As for the use of mods for Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom seemingly follows a liberal policy. But there is a limit that you apparently must not cross!
What is that limit? Reports are currently circulating online that the accounts of various players in Monster Hunter Wilds have reportedly been permanently banned due to the use of mods (for example via 80.lv). A restoration is said to be impossible.
What the banned players apparently have in common: They used a modification that allows players to unlock paid DLC content without purchasing it. They did not only adjust their gaming experience, but also seemingly reached into Capcom’s pockets – thus apparently crossing a clear line.
Even without mods, Monster Hunter Wilds is relatively beginner-friendly:
What is Capcom’s official stance on mods? In the terms of service for Monster Hunter Wilds (via monsterhunter.com), it is officially stated:
“Violations of Capcom’s intellectual property rights, for example, through reproduction (except for reproduction for the purpose of program installation), modification, alteration, translation, analysis, reverse engineering, or extraction of code from the entire program or any part thereof” are listed as prohibited behaviors.
However, during the PC version of Monster Hunter World, Capcom officials turned a blind eye when it came to the use of mods to adjust one’s gaming experience. Monster Hunter Wilds also functions without an anti-cheat program, which allows numerous fan mods to be used without any issues.
Uncertainty Prevails
On various community platforms like Steam and others, the same question keeps arising: Are mods allowed? Discussions about the recent bans (via Reddit) show that there are very different views and answers as well as many more questions on the topic.
- Appropriate-Tap-4577 writes on Reddit: “Capcom may have been lenient towards modders in recent years, but that was mainly because most mods were local and only improved quality of life. However, for mods that may affect other players, or cheats to unlock content behind a paywall, I think it is very reasonable to be banned.”
- Aquaria_Darling wonders on Reddit: “Are people affected who join modified quests?”
- LemonSlushieee is uncertain (via Reddit): “What about simple QoL mods, like the Artian skins?”
- X-Dragon2255 wants to know on Reddit: “So if I use a mod to bypass the voucher for character changes, because I think it’s dumb that I have to pay for that in a single-player game, will it have consequences for me?”
As the current reports within the community are causing visible uncertainty, MeinMMO has asked Capcom for an official statement on the topic of mods. Once this is received, we will update this message for you.
What to do until then? Due to the above-quoted passage from the terms of service, Capcom has always had leverage to act against the use of modifications. However, the more than 700 mods on nexusmods.com for Monster Hunter Wilds and the sometimes hundreds of thousands of downloads per mod show that Capcom generally turns a blind eye when it comes to the subject of mods.
That this liberal policy ceases to apply as soon as players cheat their way into obtaining paid content without purchase is understandable. Those who are unsure about the use of regular mods should avoid them for the time being or only use them in solo hunts. The latter applies especially if your adjustments also affect the gaming experience of your fellow players: Early cheaters are sabotaging the fun of playing Monster Hunter Wilds in co-op
