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The Monster Hunter Wilds open betas took place in November 2024 and February 2025, ahead of the game’s February 28, 2025 release. The first test offered character creation, the opening story trial and a Doshaguma hunt; the second kept that content and added Gypceros. Both tests are over.
When were the Monster Hunter Wilds open betas?
Capcom announced two open beta tests (OBT1 and OBT2). The dates below are the announced schedules; times are shown in the relevant time zones, and Capcom noted that start times could vary. The Steam announcement described OBT2’s Pacific times as approximate and subject to change.
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| Test | Schedule | Access and platforms |
|---|---|---|
| OBT1 PS5 early access | October 29, 2024, 12:00 through October 31, 2024, 11:59 Japan time. PlayStation listed the equivalent period as October 28, 8:00 p.m. through October 30, 7:59 p.m. PT, and October 29, 3:00 a.m. through October 31, 2:59 a.m. GMT. PlayStation Blog | PS5; reserved for PlayStation Plus members. No PlayStation Plus subscription was required during the later general-access period. Capcom’s OBT1 announcement |
| OBT1 general access | November 1, 2024, 12:00 through November 4, 2024, 11:59 Japan time. Capcom’s OBT1 announcement | PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam. Capcom said PS5 players did not need PlayStation Plus and Xbox players did not need Game Pass Core or Ultimate for this beta. Capcom’s OBT1 announcement |
| OBT2, first window | February 7–10, 2025, Japan time; the Steam post listed February 6 at 7:00 p.m. through February 9 at 6:59 p.m. PT. Monster Hunter Wilds Steam announcement | PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam. No PS Plus was required on PS5; no Game Pass Core or Ultimate was required on Xbox. Capcom’s OBT2 announcement |
| OBT2, second window | February 14–17, 2025, Japan time; the Steam post listed February 13 at 7:00 p.m. through February 16 at 6:59 p.m. PT. Monster Hunter Wilds Steam announcement | PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam, under the same subscription terms as the first OBT2 window. Capcom’s OBT2 announcement |
Capcom’s OBT1 announcement also listed November 1–4 Japan time for all three platforms, while the PS5 Plus early-access period preceded it. The official schedules used Japan time, so players elsewhere needed to account for their local time zone. The dates above are the announced schedule; they do not independently confirm that every session ran exactly as originally published.
Storage figures in the announcements
PlayStation’s OBT1 post said the PS5 download required at least 18 GB of free space. Capcom’s Japan announcement gave 29 GB as the minimum for pre-download across PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. These are figures from separate platform and regional announcements, not one universal requirement. PlayStation Blog Capcom
#1 Best Overall
- 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.
What could you do in OBT1?
Create a Hunter and Palico
Players could create both their Hunter and Palico, and redo character creation during the beta. Character-creation information could be carried into the full game, but beta gameplay progress could not. PlayStation Blog
Play the story opening and fight Chatacabra
The story trial covered the beginning of the game, including a basic tutorial and a battle with Chatacabra. It was a slice of the opening, not the full story campaign. PlayStation Blog
Hunt the Doshaguma alpha
A separate quest let players hunt the alpha of a Doshaguma herd. Both the story trial and Doshaguma quest supported multiplayer through SOS Flare. If a party was short of a full group, up to three NPC support hunters could assist. PlayStation Blog
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OBT2 retained OBT1’s character creation, story trial and Doshaguma hunt, then added a trial hunt against Gypceros. Players could bring saved data from OBT1 into OBT2. That beta-to-beta carryover did not change the separate rule for the full release: gameplay progress did not transfer, while character-creation information could. Capcom’s OBT2 announcement Steam announcement
Rank #3
- 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.
Capcom said OBT2 would not include adjustments being made for the final game after feedback on OBT1. The Steam announcement stated: “We are currently giving our undivided attention to ensuring that adjustments are made to the final product, but please be aware that these improvements will not be reflected in the second Open Beta Test.” OBT2 therefore should not be treated as a preview of all launch-build changes. Monster Hunter Wilds Steam announcement
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OBT1 offered a pendant and an item pack that could be used in the full game. Capcom described the beta as an online-only development test, with network-load testing among its purposes, and cautioned that the build was still in development and did not guarantee comfortable gameplay. Capcom’s OBT1 announcement
Capcom announced that Monster Hunter Wilds released on February 28, 2025. The beta windows were temporary tests before release, not an ongoing way to access the game. Capcom’s OBT2 announcement
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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.
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