Monster Hunter Wilds Bugs and MTX Can't Stop Massive Launch

Monster Hunter Wilds: A Million Concurrent Players Despite Launch Issues

Monster Hunter Wilds has achieved a remarkable feat, boasting over 1 million concurrent players on Steam despite receiving mixed reviews. This article delves into the game's impressive player count, its current issues, and Capcom's response.

Mixed Reception on Steam

While lauded for its massive player base—peaking at 1,384,608 concurrent players on Steam, surpassing previous titles like Monster Hunter World (334,684) and Monster Hunter Rise (231,360)—Monster Hunter Wilds currently holds a "Mixed" rating on Steam, with only 57% positive reviews out of 54,669. Negative feedback largely centers on poor PC optimization and performance problems.

Capcom Addresses Performance Concerns

Capcom acknowledged the criticism surrounding the game's PC performance. On February 28, 2025, the official Monster Hunter Status account on Twitter (X) addressed the issues, directing players to their support website. Solutions offered include updating graphics drivers, installing the latest Windows updates, and performing a clean driver installation. For persistent problems, Capcom recommended consulting the official troubleshooting thread on the Steam community page.

Game-Breaking Bug Impacts Story Progression

A significant game-breaking bug is currently preventing players from progressing through the story. The absence of a crucial NPC in Main Mission: Chapter 5-2 ("A World Turned Upside Down") is halting player advancement. Monster Hunter Status confirmed awareness of this bug on March 2, 2025, and stated they are actively working on a resolution. Additional issues, such as the unavailability of "Grill a Meal" and "Ingredient Center" features, and problems accessing the Smithy, have also been reported and addressed with hotfixes across various platforms.

Character Customization Tied to Microtransactions

Character and Palico customization options are partially locked behind microtransactions. A "Character Edit Voucher Three-Voucher Pack" costing $6.00 allows players three attempts at recreating their character or Palico. While basic adjustments like hair, eyebrow, and facial color remain free, more extensive changes require this purchase. A combined voucher for both character and Palico edits is also available for $10. Despite this, Capcom is offering a single free character edit voucher. These microtransactions, while announced previously, were not present during the game's testing phase.

Monster Hunter Wilds is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For the latest updates, further reading is recommended.