper, it doesn't sound like a drastic change, but from what we've experienced in the beta test, it helps to immerse yourself into the Forgotten Lands even further thanks to the seamless transition between preparing for a hunt and heading out without any clunky loading screens taking away from the tension.

The world also has a changing climate with dynamic weather which you'll have to adapt to and prepare for each time you head out. There are two distinct seasons, Fallow and Plenty, which both offer a variation of creatures to hunt. Fallow is described on the Monster Hunter Wilds website as a period where predators roam the land for food, while Plenty is the complete opposite and the land is rich with life and monsters of all shapes and sizes. As it stands, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to how often these seasons will change. Between the two seasons there is a transitional period referred to as Inclemency. During this time, the apex predator of each area will appear.

In terms of different environments, currently we only know about three: the Windward Plains, Scarlet Forest, and the Oilwell Basin. We expect at least one more to be revealed closer to, if not at launch, but those details haven't been shared yet. We're still yet to receive a full list of every monster you can find across each biome too, so there are bound to be some surprises kept hidden until we can track them down ourselves.

Co-op

How does co-op work in Monster Hunter Wilds?

You'll still be able to fire an SOS signal while you're already hunting to invite three players to join you. But, you'll be able to join a lobby from the main menu too. This means you can jump right into co-op without having to queue up a hunt first and recruit players into it.

If you aren't gearing up to play with your pals, you can also join a recommended lobby which adds you to the most popular lobby based on your preset preferences. You'll be able to adjust your lobby preferences by playstyle, skill level, and language.

Firing an SOS flare isn't exclusive to inviting other players either. You can also call NPC Support Hunters to help you out. So, even if you're enjoying the experience alone you won't have to face every single beast with no assistance. Support Hunters will automatically join your party if a certain amount of time passes without enough players joining your party. But if you want to alter this, you can set the maximum number of players to call or even turn off Support Hunters at the Quest Counter.