Monster Hunter Wilds beta release date

The Monster Hunter Wilds beta will let players try out the game ahead of its release next year. There's a variety of missions to take on, from a small slice of a story mission to repeatable monster hunts. All in all, it looks set to give players a good opportunity to experience some of the new weapon mechanics and see the new environments in action.

From what we've seen so far, and from what we played in our Monster Hunter Wilds preview, the game is primed to push the series forward, with evolving landscapes and more complex monster behaviors. This time around, you can bring multiple weapons into hunts with you, a huge change that'll likely allow for more build experimentation. It's changes like these that make us hopeful that Monster Hunter Wilds will end up on our best crossplay games list by the end of the year.

Here's when you'll be able to play the Monster Hunter Wilds beta, whether that's as a PS Plus subscriber, a PS5 player, an Xbox player, or someone playing on PC. We'll also detail what to expect from the beta, including rewards that'll transfer over to the full game at launch.

Monster Hunter Wilds beta release date for PlayStation, Xbox and PC

(Image credit: Capcom)

The Monster Hunter Wilds beta starts on Monday, October 28, and runs through until Wednesday, October 30. This is the first open beta period, available for those on PlayStation Plus. If you're not a PS Plus subscriber, or if you're playing on Xbox or PC, you can find the precise timings below:

• PS5 with PS Plus subscription: October 28 at 11PM ET / 8PM PT (October 29 at 3AM GMT) - October 30 at 10:59PM ET / 7:59PM PT (October 31 at 2:59AM GMT)
• PS5 (no PS Plus subscription): October 31 at 11PM ET / 8PM PT (November 1 at 3AM GMT) - November 3 at 9:59AM ET / 6:59AM PT (November 4 at 1:59AM GMT)
• Xbox Series X|S: October 31 at 11PM ET / 8PM PT (November 1 at 3AM GMT) - November 3 at 9:59AM ET / 6:59AM PT (November 4 at 1:59AM GMT)
• Steam: October 31 at 11PM ET / 8PM PT (November 1 at 3AM GMT) - November 3 at 9:59AM ET / 6:59AM PT (November 4 at 1:59AM GMT)

Monster Hunter Wilds beta preload

(Image credit: Capcom)

You can now preload the Monster Hunter Wilds beta if you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber on PS5. If you're on other platforms, or on PS5 without a PS Plus subscription, you'll find preload times below:

• PS5 (no PS Plus subscription): Wednesday, October 30 at 11PM ET / 8PM PT (Thursday, October 31 at 3AM GMT)
• Xbox: Wednesday, October 30 at 11PM ET / 8PM PT (Thursday, October 31 at 3AM GMT)
• PC (Steam): Wednesday, October 30 at 11PM ET / 8PM PT (Thursday, October 31 at 3AM GMT)

Monster Hunter Wilds beta rewards

(Image credit: Capcom)

There are two main Monster Hunter Wilds beta rewards that can be transferred to the full game at launch:

• Open Beta Test Bonus Pendant (Pictured above)
• Open Beta Test Bonus Item Pack (Mega Potion x10, Ration x5, Lifepowder x5, Max Potion x2, Herbal Medicine x2, Mulberry x2, Armor Sphere x5)

Note that in order to redeem the rewards at launch, you will need to be playing on the same platform where you played the beta.

Monster Hunter Wilds beta - what to expect

(Image credit: Capcom)

The Monster Hunter Wilds open beta will feature a character creator, as well as two main missions to take on. The first mission is the Story Trial, where you'll experience the opening cutscene and play the Chatacabra Hunt with some basic tutorials enabled. Once you've gotten the hang of the basics, you can take on the Doshaguma Hunt. The goal here is to defeat the alpha of the Doshaguma pack. Explore on your Seikret, and switch between two different weapon types on the fly.

Monster Hunter Wilds FAQ

Does progress from the beta carry over into Monster Hunter Wilds?

While main progress from the Monster Hunter Wilds doesn't carry over into the full game, you will earn the aforementioned rewards for participating. In addition, you can import your Character data over once the game launches. This means your main Hunter design, as well as your main Palico companion.

Does the Monster Hunter Wilds beta feature crossplay?

Yes, the Monster Hunter Wilds open beta will feature crossplay, across PS5, Xbox and PC. Note that during the PS Plus open beta test, only PS5 players with a PS Plus subscription will be able to participate. Once things open up later on, crossplay will be enabled.

Can you play the Monster Hunter Wilds beta Solo?

You can play the Monster Hunter Wilds beta solo if you wish. There's also the SOS Flare function, which allows you to call in other online players, or to call for help from NPC Support Hunters.

What is the Monster Hunter Wilds beta file size?

On PlaySTation, the Monster Hunter Wilds beta file size is 16.61GB. Once the other platforms start offering the preload, we'll know the file sizes on Xbox and PC too. Stay tuned.

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