Capcom’s monster-slaying epic,Monster Hunter Wilds, has unsurprisingly been one of 2025’s most successful games so far. Following the lucrative launches ofMonster Hunter: WorldandMonster Hunter Rise, most fans predicted thatWildswould be an easy slam dunk for Capcom, from both a critical and commercial standpoint. Luckily, the action RPG did not disappoint.Monster Hunter Wildssold over 8 million copies just three days after its February release, making it Capcom’s fastest-selling game of all time. Although the game got a mixed reception on Steam due to technical issues with its PC port,Wildsreceived glowing reviews from most major gaming publications.
With how successfulMonster Hunter Wildshas been for Capcom, many fans are wondering what’s next for the game. Capcom has already announceda fewMonster Hunter Wildsupdates, some of which will feature additional monsters, collaborations, and seasonal events, but it hasn’t revealed any DLC plans yet. The last few installments in theMonster Hunterseries got major expansions shortly after their release, so some fans are expecting Capcom to do the same thing withWilds. As great as a DLC would be, however, it might be best for the company to giveMonster Hunter Wildsthe ‘Ultimate’ treatment instead.
Early Monster Hunter Games Often Received Expanded, ‘Ultimate’ Editions Shortly After their Launches
Back in the day,Monster Huntergames often received expanded re-releases shortly after their initial debuts, which sometimes came out on other platforms. This trend originally began with the series' first installment, 2004’sMonster Hunter. After being released on the PlayStation 2 worldwide, this game got an upgraded edition on the PS2 and Wii in Japan about a year later.Subsequent entries in the franchise, likeMonster Hunter Freedom Unite, also received the same treatment. It wasn’t until the release of 2009’sMonster Hunter 3, however, that Capcom started giving these expanded editions the ‘Ultimate’ moniker.
Three Nintendo-exclusiveMonster Huntertitleswere given expanded re-releases by Capcom during the 2010s. The first of these, 2011’sMonster Hunter 3 Ultimate, added some major new features to the base game, such as underwater combat, new monsters, and a G-Rank level. 2014’sMonster Hunter 4 Ultimate, meanwhile, contained a similar amount of new content. It included over 30 new monsters, new Palico skills and equipment, and an all-new Dunes area. Last but not least,2017’sMonster Hunter Generations Ultimatefeatured two new Hunting Styles, a revamped weapons upgrade system, and a new Deviant monster type.
The originalMonster Hunter 4was never released in the West, soMonster Hunter 4 Ultimateis the only version of the game that’s available in English.
Starting With Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom Stopped Making ‘Ultimate’ Version of Its Games
After several years of making ‘Ultimate’ editions for its games, Capcom decided to shake things up withMonster Hunter: World. Rather than giving it a traditional re-release, the company launched a massive paid expansion for the game, calledMH World: Iceborne, in 2019.Icebornefeatured a lot of the new content that Capcom’s ‘Ultimate’ editions would typically include, such as a Master Rank difficulty level (also known as G-Rank) andloads of new monsters. However, much like its 2022 successor,Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, this expansion largely focused on a new storyline instead of modifying the game’s main campaign.
If Capcom Does Make a MH Wilds Ultimate Edition, It Could Release it Alongside a Switch 2 Port
SinceMonster Hunter Wildsis still relatively new, it’s missing a lot of the features that often get added toMonster Huntergames post-launch, such as the Master Rank levels. Capcom could include some of this content in aMonster Hunter Wilds Ultimateedition, which it could release alongside aNintendo Switch 2 port of the game. That way, the company could give Nintendo players the opportunity to experienceMonster Hunter Wildsin full without having them pay an additional $30 for DLC, while also making adjustments to some of the problems that people had with the base game.
