Six years after Capcom dropped the wildly-popular Monster Hunter World, and three years after the more action-focused follow-up Monster Hunter Rise, we finally know when we’re going to be jumping back into the Hunter’s Guild in Monster Hunter Wilds: February 28, 2025.
Here, we’re going to break down everything we know about the game ahead of next year’s release, and check out all the different editions that are launching. If you want to know how Wilds‘ gameplay will differ from what came before you’re in the right place.
Check out ‘Monster Hunter Wilds’ Gameplay Trailer
If you want a good look at how combat will work in the new title, as well as a hint at where the story is going, check out the latest trailer below.
What’s New in ‘Monster Hunter Wilds’?
Ever since we got our first look at the game, we’ve waited with bated breath to see how the Monster Hunter series would transition to a more open-world format, and thankfully we’ve got some answers ahead of the game’s launch.
For context, previous games would take place within separate and interconnected maps, rather than one large, open space. In Wilds, however, things are changing. Instead, it seems that the game will take place in a far larger map known as the Forbidden Lands, with different biomes, cultures, and predators precariously existing together.
For example, the Windward Plains region will connect to the nearby Scarlet Forest biome, providing two regions that share a border, but will host different creatures, characters, and opportunities. While these are the only two regions revealed so far, there will be more places to explore as you move through the game.
With a bigger map, moving quickly and efficiently becomes important, which is where the new Seikret familiar comes into play. In the previous game, Rise, Hunters would be able to ride on a Palamute – a hunting dog, essentially. In Wilds, however, you’ll instead be accompanied by the Seikret, a velociraptor-like bird creature that you can mount, and use to traverse great distances faster, or even hover using its foldable wings (seen above).
Being able to move more efficiently will also be important due to the fact that, compared to prior games, you won’t necessarily be returning to a hub town in-between missions. Instead, it you’ll be able to make camp out in the open world in order to heal up and prepare for hunts, and then take on hunting opportunities out in the wild as they pop-up.
Each biome will, according to Capcom, play host to a distinct culture that the player can visit and learn from.
Additionally, the hunter won’t be alone, bringing a whole caravan of characters, including a handler, smithy, and researchers along to support them. These characters will all remain within a stationary hub in each area, though it isn’t clear if that is a place selected by the player or is fixed.
How Will Weapons Work in ‘Monster Hunter Wilds’?
If you’re a veteran hunter, you’ll be glad to know that all 14 of the series’ mainstay weapons are returning in Wilds, each with some new techniques and toys to play with. If you’re a new player, though, the idea of choosing which weapon to play with will be streamlined within the game, with your handler being able to give some advice depending on how you want to play the game.
A new addition to combat is the ‘Focus Mode’, which will allow hunters to more easily aim attacks and defences at where the camera is facing. In previous games (and likely when not using Focus Mode), your hunters actions will instead be focused on where they are facing, rather than your camera, which can lead to some frustrations in hitting or dodging monster attacks if you aren’t used to it.
Plus, by focusing on a specific body part of a creature, you’ll start to wound it. The more you hit a specific part, the more damage it will do to the monster, so targeting key areas will help a hunt go faster and more smoothly.
Multiplayer is a key part of every Monster Hunter game, and Wilds is no different. Here, you’ll be able to team up with up to three other players to take on tougher hunts, or bring in NPC hunters if you’re playing offline. Beware, though, bringing in more hunters does tend to give monsters more health.
If you want a more detailed explanation of each of the weapon types and how they’re evolving for Wilds, check out the breakdown video below.
When is it Coming Out?
Capcom recently confirmed the game will be launching on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series S and X on February 28, 2025. It’s available for pre-order now on your platform of choice, and there’s a few different editions. Here is a rough breakdown of what’s included across each edition, but check digital storefronts for some more detail.
| Standard Edition | Deluxe Edition | Premium Edition | |
| Contents | – Base Game – Pre-order bonus: A guild-hunter layered armour | – Base Game – Pre-order bonus, which is a guild-hunter layered armour – Deluxe Pack, which includes layered armour for your character, palico, and mount, as well as new hairstyles and stickers to be used in game. | – Base Game – Pre-order bonus, which is a guild-hunter layered armour – Deluxe Pack, which includes layered armour for your character, palico, and mount, as well as new hairstyles and stickers to be used in game. – Premium Pack, which includes more character customisation options and stickers. – Two further cosmetic DLC drops to be released at a later date. |
| Price | AU$104.95 (PC) AU$114.95 (Console) | AU$134.95 (PC) AU$144.95 (Console)5 | AU$164.95 (PC) AU$174.95 (Console) |
