I sat through the entire 2023 Game Awards presentation just for the Monster Hunter segment, so I’ve been tracking every update about Wilds for almost two years now. Like most long-time fans, I’ve had the same question pop up in my search bar dozens of times, especially after beta footage started circulating last year: when did monster hunter wilds come out. I’ve pulled together every official detail from Capcom, plus hands-on notes from the closed beta, to answer that question and cover all the extra info you need to know before you jump into your first hunt.
When Did Monster Hunter Wilds Come Out? Official Release Breakdown
As of the latest official announcements, Monster Hunter Wilds is scheduled for a global simultaneous release on March 28, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam. If you’re reading this after that date, that’s the official full launch date — no last-minute delays have been announced as of this writing, and Capcom has confirmed the game has gone gold as of early February 2025.
Some fans might have seen gameplay clips online as early as late 2024, and assumed the game was already out. Those clips came from the closed beta (for select content creators and pre-order customers) and open beta (for all players) held in October and November 2024 respectively. Those were test phases focused on fixing server issues and balancing weapon damage, and all progress from the betas did not carry over to the full release.
You won’t have to worry about waiting for a regional launch, either. The full game will unlock at the same time for all players worldwide, regardless of what time zone you live in. There is no early access period for deluxe or collector’s edition buyers, so everyone gets to start hunting on the exact same day.
What Pre-Order Bonuses Are Available for Monster Hunter Wilds?
If you’re planning to pick up the game around launch, you might be wondering if pre-ordering is worth the cost. The good news is that none of the pre-order bonuses lock you out of core gameplay content, so you can wait for post-launch reviews if you prefer and still get the full experience. But if you know you’re going to play the game for hundreds of hours, the extra bonuses are a nice add-on for no extra cost on the standard edition.
There are three different editions available for pre-order right now:
- Standard Edition: Base game, exclusive Palico Felyne Chef Costume and early access to the Iron Chain Blade greatsword for all pre-orders placed before launch day
- Deluxe Edition: Base game, all standard pre-order bonuses, 10 exclusive cosmetic armor sets, a neon-striped Palamute mount skin, a 200-page digital art book, and the full official soundtrack download
- Collector’s Edition: All Deluxe Edition content, a physical 12-inch statue of the new flagship monster Oryu Magala, a hardcover physical art book, steelbook case, and an embroidered Monster Hunter Wilds patch
It’s worth noting that all post-launch story content is free for all players, regardless of what edition you buy. You won’t have to pay for extra title updates, new monsters, or new map areas, even if you pick up the game on sale six months after launch. The only paid DLC planned for the first three years is cosmetic, like extra armor skins and emote packs.
Key Changes You Can Expect at Launch for Monster Hunter Wilds
If you’ve played previous Monster Hunter titles, you’ll notice some big changes right away when you boot up Wilds for the first time. I got to play 10 hours of the closed beta last year, and the biggest shift by far is the new map design. For the first time in series history, the entire game takes place on a seamless open world map that’s three times the size of the largest map in Monster Hunter World. There are no loading screens when a monster runs to a new area, or when you cross between different biomes, so hunts feel way more immersive than before.
There are 30 total huntable monsters available at launch, including 18 brand new monsters and 12 returning fan favorites like Rathalos, Zinogre, and Magnamalo. The full roster of 14 classic weapon types is back, plus one new weapon type called the Shift Axe that switches between a fast one-handed axe mode and a slow, high-damage greatsword mode. Crossplay is supported across all platforms at launch, so you can hunt with friends no matter what console they own, and cross-save lets you carry your progress between PC and console if you play on multiple systems.
The game also has a full, standalone story that doesn’t require any knowledge of previous Monster Hunter titles to follow. If you’re a new player, there’s a extended tutorial that walks you through all the core mechanics, from weapon combos to monster tracking, so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed when you start your first hunt.
Post-Launch Content Plans for Monster Hunter Wilds
Capcom has a long track record of supporting Monster Hunter games for years after launch, and Wilds is no exception. The team has already confirmed five years of post-launch support, with free title updates dropping every three months for the first three years. Each title update will add at least two new huntable monsters, plus new side story content, new craftable weapons and armor, and occasional new map areas.
The first title update is scheduled to drop three months after launch, and will add two new subspecies of launch monsters plus a brand new elder dragon. Weekly event quests will also run starting the first week after launch, with exclusive rewards like limited-edition armor sets, weapon skins, and Palico/Palamute costumes that you can’t get anywhere else. Like in previous games, these event quests will rotate every two weeks, and past events will rerun every few months so you don’t miss out if you take a break from the game.
Most importantly, no paid gameplay DLC is planned for the first 3 years of support. You won’t have to buy a separate expansion to access new story content or new monsters, which is a big win for players who don’t want to pay extra for content after buying the base game. Paid cosmetic DLC will be available, but it’s entirely optional and won’t give you any gameplay advantage over other players.
Whether you’re a long-time Monster Hunter fan who’s been waiting for this release for years, or a new player curious about what all the hype is about, now you have a clear answer to when did monster hunter wilds come out, plus all the extra info you need to decide if you want to pick it up at launch. If you do decide to jump in on day one, keep an eye out for the early game quest that unlocks the extra pre-order greatsword — it’s a solid weapon that will carry you through the first 10 hours of hunts with no trouble.