Capcom has announced a free Monster Hunter Wilds Prologue Demo for Nintendo Switch 2. The news arrived in an October 15, 2026 post on the official Monster Hunter X account. The post reads: “The free Monster Hunter Wilds Prologue Demo comes to Nintendo Switch 2 on Oct 19 PT / Oct 20 BST! Prepare to experience the start of your adventure, then carry your save data over to the full game! Local play will be supported in the demo so you can play with friends! Digital pre-orders will also begin on the same date!”
The Switch 2 demo carries the same opening content as the Prologue Demo already available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. It is free to download, and no pre-order is required to play it. This is the first Monster Hunter Wilds demo released for the Switch 2.
What the Demo Includes
According to the official Capcom demo page, the demo lets players play the beginning of Monster Hunter Wilds with the exact same content as the full game. It runs from character creation through Chapter 1-3 “To the Forest”, covering the opening of the story. Players can create a hunter and a Palico, and all 14 weapon types are available. The demo is set in the Forbidden Lands, the uncharted region where Monster Hunter Wilds takes place.
The table below lists the confirmed features of the Nintendo Switch 2 demo.
| Feature | In the Switch 2 demo |
|---|---|
| Story content | Prologue through Chapter 1-3 “To the Forest” |
| Character creation | Hunter and Palico |
| Weapons | All 14 weapon types |
| Multiplayer | Local play only, no online |
| SOS Flare | Calls up to three NPC Support Hunters |
| Save data | Carries over to the full game |
| Pre-orders | Begin October 19 |
Save Transfer and Local Play
Save data from the demo carries over to the full game, so character choices and progress made in the prologue continue. Players who create a hunter and Palico keep those choices, and progress through Chapter 1-3 “To the Forest” carries over as well.
The Switch 2 demo supports local multiplayer, so two systems can hunt together offline. Online multiplayer is not available in the demo, which is why firing an SOS Flare calls up to three NPC Support Hunters to assist instead of other players. In the full game, players can also hunt online with others from around the globe.
Capcom’s previous Monster Hunter game, Monster Hunter Rise, passed 20 million copies sold in October 2026.
Pre-Orders and the December Launch
Digital pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Monster Hunter Wilds begin on October 19, the day the demo goes live. The full game launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on December 4, 2026. Monster Hunter Wilds is developed and published by Capcom, and it is the latest entry in the Monster Hunter series.
Capcom revealed Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, the next Monster Hunter expansion, at Tokyo Game Show 2026. Capcom has described Ascendance as a massive expansion due out in 2027.
