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To play Monster Hunter Wilds with a friend on another platform, both players must enable Crossplay from the title screen before loading their save, then invite each other to a Link Party. You do not have to be in the same lobby to receive a party member’s quest invitation. For shared locale exploration, use Environment Link; for help from other hunters, use an SOS Flare.
How to enable crossplay
At the title screen, open Options > Game Settings > Crossplay and enable it before selecting save data. The official Monster Hunter Wilds online manual says Crossplay cannot be changed from the in-game Options menu after a save has been selected and the game started.
Crossplay is an all-platforms toggle, not a platform-by-platform allow list. With it enabled, you can play with users on all supported platforms if they also have it enabled. With it disabled, you can play only with users on your own platform who have it disabled. Every Link Party member must use the same Crossplay setting.
When Crossplay is enabled, the Platform Permissions option for accepting quests or searching SOS Flare quests can limit participation to all platforms or only your platform. If cross-platform matchmaking is unexpectedly restricted, check both players’ Crossplay settings and this permission.
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Monster Hunter Wilds Steelbook
- 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.
How to invite a friend to a Link Party
- Enable Crossplay first if you are playing across platforms. Do this from the title screen before loading your save.
- Find your friend in the Member List and invite them to a Link Party. Capcom’s Steam guidance also describes searching by Hunter ID; copy-ID conveniences it mentions are Steam-specific and should not be assumed on other platforms.
- Have the quest host start a quest. Other Link Party members receive a quest invitation and can accept it.
Capcom’s Steam guidance says Link Party members can be in different lobbies. A Link Party is therefore useful for coordinating with chosen friends without first gathering everyone in one lobby.
Link Party, lobby, Environment Link, or SOS Flare?
| System | Best for | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Link Party | Playing with chosen friends | Invite members through the Member List. Members can be in different lobbies and receive invitations when a party member starts a quest. |
| Lobby | Sharing a social space and finding lobby-member quests | Join the same lobby to chat, see other players around Base Camp, and find quests from lobby members. General lobbies hold up to 100 players; squad lobbies hold up to 50 depending on squad size; private lobbies hold up to 16 and are entered with Lobby ID Search. |
| Environment Link | Exploring and hunting together in a locale | Links a group to a locale whose environment is locked to the host’s preferred season, according to Capcom’s Steam guidance. |
| SOS Flare | Getting help on a hunt or joining another player’s hunt | Send a flare during a hunt to seek assistance, or search SOS Flare quests to join specific hunts with the wider player base. |
| Online Single Player | Starting without entering a lobby | Skips joining a lobby while retaining access to Link Parties and SOS Flares. |
Do friends have to be in the same lobby?
No. Capcom says Link Party members can be in different lobbies and still receive a quest invitation when a member starts a quest. Join the same lobby when you specifically want a shared social space, to chat, to see players around Base Camp, or to find lobby-member quests.
Crossplay and squad settings to check
- Match Crossplay settings: Link Party members must all have Crossplay either enabled or disabled. Cross-platform play requires it to be enabled for everyone.
- Review Platform Permissions: For accepting quests or searching SOS Flare quests, make sure participation is not limited to your platform if you want cross-platform players.
- Check squad compatibility before establishing a squad: Squad crossplay compatibility follows the squad leader’s setting when the squad is established. The manual says that setting cannot later be changed.
Which option should you use?
- Quest with specific friends: Create a Link Party and accept the host’s quest invitation.
- Meet up in a shared hub: Join the same lobby. Use a private lobby if you want a smaller, ID-based space.
- Keep exploring a locale together: Use Environment Link to follow the host’s preferred season.
- Find help or join a hunt beyond your friend group: Send an SOS Flare or search SOS Flare quests.
- Skip joining a lobby: Start in Online Single Player; Link Parties and SOS Flares remain available.
These menu names and flows reflect the official online manual and Capcom’s Steam guidance available for this guide. The manual copy reviewed is archived, and the sources do not establish whether a later game patch changed the controls; consult the live manual or in-game menus if wording differs.
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Monster Hunter Wilds
- 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.
Rank #3
Monster Hunter Wilds | Standard Edition | XBOX Series X|S Digital
- 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.
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