The release of Monster Hunter Wilds is gradually approaching, and fans are increasingly concerned about whether and how their existing devices will handle the game. Some are even getting a PS5 for this purpose. However, some players warn that fans might regret their purchase in the future.
Why are players warning? The debate about whether to choose PC or console has likely been around as long as both have existed on the market. The relatively high minimum requirements of Monster Hunter Wilds mean that many fans now have to consider how they ultimately want to play the game.
As a result, many players are currently buying a PS5 for around €500 to experience Monster Hunter Wilds upon its release on February 28, 2025. However, internet access also plays a role, as playing on the PlayStation 5 requires an additional PlayStation Plus subscription to play online with others. The cost for the cheapest Essential variant is about €71.99 per year.
Some fans take this as an opportunity to warn those who are purchasing a PS5 specifically for Monster Hunter Wilds. A thread on Reddit is currently hotly debated on this topic. From the perspective of some players, with a game runtime of several years (and thus several years of costs for the PS Plus subscription), an average gaming PC would be more cost-effective and offer significantly more advantages.
On the one hand, access to the online features of Monster Hunter Wilds on PC is free, avoiding additional costs. On the other hand, the PC offers more options to customize the personal gaming experience, such as a wider selection of controllers, the possibility to install mods, or free cloud storage, allowing players to easily continue playing at friends’ places or on other devices.
Here you see 20 minutes of gameplay from the PS5 version at the preview event in Japan:
PC Upgrade or Console – That is the Question
Is everyone on the same page? However, the community seems to be divided on this matter. Some contradict the warning voices, suggesting that for a truly good gaming experience, a suitable gaming PC would be far more expensive than a PS5, on which the game is currently running very smoothly. Even if one were to factor in, for example, a two-year subscription, the total cost would be around €700 with a PS5.
Depending on the market situation, one could only with luck purchase or assemble a suitable PC that not only meets the high minimum requirements of Monster Hunter Wilds but also ensures a smooth gaming experience. At least if one had to acquire an entirely new PC.
Hardware upgrades, on the other hand, can indeed be cheaper. Each player would need to weigh for themselves what advantages are important to them and what personal preferences they have. Recently, there were concerns that the PC version would particularly lag behind the PS5 version in terms of performance and graphics, as there were some technical issues during the beta that affected the Steam version.
Many fans also report in the comments that they had a similar discussion at the release of Monster Hunter World (via Reddit) and that they would do it again because they do not regret their decision. Some also recommend waiting for a potential demo before investing in their PC or a new console.
Particularly the performance and graphics issues are a focus for Capcom’s further development until the release in February. This was also confirmed in an interview with Director Tokuda, who assured that these issues should no longer be a concern at launch on Steam: In Monster Hunter Wilds, players won’t have to worry about one particular issue with the PC version
