Surprise! Capcom has announced a Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, and the even better news is that we'll be playing it very soon. It's totally free to play, even if you're not subscribed to Xbox Game Pass.
You may have heard that PlayStation Plus owners are getting exclusive access a few days earlier, which is obviously a bit annoying from an Xbox point of view, but we're used to it at this point - it's only three days' difference at least.
So, let's take a look at everything you need to know about the Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta on Xbox:
Monster Hunter Wilds: Open Beta Release Date & Time (Xbox)
The Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta begins on October 31st at 8pm PT / 11pm ET for Xbox Series X and Series S.
This equates to the early morning in the UK and Europe, where it's 3am GMT / 4am CET.
PlayStation Plus subscribers will be getting the beta exactly three days prior to this date and these times.
What's Included In The Monster Hunter Wilds Beta?
There are three main parts to the Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta, which are character creation, a story trial and a Doshaguma Hunt. Character creation is pretty self-explanatory, containing the full set of features that will ship with the main game in February, and you can carry over your data to the proper version as well.
In the story trial, you can go through the "Chatacabra hunt with basic tutorials" as well as check out the game's opening cutscene, while the Doshaguma Hunt will see you take on the "alpha of the Doshaguma pack".
Better yet, there's crossplay support between Xbox, PlayStation and PC throughout the open beta, and anyone who plays it will receive a special pendant that will be accessible in the full release next year.
"The purpose of this test is to allow players to experience a limited portion of Monster Hunter Wilds and also to verify various technical aspects such as network load and overall operation prior to the game's full release."
Do I Need Xbox Game Pass For The Beta?
No! You don't need any form of Xbox Game Pass to access the Monster Hunter Wilds beta on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. Instead, it'll be accessible for everyone via the Xbox Store beginning Wednesday, October 30th at 8pm PT, where you'll be able to preload the beta 24 hours ahead of its Series X|S launch on the 31st.
Is The Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta On Xbox One?
Monster Hunter Wilds is sadly not coming to Xbox One, so the beta will not be available on this console.
We're very excited for a Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta that's taking place before the end of the month, so fingers crossed it lives up to the hype! The full game will be available on February 28th - not long to wait if you enjoy the beta.