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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11To play Monster Hunter Wilds with friends, enable Crossplay if needed, invite them to a Link Party, and then join the same lobby or invite them to a quest. Crossplay must be enabled by everyone playing across platforms, and its setting is only available before loading into the game. The game also supports quest joining through lobby listings, Link Party invitations, and SOS Flares.
1. Set Crossplay before loading your save
If your group includes players on different platforms, everyone should enable Crossplay from the Title Screen: Options > Game Settings > Crossplay. Capcom’s official online manual says Crossplay must be enabled for players who want to play together. Once you have loaded save data, you cannot change this setting through in-game Options.
Crossplay is an all-platform setting; the manual does not describe a way to allow only selected platforms. Link Party members must also have matching Crossplay settings. If you change your setting while you belong to a squad with a different setting, that squad’s features deactivate for you until the settings match again.
2. Invite friends to a Link Party
- Open Start Menu > Communication > Member List.
- Use the Member List to invite a player to your Link Party, or send a Hunter Friend request.
- Have party members accept the invitation and confirm that everyone has the same Crossplay setting.
A Link Party gives members a way to receive a quest invitation when another member starts a quest. It is separate from being in the same lobby, so you can use Link Party invitations without making a shared lobby your only way to group up.
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- Wild New Adventure – Monster Hunter Wilds follows the story of a special Research Commission investigating the Forbidden Lands. Fully voiced for the first time in the series, the hunter is joined in their journey by a colorful cast of characters, including a Palico partner, Guild-appointed Handler Alma, trusty smithy Gemma, and the mysterious child Nata. Together, the team ventures into an unexplored new frontier where surprises await around every corner.
- A Living World – The Forbidden Lands spans multiple biomes with dynamic identities, such as the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, where the ecosystems shift between vibrant seasons brimming with life, and unforgiving climates where monsters fight over limited resources. Changes in the landscape will impact the creatures that live there and push hunters to adapt as well.
- New Monsters and Wildlife – Monster Hunter Wilds features a variety of new creatures, ranging from herds of small species to large monsters – some of which roam the Forbidden Lands in packs. Every creature hunters encounter in the wild has carved out a special place in its habitat and possesses unique attacks and behaviors.
- Players can also now ride atop the Seikret, an agile new mount enabling hunters to traverse difficult terrain, perform actions like sharpening weapons on the move, and switch between two weapons while out on hunts!
- Evolved Hunting Action – The series’ acclaimed action-packed gameplay is back and more exciting than ever! Hunters can look forward to tracking down monsters with an array of new moves, special abilities, equipment, and more. The action also now flows seamlessly from cutscenes to gameplay, resulting in a new level of immersion.
3. Choose how to meet in a lobby
A lobby is a shared gathering point where players can communicate and find quests posted by other lobby members. Choose the type that fits your group’s access needs:
| Lobby option | Access and capacity | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| General lobby | Up to 100 players; find one through Recommended Lobby or Lobby Search. | A public gathering place or a way to find an active group. |
| Private lobby | Up to 16 players; join through Lobby ID Search. | A smaller group that wants controlled access. The host can remove members, set privileges, and disband the lobby. |
| Squad lobby | Squad members only; up to 50 players, depending on squad size. | A recurring group already organized as a squad. |
| Online Single Player | No lobby; Link Party and SOS Flare features remain available. | Hunting outside a shared lobby while still opening a quest to others. |
To find or join a lobby, use Recommended Lobby for an automatically selected popular lobby, Lobby Search to search by conditions (including lobbies joined by Hunter Friends), or Lobby ID Search when you have an ID. Private lobbies are joined through Lobby ID Search.
4. Get into the same quest
Join a lobby member’s quest
At the Quest Counter, choose Lobby Member Quests to find and join a quest posted by someone in your lobby. Being in the same lobby makes this route available, but it is not required for every way of joining a quest.
Accept a Link Party quest invitation
A Link Party member can invite the party when starting a quest. Use this route when you have formed a party but are not relying on the lobby’s quest list.
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- Wild New Adventure – Monster Hunter Wilds follows the story of a special Research Commission investigating the Forbidden Lands. Fully voiced for the first time in the series, the hunter is joined in their journey by a colorful cast of characters, including a Palico partner, Guild-appointed Handler Alma, trusty smithy Gemma, and the mysterious child Nata. Together, the team ventures into an unexplored new frontier where surprises await around every corner.
- A Living World – The Forbidden Lands spans multiple biomes with dynamic identities, such as the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, where the ecosystems shift between vibrant seasons brimming with life, and unforgiving climates where monsters fight over limited resources. Changes in the landscape will impact the creatures that live there and push hunters to adapt as well.
- New Monsters and Wildlife – Monster Hunter Wilds features a variety of new creatures, ranging from herds of small species to large monsters – some of which roam the Forbidden Lands in packs. Every creature hunters encounter in the wild has carved out a special place in its habitat and possesses unique attacks and behaviors.
- Evolved Hunting Action – The series’ acclaimed action-packed gameplay is back and more exciting than ever! Hunters can look forward to tracking down monsters with an array of new moves, special abilities, equipment, and more. The action also now flows seamlessly from cutscenes to gameplay, resulting in a new level of immersion.
- Crossplay Multiplayer – Alongside the option to enjoy the story of Monster Hunter Wilds solo, hunters can join up to three other players across any platform to explore the world together and take on the game’s challenges as a hunting party or receive aid from notable story characters as Support Hunter NPCs.
Join through an SOS Flare
A hunter already out on a quest can send an SOS Flare to open it to multiplayer participants. You can still send SOS Flares and form a Link Party while playing in Online Single Player, without joining a lobby.
When joining SOS quests, the Quest Counter’s Platform Permissions setting controls whether the search includes All Platforms or Your Platform. The manual says this setting is available only when Crossplay is enabled. Quest hosts can also use Platform Permissions when seeking participants.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.5. Check the platform’s online requirement
For PS5, PlayStation Support’s Monster Hunter Wilds support page says a PlayStation Plus subscription is needed to play online. That is the stated PS5 requirement; do not assume the same subscription rule applies to PC or Xbox. Check the relevant platform’s current online-play policy.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Wild New Adventure – Monster Hunter Wilds follows the story of a special Research Commission investigating the Forbidden Lands. Fully voiced for the first time in the series, the hunter is joined in their journey by a colorful cast of characters, including a Palico partner, Guild-appointed Handler Alma, trusty smithy Gemma, and the mysterious child Nata. Together, the team ventures into an unexplored new frontier where surprises await around every corner.
- A Living World – The Forbidden Lands spans multiple biomes with dynamic identities, such as the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, where the ecosystems shift between vibrant seasons brimming with life, and unforgiving climates where monsters fight over limited resources. Changes in the landscape will impact the creatures that live there and push hunters to adapt as well.
- New Monsters and Wildlife – Monster Hunter Wilds features a variety of new creatures, ranging from herds of small species to large monsters – some of which roam the Forbidden Lands in packs. Every creature hunters encounter in the wild has carved out a special place in its habitat and possesses unique attacks and behaviors.
- Evolved Hunting Action – The series’ acclaimed action-packed gameplay is back and more exciting than ever! Hunters can look forward to tracking down monsters with an array of new moves, special abilities, equipment, and more. The action also now flows seamlessly from cutscenes to gameplay, resulting in a new level of immersion.
- Crossplay Multiplayer – Alongside the option to enjoy the story of Monster Hunter Wilds solo, hunters can join up to three other players across any platform to explore the world together and take on the game’s challenges as a hunting party or receive aid from notable story characters as Support Hunter NPCs.
If friends cannot join
- Cross-platform group: Confirm Crossplay is enabled for everyone from the Title Screen. If you are using a Link Party, check that members’ Crossplay settings match.
- Squad features stopped working: If your Crossplay setting no longer matches the squad’s setting, the manual says squad features deactivate until they match again.
- Friend is not in your lobby: Find the same lobby with Lobby Search or Lobby ID Search. Lobby Member Quests are for quests posted by players in your lobby.
- Cannot find a cross-platform SOS quest: Check Platform Permissions; the option to search All Platforms is available only with Crossplay enabled.
- PS5 online play is unavailable: Check that the player has PlayStation Plus.
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