Capcom today gave gamers a sneak peek at Monster Hunter Wilds, the sequel to the wildly popular Monster Hunter Rise and Worlds, showing off some in-game footage and divulging details about the new ARPG. Monster Hunter Wilds is slated to launch on February 28, 2025, but eager gamers can try out the latest installment in the Monster Hunter franchise a whole three months early thanks to an open beta starting at the end of October. The open beta will be available to PS5, PC via Steam, and Xbox Series S/X, although the PS5 open beta will be available to PlayStation Plus subscribers from October 29, while everyone else will have to wait until November 1 at 3:00 AM (GMT) to participate. The open beta ends on November 4 at 2:59 AM (GMT).

The Monster Hunter Wilds showcase introduces players to another new playable area, called the Oilwell Basin, and a new base, called Azuz, the Everforge, and it looks like the new environment will be mostly in underground caves, shrouded in darkness and the occasional lava vein. Along with the new environment, of course, Wilds will also introduce new monsters, which complement their cavernous surroundings. The showcase also gave us some more information on some of the monsters we can expect to see in the Oilwell Basin, like the oil-silt-lurking Rompopolo, the highly mobile Ajarakan, and what appears to be the area's main monster, called the Black Flame, which will seemingly have a significant role to play in the game's story quest. Of course, the Oilwell Basin is only one new area in Monster Hunter Wilds, and previous promotional images from the new game have shown off plenty of wide-open spaces and grassy plains with rock outcroppings, meaning there will be a degree of diversity for players to explore in the game when it eventually launches.
As for what players can expect from the open beta, players will have the chance to test character creation, see the first story cutscene, and play through the Doshaguma Hunt to get a feel for two different weapon types as well as combat and monster encounters, in general. Capcom openly admits that Monster Hunter Wilds is still in an unfinished state, and asks players to not judge the game too harshly, although it will ask players for feedback via a survey during and after the open beta.

Players who play through the Monster Hunter Wilds open beta will be eligible for in-game rewards, including:

• 10 × Mega Potions
• 5 × Rations
• 5 × Lifepowder
• 2 × Max Potions
• 2 × Herbal Medicines
• 2 × Nulberries
• 5 × Armor Spheres
• 1 × Open Beta Test Bonus Pendant (a character customization accessory)

These bonuses will only be available to players who created a character during the open beta, and characters and progress from the open beta will be carried over when Monster Hunter Wilds launches on February 28, 2025.