The free Monster Hunter Wilds Switch 2 demo is out now on the Nintendo eShop, so you can try Capcom’s latest hunt on the handheld well before the full game lands on December 4. It’s the Prologue Demo, which means you’re playing the actual opening of the game, and whatever you do in it carries over when you buy.
What the Prologue Demo covers
This isn’t a mock hunt with a couple of preset monsters like older Monster Hunter demos. On PS5, Xbox and Steam, the Prologue Demo runs from character creation through Chapter 1-3: To the Forest. You make your hunter, try out the weapons, and get a feel for the Forbidden Lands before you spend a cent. Capcom’s page says it’s the exact same content as the start of the full game.
Online multiplayer isn’t available in the demo, but Capcom says local play is supported, so you can still hunt with friends nearby on their Switch 2. If you fire an SOS Flare during a quest, NPC Support Hunters show up to help instead of real players.
Your save comes with you
The best part is the save transfer. According to Capcom’s demo page, you can carry your Prologue Demo save into the full game even if you haven’t finished the demo, and your settings come along too. The one catch is that the transfer won’t work if you already have full-game save data on that system, so start the full version with the same user account you played the demo on.
Pre-orders and editions
Digital pre-orders open alongside the demo, and Capcom is knocking the Standard Edition down to $29.99 for early buyers until December 3. Here’s how the Switch 2 editions break down:
| Edition | Format | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Digital | $39.99 ($29.99 pre-order price until Dec 3) | Base game |
| Gold | Digital | $79.99 | Base game plus a big cosmetic DLC collection |
| Deluxe | Physical game-key card | $39.99 | Base game plus the Deluxe Pack cosmetics |
Pre-orders also come with the Guild Knight layered armor and a Hope Charm talisman.
What the full Switch 2 version adds
Capcom says the December 4 release includes all of the Title Update content so far, including the Grand Hub, returning monsters like Lagiacrus, and the Final Fantasy XIV collaboration. You get local wireless co-op plus full cross-play online with PS5, Xbox and PC hunters, which needs a Nintendo Switch Online membership. The big Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance expansion is also planned for Switch 2 in 2027.
Capcom has been busy on Switch 2 lately, and it just brought Resident Evil 2, 3 and 4 to the system too. More Switch news lives on our Nintendo hub.
If you’ve been wondering how Wilds holds up in handheld mode, this is the easy way to find out, and if you like it, none of your first few hours go to waste.