Capcom has released an early-game demo for *Monster Hunter Wilds* on Nintendo Switch 2.
Playable content ranges from character creation to the early story
In this early-game demo, in addition to character creation, you can play through the prologue—which kicks off the story—up to Chapter 1-3, “Into the Forest,” and take on quests to defeat Chatakabra and hunt Kematris.
Since the content is identical to the full game and save data is transferable, it’s a good idea to finish creating your character before the December 4 release date.
Furthermore, the demo supports local multiplayer. If you bring two Switch consoles together, you can relive the nostalgia of hunting alongside friends.
Switch 2 offers a setting to toggle between “Quality Priority” and “Frame Rate Priority”
Game*Spark published an early hands-on report on the Switch 2 version timed with the Tokyo Game Show 2026. Although the demo covered only a very short section—from the opening cutscene to mounting a Secret and lightly swinging a weapon—the reporter noted that there were no noticeable stutters or lag during the playthrough.
The options include “Performance Settings (Quality Priority / Frame Rate Priority),” which lets you choose whether to prioritize graphics quality or frame rate in TV mode, as well as a frame rate lock setting that lets you toggle between “Locked at 30fps” and “OFF.” It is reported that “Locked at 30fps” was selected by default.
The early-game demo for *Monster Hunter Wilds* on Nintendo Switch 2, which requires at least 14 GB of free storage space, is now available on the Nintendo Store. The full version is currently available for PC (Steam), PS5, and XBOX Series X|S.
The full version for Nintendo Switch 2, which supports cross-play and includes all previous updates, is scheduled for release on December 4, 2026.Pricing is as follows: the standard digital version is 4,990 yen (3,742 yen as a special early-purchase price until January 7, 2027); the Gold Edition is 7,990 yen; and the Deluxe Edition (physical key card) is 4,990 yen.
Additionally, the massive expansion *Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance* is also scheduled for release on the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027.
*UPDATE (October 20, 2026, 10:42 a.m.): We have confirmed that the game is available on the web version of the Nintendo Store, so we have updated the main text accordingly.
