How Long Is Monster Hunter Wilds?

Monster Hunter Wilds has finally arrived on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC! This latest entry in Capcom's acclaimed beast-battling series builds upon the success of *Monster Hunter World* and its *Iceborne* expansion. But just how long will it take to conquer this new adventure? We asked members of the IGN team to share their playtime and experiences.

Tom Marks - Executive Reviews Editor, Games

I finished Monster Hunter Wilds’ main story in just under 15 hours. Unlike Monster Hunter Rise, this is the actual story conclusion, not a mid-point. However, completing the campaign only concludes Low Rank. High Rank awaits, packed with side quests and tougher challenges. It took me another 15 hours to complete almost all of these quests and reach the true endgame. This involved battling every monster, unlocking all crafting systems, and mastering the new Artian weapon system. Thanks to the streamlined grind, I needed only five more hours to acquire my desired weapon and armor sets, though plenty more awaits across other weapon types.

I completed Monster Hunter Wilds’ final High Rank story mission around 40 hours, roughly 22 hours after finishing Low Rank. Accuracy is tricky as I spent considerable time in menus for guide creation. During Low Rank, I focused on progressing, crafting minimally, and avoiding hunt repetition. I followed a similar approach in High Rank, but diverted to optional monsters and hunts with friends (often necessary for story progression). I only upgraded my weapon once by hunting an extra Ajarakan, otherwise prioritizing the main story. A more thorough approach likely would have resulted in 60+ hours. I still have endemic life to collect, six side missions, and at least one more optional quest to unlock. Future plans include talisman farming, armor crafting, Artian weapon experimentation, and replaying the story with friends. Plus, event quests and title updates with new monsters are on the horizon!

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Simon Cardy - Senior Editorial Producer

I finished Monster Hunter Wilds’ main story in just under 16 hours, a surprising runtime compared to my World playthrough (25 hours without reaching the end). As a relative newcomer to the series, I found many battles easy. While I fainted a few times against apex predators, the overall experience felt breezy. Streamlining for new players clearly impacted the playtime. Elemental weaknesses, loadout crafting, and extensive tracking were simplified. The consistent story cutscene/monster battle pacing, while appreciated for its swift conclusion, felt less like a traditional Monster Hunter experience and more like a Western cinematic narrative. This left me wondering if core Monster Hunter elements were minimized until the post-game.

Jada Griffin - Community Lead

I reached the initial credits in around 20 hours, including optional and side quests. A portion of this time was spent exploring, hunting endemic life, customizing menus and shouts, and finding optimal camp locations. Completing all High Rank missions and side quests took another 15 hours. My total playtime currently sits near 70 hours, including post-game activities like hunting with friends, decoration farming, and hunting for monster crowns. I’m excited for future title updates adding more monsters.

I saw the first credits after about 20 hours, mostly focusing on the story with minor detours for armor crafting. Experimenting with different weapons (Switch Axe is excellent!) also added to the playtime. With 65 hours logged, I don't consider those credits the true ending. Many hunts, monsters, and crafting opportunities remain. The story acts as an extended tutorial, which I enjoyed. Except for Congalala. Let's just say I'd prefer not to see him again.