How Long Is Monster Hunter Wilds?

It's finally here! Monster Hunter Wilds has arrived on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. This latest entry in Capcom's beast-battling action series follows in the massive footsteps of Monster Hunter World and its expansive Iceborne expansion. But just how long will it take to conquer? We asked members of the IGN team to share their playtime, priorities, and post-game adventures.

Tom Marks - Executive Reviews Editor, Games

I finished Monster Hunter Wilds’ campaign in just under 15 hours. Unlike Monster Hunter Rise, this is the actual story's end, not a halfway point. However, completing the Low Rank campaign only unlocks High Rank, brimming with side quests and tougher challenges. So, you're far from done!

It took me another 15 hours to complete almost all of those High Rank quests and reach the true endgame. This involved battling every monster, unlocking all crafting systems available at launch, and exploring the custom Artian weapon system designed for long-term engagement. Thanks to Wilds’ streamlined grind, I only needed an additional five hours to acquire my desired peak weapon and armor sets. Of course, much more awaits across other weapon types and beyond.

I finished the final High Rank story mission in around 40 hours, roughly 22 hours after completing Low Rank. Accuracy is tricky, as I spent considerable time in menus for guide creation. I didn't delve deeply into Monster Hunter Wilds’ systems during Low Rank, crafting what I could and progressing. High Rank was similar, but I branched out, tackling optional monsters and hunting with friends (often necessary for story progression).

I only upgraded my weapon once by hunting an extra Ajarakan, otherwise focusing on reaching the final mission. A more thorough approach would likely have resulted in 60 hours, allowing for optimized armor and weapon sets.

I still have endemic life to collect, fishing, and six post-final-mission side quests. At least one more optional quest awaits unlocking. Beyond that, I plan to farm for Talisman upgrades, create different armor, experiment with Artian weapons, and replay the story with friends while mastering new weapons. Future title updates and event quests further extend the possibilities.

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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 experience (25 hours without finishing). As a relative newcomer to the series, I found many battles surprisingly easy. While I fainted a few times against apex predators, the overall experience felt breezy. This streamlining, aimed at welcoming new players, impacts runtime; elemental weaknesses, crafting, tracking, and hunting are all scaled back.

The consistent cutscene/battle cadence, maintained until the credits, significantly impacts runtime. It feels less like a pure Monster Hunter experience and more like a Western cinematic narrative. While I appreciated the swift story conclusion, I wonder if it sacrifices elements beloved by long-time fans until the post-game.

Jada Griffin - Community Lead

I reached the initial credits in about 20 hours, spending time on optional and side quests, exploring the world, hunting endemic life, customizing menus and shouts, and finding optimal camp locations.

Completing all High Rank missions and side quests took another 15 hours. I’ve since spent nearly 70 hours on post-game activities like hunting with friends, decoration farming, and hunting for monster crowns. I'm eagerly anticipating future title updates adding more monsters.

I saw the first credits after about 20 hours, mostly focusing on the story with occasional armor set grinding. I also experimented with various weapons (Switch Axe is fantastic!), which increased playtime.

At 65 hours, I don't consider those credits the true ending. Much more hunting, monsters, and crafting remain. The story feels like an extended tutorial, which I appreciate, as it leads to more monster battles (except Congalala—never again!).