Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom’s latest installment in its popular action RPG series, has experienced a dramatic decline on PC. The game’s Steam review score has plummeted to “Overwhelmingly Negative,” with concurrent player numbers dropping to just 1% of its launch figures.
By the Numbers
The statistics paint a stark picture of the game‘s trajectory:
- Launch peak: 1.38 million concurrent Steam players (February 28, 2025)
- Current peak: Approximately 17,000-18,468 daily players (June 2025)
- Player retention: 1.23% of launch numbers
- Recent Steam reviews: Only 18% positive
- Overall Steam rating: Downgraded to “Mixed”
Monster Hunter Wilds now has fewer concurrent players than Monster Hunter World, its seven-year-old predecessor from 2018, which many fans now consider “the superior long-term game.”
Technical Issues Drive Frustration
PC performance problems represent the primary complaint among negative reviews. One player wrote: “Unfortunately, I can’t recommend this game in its current state. Performance is awful even on a very high-end PC, and crashes are frequent especially if you enable frame generation which the game recommends as soon as you open it.”
The specific technical problems include:
- Texture pop-ins and low-resolution models
- Consistent FPS drops and stuttering, particularly during intense combat
- Poor optimization across various hardware configurations
- Issues with Denuvo DRM, which many players believe contributes to performance problems
Many players report the game runs poorly on mid-range PCs and older hardware. Even on modern high-end systems, the game recommends enabling Frame Generation for an artificial performance boost.
Gameplay Criticisms Beyond Performance
While technical issues dominate complaints, players have raised several other concerns:
- Lack of Endgame Content: Players feel the post-story content is shallow compared to previous titles, with the current endgame loop described as “repetitive farming for minor upgrades” that fails to engage veteran players.
- Reduced Difficulty: Long-time fans find the game easier than previous entries. Mechanics like “Focus Mode,” which helps players target monster weak points, and “Wounding,” which frequently stuns monsters and provides abundant materials, are seen as diminishing the challenge the series is known for.
- Linear Progression: The narrative-driven campaign receives criticism for being too prescriptive, reducing exploration and player agency compared to older Monster Hunter games.
- Multiplayer Issues: Players report persistent problems with online connectivity, including difficulties joining friends’ lobbies and maintaining stable sessions.
Capcom implemented several accessibility features for new players, including auto-pathing to targets, the ability to sharpen weapons and heal while riding, and the aforementioned ‘focus mode’ in combat. These changes represent significant departures from Monster Hunter World’s approach, which required more careful planning and multiple attempts to take down monsters.
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Console vs. PC Experience
The PC issues stand in stark contrast to the console experience. On Xbox Series X/S, Monster Hunter Wilds maintains a 4.3-star score from over 2,200 players. The PlayStation Store version fares even better with a 4.49-star average from more than 60,000 users. These console ratings have remained stable since the game’s February launch.
Upcoming Response from Capcom
Monster Hunter Wilds will release its second title update at the end of June. The first update briefly tripled player numbers but failed to retain them long-term. A Capcom Spotlight livestream is scheduled for Thursday, June 26th, where the company is expected to address these issues.
The upcoming Capcom Spotlight presents an opportunity for the company to announce concrete performance fixes, detail Title Update 2 (which reportedly includes fan-favorite monsters like Lagiacrus, layered weapons, and new event quests), and potentially address gameplay concerns.
Financial Implications
Despite the PC troubles, Monster Hunter Wilds achieved impressive initial sales figures across all platforms, selling 10 million copies within the first three days to become Capcom’s fastest-selling game. However, the continuing PC issues and player exodus could impact long-term revenue and the franchise’s reputation on the platform.
Industry observers will be watching closely to see if Capcom can address these problems and restore player confidence in the PC version of what was initially one of 2025’s most anticipated titles.