Monster Hunter Wilds is finally getting a performance patch, and there's a perfectly-timed price cut too

It’s a tale as old as time; a new triple-A game releases on PC, and for many players, it barely functions. Such a huge range of PC builds means that many playing Monster Hunter Wilds have had, well, problems getting the game to run smoothly. That doesn’t negate the core experience, and it’s still one of the best RPGs of last year, but the reality is that most people can’t fully enjoy it. Fortunately, there’s an upcoming patch that will optimize the game, and you can finally give it a try – especially as it’s cheaper than ever before right now.

Monster Hunter Wilds delivers that excellent, chaotic hunting goodness that we all love, with larger-than-life beasts that want to use you as a makeshift punching bag. There’s a bigger focus on narrative this time around, with the game treating you like the veteran hunter many of us are by now (while leaving room for newcomers to learn the basics). However, like any other Monster Hunter game, the true experience begins after you reach the endgame, forcing you to grind out parts to maximize your armor and perfect your hunting skills.

Even though Ken gave the game an impressive 9/10 in our Monster Hunter Wilds review, the reality of post-launch was anything but brilliant. The 77,913 English Steam reviews average out to a ‘mixed’ rating, and while a few have issues with some gameplay elements, the majority cite performance issues for their ‘Not Recommended’ scores. It’s a blight that has stained a stunning entry into the franchise.

Just last week, a Reddit user uncovered the fact that owning more DLC made for better performance, and while mods quickly fixed that issue, Capcom is finally releasing an official patch to optimize the game further. As shared by the Monster Hunter Status Updates account on X, the patch is scheduled to go live on January 27, 6pm PST / January 28, 2am GMT. The patch will “include optimization improvements for Steam-specific processes and options to reduce processing load.”

Of course, we have to wait and see whether the upcoming update fixes all of the game’s performance woes, but it’s still an absolutely solid action RPG. If you’ve been waiting to give Monster Hunter Wilds a chance, you can grab it for just $32.89 / £28.19 at Fanatical. That’s a massive 53% discount and the lowest price that the game has ever seen. All going well, you might get the game at half price just as it becomes twice as good.

While I’ve been playing it since release and slaying (or struggling to slay) Rathalos, I’d be glad to have some more hunters by my side. So, now that it’s cheaper than ever, what are you waiting for?