Monster Hunter Wilds Launches Strong Despite Issues

Monster Hunter Wilds has surpassed one million concurrent players on Steam, even amidst a wave of mixed reviews. Discover the details behind its PC performance and the issues currently affecting players.

Monster Hunter Wilds Launches with Significant Issues

Steam Reviews for Monster Hunter Wilds Are Mixed

Despite receiving mixed reviews on Steam, Monster Hunter Wilds has achieved a concurrent player count exceeding one million. Data from SteamDB shows the game reached an all-time peak of 1,384,608 simultaneous players.

This performance shatters previous records set by its predecessors; Monster Hunter: World peaked at 334,684 players, while Monster Hunter Rise reached 231,360. Currently, 57% of the 54,669 reviews on its Steam page are positive, resulting in a "Mixed" rating. Many negative reviews cite poor PC optimization and various performance problems.

Capcom Addresses PC Performance Concerns

In response to criticism over PC performance, Capcom has acknowledged the issues and outlined steps to resolve them. The official Monster Hunter support account, Monster Hunter Status, addressed players on X (formerly Twitter) on February 28, 2025, offering guidance and linking to a dedicated support site.

The site features a troubleshooting FAQ where Capcom provides potential solutions. Recommendations include updating graphics drivers, installing the latest Windows updates, and performing a clean reinstallation of display drivers.

For persistent problems, Capcom advises, "Please also try the troubleshooting steps on the Official Monster Hunter Wilds Troubleshooting & Issue Reporting Thread posted on the Steam community page, as they contain more detailed and additional steps that may help resolve your issue."

Game-Blocking Bug Halts Story Progress

A critical bug is currently preventing story progression for some players. A key NPC fails to appear during Main Mission: Chapter 5-2 "A World Turned Upside Down," halting advancement. Monster Hunter Status confirmed awareness of this issue on March 2, 2025, and stated that a fix is in development.

Additional reported problems include the "Grill a Meal" and "Ingredient Center" features not unlocking when requirements are met, as well as issues accessing the Smithy. The developers have responded with hotfixes and updates across various platforms to address these concerns.

Character Editing Requires Microtransactions

Monster Hunter Wilds locks full character and Palico appearance changes behind paid vouchers. The "Character Edit Voucher Three-Voucher Pack," priced at $6.00 across all digital stores, allows three complete character redesigns.

While players can freely adjust hair, eyebrow color, facial complexion, makeup, and clothing, any further modifications require purchasing this voucher. Editing a Palico's appearance also demands a separate voucher, though a $10 bundle allows edits for both the hunter and Palico three times each.

Capcom is offering one free character edit voucher. These microtransactions were not present during the game's testing phase but were announced by Capcom prior to launch.

Monster Hunter Wilds is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For the latest news and updates on the game, explore our related article below.