Time to sharpen your weapons! Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, the expansion for Monster Hunter Wilds, developed and published by Capcom, is due out in 2027 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series and Nintendo Switch 2. Hunters will be able to reach Master Rank as they progress through a new story, with new monsters to hunt and new gameplay mechanics to get to grips with.
The bande-annonce plunges players into the Skybound Eyrie, a fresh region perched above the clouds where lush landscapes, ancient ruins and rocky environs alternate. The footage introduces several new creatures, including the Grand Elder Dragon Gundoraja and the raptor Araketa, as well as the return of Lao-Shan Lung, at the heart of the new storyline. Several characters from the base game also reappear, including Nata, now a hunter, as the clips spotlight brutal clashes and the weapons’ new abilities.
A trailer for the original game, Monster Hunter Wilds, which also teases the DLC release on Nintendo Switch 2, was unveiled during a Nintendo Direct on September 9, 2026.
"Several years after the events of Monster Hunter Wilds, the sudden appearance of the colossal Lao-Shan Lung again shakes the Forbidden Lands. Guided by Nata and Bangard, the hunters set out to explore the Skybound Eyrie, seeking the source of the region's disturbances and to confront the new threats that have taken hold there".
This new campaign takes place after the events of the main game and unlocks access to the Master rank, delivering a direct continuation of the story.
The standout feature of this expansion is the Boost Bracer, a new piece of gear that reshapes how all 14 weapon types fight. By staying offensively minded, hunters build up energy they can expend with a special move called Boost Driver. Once Boost mode is activated, every weapon gains new attacks, extra combos, and improvements tailored to its playstyle. Capcom will also release weapon-specific videos to showcase their new abilities.
Beyond this new mechanic, Ascendance also debuts a new region, Master Rank monsters, fresh quests, new gear, and additional materials for crafting weapons and armor. The aim is to present fresh challenges to players who have already beaten the main campaign.
Our Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance preview:
We got to play the game for 20 minutes at Paris Games Week. The demo for this DLC tasked us with tracking down a monster and taking it down (that is, capturing it) in the desolate mountains of the Forbidden Lands.
We’re not entirely convinced by the graphics: things look rather blurry and pixelated (the game is still in development), so we’ll wait until release to offer a more precise assessment. That said, the visuals are pretty good, very colorful and fairly dynamic... We’ll see how it stacks up at launch.
As for the rest, the gameplay is identical to what you’d find in Monster Hunter Wilds, so it shouldn’t feel unfamiliar. For newcomers, the controls are responsive and, although there are a lot of them and some can be complicated, they’re fairly easy to understand overall (even if we had a little trouble at first, since we’re not used to the franchise).
Our only real gripe might be the weapon we were given: it’s very slow and not particularly effective against this particular enemy. We lose often, but the different ways to approach combat (dodging, direct attacks, etc.) still make for an enjoyable time. There’s plenty of variety, and it’s hard to get bored. We didn’t even notice the 20 minutes go by, which is a pretty good sign.
It’s hard to say more after just 20 minutes... We’ll wait for the game’s release before giving a more detailed verdict.
Capcom is aiming for a 2027 release, with no exact date announced yet. The expansion will require owning Monster Hunter Wilds and reaching Hunter Rank 40, after completing the quest Awaking From a Dream, in order to unlock Master Rank and the new storyline.
Players who don’t yet own the game can try the free Prologue demo, available now. It lets you create your hunter and your Palico, explore the early chapters of the adventure, test out all 14 weapon types, and carry your save over to the full version.
This first briefing mainly helps readers understand the direction of Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, both in terms of its storyline and the new gameplay elements. Capcom has already announced that additional demonstrations focused on weapons and the new mechanics will be released in the coming months, ahead of the expansion's 2027 release.
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