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Monster Hunter Wilds Launches on Nintendo Switch 2 December 4
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Monster Hunter Wilds launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on December 4, 2026, and pre-orders open October 20, 2026, according to Capcom’s official page for the Switch 2 version. Nintendo presented the game in the September 9, 2026 Nintendo Direct, which also confirmed a massive expansion, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance.
Nintendo’s official page for the broadcast opened its Nintendo Direct Spotlight with the heading “The Wilds Are Calling,” followed by the line: “Monster Hunter Wilds and a new Massive Expansion are coming to Nintendo Switch 2.”
Nintendo’s UK news page for the Direct lists Monster Hunter Wilds among the games announced for Nintendo Switch 2 during the presentation, marked “Releasing December 4th.” Nintendo’s Direct page also points viewers to a Nintendo Treehouse: Live stream scheduled after the broadcast, featuring gameplay of select titles shown in the Direct.
Switch 2 Version Features and Editions
Capcom says the Switch 2 version supports co-op play through local communication, a feature it describes as unique to the Nintendo Switch 2 version. Crossplay is supported, so players can hunt online with others across platforms. The game can be played in handheld mode or connected to a television, and Capcom states the release includes all of Wilds’ update content.
The publisher notes on the page that the game includes online features requiring a Nintendo Switch Online membership, sold separately, and a Nintendo Account.
Two digital editions are offered: a Standard Edition containing the base game, and a Gold Edition bundling the base game with a Cosmetic DLC Collection of 126 DLC packs and premium bonuses. The physical release is a Deluxe Edition distributed as a game-key card, containing the base game and a Deluxe Pack. Pre-order bonuses consist of the Guild Knight layered armor and the Hope Charm talisman.
Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance
Capcom’s official site for the expansion lists Ascendance as coming in 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and Steam, and notes that a copy of Monster Hunter Wilds is required to play. According to Capcom, the expansion continues the story set up in Wilds, broadening the world and gameplay with new areas and monsters, new hunter actions, and the introduction of Master Rank quests.
The expansion’s story is set several years after the events of Wilds. Capcom outlines its main beats on the site: the sudden appearance of Lao-Shan Lung in the Forbidden Lands, the construction of Madoi Stronghold, and the discovery of the Skybound Eyrie, ancient ruins exposed after the mists above Wyveria lifted. New monsters await in the Eastlands with the emergence of elder dragons, and the Boost Bracer expands the hunter’s arsenal with what Capcom calls devastating new attacks.
Accessing Ascendance requires the base game plus completion of the 7-star assignment “Awaking From a Dream.” The expansion is listed for one player, with online play for one to four players and cross-play support, and the site hosts an announcement trailer and a first trailer.
The Original Release
The game’s official site lists an original release date of February 28, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. Capcom classifies Wilds as an action RPG for one player, with online play for one to four players and cross-play support.
The official story premise: several years ago, a boy named Nata was discovered near the border of the Forbidden Lands, an uncharted region the Guild had considered uninhabited. According to the premise, Nata’s village was attacked by a mysterious monster, and the Guild organized an expedition in response. Players take the role of a hunter assigned to a unit investigating the “White Wraith” and working to rescue Nata’s people, a group known as the Keepers.
Capcom describes a world of dynamic, ever-changing environments with two faces: harsh lands where monsters compete for scarce resources, and vibrant lands full of life. Resources gathered on hunts feed back into crafting stronger weapons and armor.
Pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 version open October 20, 2026, ahead of the December 4, 2026 launch, with Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance scheduled for 2027.
