Bilawal Bashir 
With the Nintendo Switch seemingly in its final year of life, will it see major third-party releases like Monster Hunter Wilds? Capcom might have a straight and clear answer.
Capcom has two Monster Hunter development teams working on two separate entries in the series. The portable team released the excellent Monster Hunter Rize on the Nintendo Switch and later ported it to PCs and home consoles. The Monster Hunter World team is releasing its console-focused Monster Hunter Wilds next year.
With each entry, the console team aims to push the graphics and monster systems forward. Monster Hunter World was Capcom’s first full-fledged game built from the ground up to run on more powerful hardware. Wilds seems to follow tradition, and Capcom’s decisions might disappoint some Nintendo Switch gamers.
Is Monster Hunter Wilds coming out on Nintendo Switch?
Capcom confirmed that Monster Hunter Wilds will not come to Nintendo Switch in a stakeholders meeting.
Capcom representative explained that the company aims to “portray the maximum of the world of Monster Hunter by utilizing the latest technology to its limit.” While a capable device, the Nintendo Switch is showing its age. Even at release, the console used outdated hardware, so having it run a full-fledged open-world Monster Hunter is out of the question.
“To that end, the platforms capable of realizing that concept are currently the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC,” the representative said.
Only current-generation hardware is enough to run the game at its potential. Even last-generation consoles, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, are excluded from the list. Both consoles are more powerful than the Switch.
Will Monster Hunter Wilds come out on Switch 2?
Monster Hunter Wilds could appear on the Nintendo Switch 2, which is reportedly set to be released in 2025.
The Capcom representative told the meeting, “we will provide more thorough details regarding these concepts and themes when we release information on the game. We hope you look forward to it.”
There might be a way to bring Monster Hunting as a launch title for the new Switch, but Nintendo fans shouldn’t be too hopeful. Capcom has always had a great relationship with Nintendo, especially regarding the Monster Hunter series.
Leaks have shown that the Switch 2 will likely have specs and features that make it better than the PS4, but will fall short of the PS5 or Xbox Series. This makes porting the game potentially difficult. Even if it does come out, Capcom may need a long while to develop a solid port.
On the flipside, if the hardware cannot fully support it, the company can find a way to stream the title on the new consoles. Nintendo always takes a different route when it comes to hardware power. The Switch 2 will have plenty of games. Players shouldn’t keep their hopes up for Monster Hunter Wilds on a portable console.
