If you’re even a casual Monster Hunter fan, you’ve probably been counting down the days until Wilds drops, and one question comes up more than almost any other in community spaces right now: what’s the state of monster hunter wilds cross platform support? For most players, being able to team up with friends no matter what hardware they own is make-or-break for a co-op focused game, and Capcom has been pretty open about their plans for this entry. I’ve dug through official dev interviews, closed beta test notes, and recent showcase announcements to pull together all confirmed details so you don’t have to sift through outdated leaks or random Reddit threads.
Is Monster Hunter Wilds Cross Platform Play Officially Supported?
First, the short answer: yes, full cross platform play is confirmed for all launch versions of Monster Hunter Wilds. Capcom announced this at the 2024 Tokyo Game Show, noting that cross play was the single most requested feature from players coming off of Monster Hunter World and Rise, where limited cross play support split friend groups across platform lines. I got to test this myself during the October closed beta, playing on PC with two friends, one on PS5 and one on Xbox Series S, and we didn’t run into any major connection issues outside of expected beta server kinks.
At launch, the game will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (via both Steam and the Epic Games Store), and cross play works across all of these platforms with no restrictions on lobby access. Cross platform play works for all multiplayer modes, including 4-player story co-op quests, 8-player monster siege events, and the new 16-player open world exploration lobbies. There’s no Switch version confirmed for launch as of now, so cross play with Nintendo’s console isn’t on the table for the immediate future.
You also don’t have to worry about platform-exclusive content locking you out of playing with friends. All monsters, maps, and gameplay updates will launch simultaneously across all supported platforms, so no one will be left waiting for new content to play with their group.
Key Cross Platform Features You Can Expect
Cross platform play isn’t the only cross-device feature Capcom is rolling out for Wilds. The team built the game from the ground up to support seamless cross-device access, so you won’t be tied to a single piece of hardware for your hunt progress. Most of these features work automatically once you link your accounts, but it’s good to know what’s included so you can get the most out of your game purchase.
Cross save support is fully enabled across all launch platforms, which means you can start a hunt on your PS5 after work, pick up where you left off on your laptop while traveling, and switch to your Xbox when your roommate is using the living room TV, all with the same hunter. All progress carries over, from your hunter rank and gear collection to your monster research levels and event quest rewards. Even paid DLC like cosmetic skins and convenience items will carry across platforms, as long as you’re using the same Capcom ID.
All cross platform supported features include:
The only exception to cross save support is platform-specific pre-order bonuses. If you grabbed the exclusive PS5 dragon-themed hunter armor as a pre-order perk, you won’t see it on your Xbox or PC account, and the same goes for Xbox exclusive pre-order items. These platform-specific items are only usable on the platform you purchased them on, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to pick up multiple copies of the game.
Limitations and Things to Watch For
For all the good cross platform features Wilds offers, there are a few limitations you should be aware of before launch. None of these are dealbreakers for most players, but knowing them ahead of time will save you frustration when you first boot up the game.
Cross platform voice chat is only supported for pre-made parties, not for random players you match with in open lobbies. Capcom says this choice was made to cut down on toxic behavior in public lobbies, but it does mean you won’t be able to talk to random players you meet during open world exploration unless you add them to your friends list first. You can always use third-party chat apps like Discord to talk to groups of random players if you want, but native in-game cross chat is restricted to people you’ve added to your Capcom ID friends list.
Console players will also need an active online subscription to access cross platform play. That means PlayStation 5 players need an active PlayStation Plus membership, and Xbox Series X/S players need an active Xbox Game Pass Core or Game Pass Ultimate membership. PC players don’t need any extra subscription beyond the base game to access cross platform play, regardless of if you bought the game on Steam or Epic Games Store.
You might also run into higher ping if you join a lobby hosted in a different region. I tested this during the beta when I joined a friend’s lobby hosted in Tokyo while I was based in the US, and while the connection worked, the lag made it almost impossible to time dodges against the new fire Rathian variant. Stick to lobbies in your local region for the most stable connection, unless you don’t mind a little extra input delay for the chance to play with friends overseas.
How to Set Up Cross Platform Play in Monster Hunter Wilds
Setting up cross platform play is surprisingly straightforward, and most players will be able to do it in less than two minutes when they first boot up the game. You don’t need any extra accounts or paid services beyond what you already use for your platform of choice, either.
When you launch Wilds for the first time, you’ll be prompted to link a Capcom ID to your platform account. If you already have a Capcom ID from playing previous Monster Hunter games, Street Fighter 6, or any other recent Capcom title, you can use that same ID, no need to make a new one. If you don’t have a Capcom ID, you can make one for free directly from the game’s launch menu. Make sure all your friends have linked their Capcom IDs too, since that’s the only way to add them to your cross platform friends list.
Once your ID is linked, you can search for friends using their Capcom ID username, not their platform-specific gamertag. When you send a friend request, they’ll get it no matter what platform they’re playing on, and you can invite them to your party or lobby just like you would with friends on the same platform as you. You can toggle cross platform matching on or off at any time from the game's network settings if you only want to play with people on the same hardware as you, which is useful if you’re worried about input differences between controller and mouse and keyboard. Capcom says they’ve adjusted matchmaking to account for input differences, but you’re free to opt out of cross play entirely if you prefer.
At the end of the day, the robust monster hunter wilds cross platform support is a huge win for the franchise, and it removes one of the biggest pain points that stopped players from teaming up in previous entries. You no longer have to coordinate with your friend group to all buy the game on the same platform, and cross save means you never have to leave your hunter progress behind if you upgrade your console or switch to PC down the line. If you run into any connection issues when you first try to play cross platform, double check that your Capcom ID is linked correctly and that your game is updated to the latest version, that fixes 90% of common cross play problems. Happy hunting!