Huge Monster Hunter Wilds Update, Open Beta Announced for all Platforms

Overnight Capcom held a Monster Hunter Wilds showcase featuring an all-new trailer with an emphasis on the upcoming game’s narrative while also continuing to highlight its unique and updated ecosystem which features different seasons, weather events, biodiverse fauna and more. In particular, the Showcase focused on one of the playing fields hunters will spend a large portion of their time -- Oilwell Basin. This playspace is seeped in a crude, flammable substance not at all unlike our real-world Texas Tea, which also highlighted other environmental elements beyond the dynamic weather system, truly embracing a world of constant change, danger and opportunity.

Have a look at the newest trailer:

In addition to the playspace highlights above, Capcom also revealed that Monster Hunter Wilds would be entering into a timed open beta across all platforms, though for PlayStation 5 users, and particularly those with a PlayStation Plus subscription, earlier access will be granted with a starting date of October 29 and concluding on the 31st, after which all others (including PS5 players regardless of subscription status) can gain access from November 1 through to November 4.

During this playtime, any created characters will be fully transferable to the final game, and Capcom confirmed that the entire character creation suite for the open beta would be exactly the same as the retail version of the game. In addition to character creation, there’s a story sequence players can engage in that will eventually serve as Wilds’ opening tutorial salvo, followed by access to the “Doshaguma Hunt” where you must take down the alpha male of the pack. You’ll be able to team up with players in cross-play during the hunt via an SOS flare, with up to three available to join your party (this can be altered to two or one based on your preference), or you can call upon NPCs for support if you don’t like people in the real-world.

For the die-hard Monster Hunters out there who may have missed it, you can catch the showcase in full below, though it’ll just give you a better visual representation of everything above.

Finally, as highlighted at the end of the video above, Capcom has also gone all out with the PS5’s DualSense controller, utilising its precision haptic feedback for elements such as fishing, or other types of hunting, while the built-in speaker will also help you locate elements in the world helpful to you on your journey. For some reason, it has also utilised the Motion Control function of the DualSense, but we can’t for the life of us work out why anyone would use that in a frantic hunting game with giant beasties fighting you tooth and claw… but hey, that’s just us.

Monster Hunter Wilds is out for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S February 28, 2025. Check out a mixture of new screens and artwork from the showcase in our image gallery below.