Monster Hunter Wilds: A Million Concurrent Players Despite Launch Issues
Monster Hunter Wilds has achieved over 1 million concurrent players on Steam, a remarkable feat despite receiving mixed reviews. This article delves into the game's PC performance, prevalent bugs, and controversial microtransactions.
Mixed Reception on Steam
While boasting an impressive all-time peak of 1,384,608 concurrent players (significantly surpassing its predecessors, Monster Hunter World and Rise), Monster Hunter Wilds currently holds a "Mixed" rating on Steam, with only 57% positive reviews out of 54,669. The primary criticisms center around poor PC optimization and performance issues.
Capcom Addresses Performance Concerns
Capcom acknowledged the negative feedback regarding PC performance. On February 28, 2025, the official Monster Hunter Status account (on Twitter/X) addressed these concerns, directing players to their support website. Solutions offered include updating graphics drivers, installing the latest Windows updates, performing a clean driver installation, and consulting the Steam community troubleshooting thread for more detailed assistance.
Game-Breaking Bug Impacts Story Progression
A critical bug is currently preventing players from progressing through the story. The absence of a vital NPC in Main Mission: Chapter 5-2 ("A World Turned Upside Down") is halting gameplay. Monster Hunter Status confirmed awareness of this issue on March 2, 2025, and stated they are actively working on a resolution. Additional issues affecting "Grill a Meal," "Ingredient Center," and Smithy access have also been reported and are being addressed via hotfixes and updates across platforms.
Character Customization Locked Behind Microtransactions
Controversially, character and Palico appearance customization is largely gated behind microtransactions. A three-voucher pack costing $6.00 allows players to re-create their character three times. While basic adjustments (hair, eyebrow and facial color, makeup, clothing) are free, more extensive changes require purchasing this pack. A $10 pack offers three edits for both character and Palico. However, Capcom is providing a single free character edit voucher. These microtransactions, absent during the testing phase, were previously announced by Capcom.
Monster Hunter Wilds is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For the latest updates, further reading is recommended.
