A whole new wild

Developer/ publisher Capcom

Format PC, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series

Origin Japan

Release 2025

As much as it delivers on its core conceit, there’s always more to Monster Hunter than the hunts alone. Perhaps that’s why Capcom elects to introduce the series’ next instalment to us in a hands-off demonstration, lest any unsuspecting or impatient journos rush into battle without the necessary preparation. Which isn’t to say that we get into the nitty-gritty of Monster Hunter: Wilds’ gear prep, although the ritual of getting ready in base camp before embarking on a hunt remains, and we watch the hunter pass various vendors, including already-popular new smithy Gemma.

The atmosphere is livelier than we remember at past camps. The settlers of the Windward Plains aren’t standing idle but busy plying their trades, raising livestock and making cheese. We note further differences when it’s time to leave camp along with handler Alma and a fully voiced Palico: the hunter doesn’t stop by a hunting board, and when they mount their Seikret, a new rideable bird wyvern, there’s no cutting to a loading screen. Rather, the camp is a seamless part of a large new biome, which we’re told is two to three times bigger than past areas. When a map is pulled up, it’s rendered in 3D, giving a better representation of its elevations. It’s also where you can pick out the particular monster you’re targeting.