Monster Hunter Wilds Slips as MH World Rises

Monster Hunter Wilds sees a significant drop in player numbers, narrowing the gap with MH World. Here's an in-depth look at the player decline and details about the game's debut collaboration event.

Steep Decline in Monster Hunter Wilds Player Numbers

Peak Players Drop from 1M to 40K

After shattering records as Capcom's fastest-selling game at launch, Monster Hunter Wilds now faces dwindling player engagement. Three months post-release, concurrent player counts have sharply decreased from their initial highs.

Monster Hunter analyst Zenny reports that MH Wilds' active player base halved starting May, now approaching the numbers of its predecessor MH World. SteamDB data shows MH Wilds' 24-hour peak at 41,101 players, while MH World maintains 26,479 players currently.

The downward trend becomes clearer when comparing both titles at the three-month mark - MH World boasted over 100,000 concurrent Steam players versus MH Wilds' current 40,000. Many players cite limited endgame content despite the game's first major update as a contributing factor. With the second Title Update releasing this summer, introducing new monsters and events, the game may attract returning players.

Street Fighter Crossover Tease Brings Hope

A potential collaboration with Street Fighter could reinvigorate player interest. Monster Hunter's official Twitter account recently shared Street Fighter 6-inspired imagery featuring paw print designs.

While unconfirmed, this crossover wouldn't be unprecedented - MH World previously featured Street Fighter-themed armor sets, gestures, and costumes. Past collaborations included Ryu and Sakura armor, Hadoken/Shoryuken animations, and a Chun-Li costume for the Handler.

This potential partnership would mark MH Wilds' first official collaboration, joining the series' tradition of crossovers with franchises like Devil May Cry, Sonic, Animal Crossing, Fire Emblem, Assassin's Creed, and Mega Man.

With substantial updates planned throughout 2024 and beyond, MH Wilds may yet regain its player base momentum. The game is currently available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms.