Monster Hunter Wilds Switch 2 demo is out: what you can play

Capcom has released the Monster Hunter Wilds Prologue Demo for Nintendo Switch 2. It went live on 19 October in the West and on 20 October in Japan, according to Capcom's Japanese press release and Gematsu. It's the easiest way to find out how the PS5, Xbox and PC hit plays on Nintendo's hybrid before the full game arrives in December. Here's what's in it.

A free download from the eShop

The demo is free on the Nintendo eShop. Capcom says you need at least 14 GB of free space. If your console is filling up, our microSD Express explainer covers the only kind of memory card the Switch 2 accepts for games.

The story's opening chapters, unchanged

Capcom says the demo plays the start of Wilds exactly as in the full game. You create your character, play the prologue and continue through Chapters 1 to 3, up to the trip into the forest. You can hunt the newcomers Chatacabra and Quematrice.

All 14 weapon types

Every one of the series' 14 weapon types is available, from the Great Sword to the Bow. That makes the demo a good place to settle on a main weapon before launch.

Local co-op for four, but offline only

The demo is offline only. Up to four players can team up over local wireless, as long as everyone has a Switch 2 and the demo (demo players can't join full-game players locally). If you play solo, you can fire an SOS flare and AI Support Hunters will come to help. Online play and Photo Mode are disabled in the demo.

Your progress carries over

When you start the full game with the same user profile, it detects the demo save and asks whether to import it. Your option settings come along too. The full version also supports online cross-play with the other platforms.

The full game arrives on 4 December

Monster Hunter Wilds for Switch 2 launches on 4 December 2026 and is up for pre-order. Capcom says it includes all of the update content released so far, including Mizutsune, Gogmazios and the Final Fantasy XIV collaboration monster Omega Planetes. In Japan, the standard digital edition costs ¥4,990 and is discounted to ¥3,742 on the eShop until 7 January 2027. Capcom also confirmed the big Ascendance expansion for Switch 2 in 2027.

Switch 2 owners have had a busy autumn of big ports, from the Resident Evil remakes to the Ocarina of Time remake on 5 November. For hunting in handheld mode, our gaming headset guide helps you pick something that works with the console.