Monster Hunter Wilds Release Date: 5 Things We Learned from the Showcase

There are a surprising amount of Monster Hunter games. They’ve been around since 2006, yet there are dozens of titles, especially if you count all the Japanese-exclusive releases. Still, popularity for this franchise doesn’t seem to be waning anytime soon. Gamers are eagerly awaiting Monster Hunter Wilds, and now that the showcase has just aired, they have even more reason to be excited.

Here are the top 5 things we learned from the showcase. Enjoy!

1. New Location (The Oilwell Basin)

In this new location to explore, the expedition team will find themselves in the Oilwell Basin, a craggy, desolate area with both raging fires and…you guessed it. Oil wells. It looks creepy and dangerous and quite interesting, especially with how dangerous the landscape itself is. 

2. New Monsters

It wouldn’t be Monster Hunter without monsters, right? Oilwell Basin has three new enemies to add to the roster that we know of so far. One is Rompopolo, a brute wyvern, who can be found in areas with deep oilsilt. It is a black, oily looking creature with a long, thin tongue you don’t want to be on the wrong side of. 

The second monster addition is Ajarakan, a rocky, spikey looking beast with red-hot fangs and climbing abilities that make him hard to hit. Both are more active during the Firespring so you can plan on encountering them. 

Lastly, beneath Oilwell Basin lives a massive monster known to the locals as, The Black Flame. A fiery, molten looking tentacled creature, it brings to mind some Lovecraftian horror that will very likely be a pain to deal with. Have fun with that. 

3. Azuz: The Everforge

The village of Azuz is, unsurprisingly, centered around its massive forge. The townspeople tend to be advanced craftsmen who know how to work with fire to create advanced items. Hopefully this will end up benefiting the player with more goodies, like weapons and armor.

4. Open Beta Test

Surprisingly, eager PS5 players with a PlayStation Plus subscription will have a limited time to play the game early. Starting times will possibly vary, but here is the released times to remember: 

Pacific Time: 

Monday, October 28th, 8:00 p.m. through Wednesday, October 30th, 7:59 p.m.

GMT: 

Tuesday, October 29th, 3:00 a.m. through Thursday, October 31st, 2:59 a.m. 

This is exclusively for PS Plus members with a PS5, so if that sounds like you, take advantage of this rare opportunity. However, the developers are generously giving everyone with a PS5 a window to try the game, regardless of your subscription status. The beta window for everyone is: 

PT:

Thursday, October 31st, 8:00 p.m. through Sunday, November 3rd, 6:59 p.m.

GMT: 

Friday, November 1st, 3:00 a.m. through Monday, November 4th, 2:59 a.m. 

More details are available on the official Monster Hunter Wilds website. 

As for what you’ll get during the open beta test, you get to experience character creation (always fun), a story trial, and the Doshaguma Hunt. 

The character creation:

Character creation gives you the same exact capabilities as you will have in the final game, including customizations for voice pitch, clothing, face, etc. Physique adjustments will be more advanced than other Monster Hunter titles, and you can carry the character you create from the beta version to the full version when it becomes available in February, 2025. You can also mess around with character creation as much as you want during the beta period.

The story trial includes: 

• The opening cutscene
• Tutorials
• Playing through the Chatacabra hunt so you get used to the controls and features

The Doshagama Hunt:

You’re trying to beat the alpha of the pack, which does not look easy…Fortunately, with either of these hunts you can invite online players to help you through the use of the SOS flare. No players available to join you? No problem. Up to three NPCs will come instead, so you don’t have to go it alone. You can also register friends on different platforms so they can play with you, but it won’t transfer when you play the full version of the game so you’ll have to do it again. 

Beta testers will be given a downloadable pendant for their character, once they play the full version of the game. It’s a fun collectible shaped like a fox, indicating you were one of the first people to play Monster Hunter Wilds. 

5. Three Game Versions Will Be Available

Upon the Monster Hunter Wilds release date on February 28, 2025, there will be three editions to purchase, though the Premium Deluxe has some features that aren’t available yet. You can pre-order any of these three versions now. They include: 

Basic: Standard game with not extras.

Deluxe: Standard game plus lots of downloadable content.

Premium Deluxe: Standard game with same downloadable content as the deluxe edition, plus cosmetic DLC packs, premium bonuses, and three future DLC sets.

Pre-order Bonus: For pre-ordering any version of the Monster Hunter Wild game, you also get the Hope Charm talisman, and the layered armor Guild Knight set. This bonus is only available for a limited time, so make sure you get it before it runs out. Pre-ordering through PlayStation will also get you a mini digital art book of the concept art from the game.