With Monster Hunter Wilds launching soon, plenty of players have questions about how online play works, especially when it comes to grouping, questing, and exploring with friends. A recent Reddit post attempted to clear things up, but since Capcom’s system is a bit different from previous games, it still left many hunters scratching their heads.
In any case, and even though the Reddit discussion helped break things down, we are here to explain it in a way that actually makes sense. If you have been focused on how the Party Link and Environmental Link systems work, or why you sometimes cannot post quests while exploring, here is everything you need to know:
MH Wilds Is Not Fully Open-World
So, here is the deal: Monster Hunter Wilds is not a really fully open-world game. Instead, it builds on the structure of past games while adding a much more natural way to travel between hunts and town. The biggest change? The game removes the hard divide between being on an expedition and being in town. That means when you leave for a hunt, you are technically on a quest; even if there is no loading screen or formal quest acceptance.
How Grouping and Online Lobbies Work
Like previous Monster Hunter games, Wilds uses Lobbies for online play. When you are in a town, you will see and interact with players in the same Lobby. But once you head out into the environment, things change depending on which type of Link System you use.
There are two main ways to group up with friends:
Party Link (Standard Questing System)
- Works like classic Monster Hunter questing.
- Lets you post and accept structured quests with specific objectives, targets, and conditions.
- You do not have to be in the same Lobby to join a friend’s Party Link.
- Best for progressing through the game together, just like in older MH titles.
Environmental Link (Expedition-Style Free Hunts)
- Lets you explore and hunt freely with friends.
- No fixed quest structure; just head out, find a monster, and start fighting.
- You cannot post traditional quests while in this mode. To do that, you will need to return to town.
- Good for gathering materials, random monster encounters, and just roaming the world.
This system means you can choose how you want to play, be it sticking to structured quests or just heading out and seeing what happens. But it is important to remember that Environmental Link does not count toward official quest progress, so if you want to actually clear posted quests, you will need to switch to Party Link mode!
Why Can I Not Post Quests While Exploring?
One of the most common complaints from beta testers is that they cannot post new quests while out in the environment. This is because MH Wilds keeps quest posting separate from free-roam exploration. Even though it might feel like an open-world game, the core mechanics still work like traditional Monster Hunter.
When you are in Environmental Link mode, any “quests” that pop up are more like optional event triggers than actual progress-based hunts. To post an official quest with set objectives, you still need to go back to town.
No Guiding Lands System (For Now)
A few players have also noticed that Wilds does not have anything like the Guiding Lands from Iceborne, where you could summon monsters into specific areas. Right now, it is unclear if Capcom plans to add a system like this in future updates or expansions, but in the beta, it was not available.
TL;DR – It Is Not Very Clear, but Also Not That Complicated (Once You Get It)
The way Monster Hunter Wilds handles grouping, questing, and exploring is different from previous games, but once you get used to it, it is actually pretty straightforward:
- Want to progress through quests with friends? Use Party Link.
- Just want to hunt and explore freely? Use Environmental Link.
- Need to post new quests? Go back to town.
Capcom is clearly experimenting with a hybrid approach that blends structured quests with more open-ended exploration. Some players love the flexibility, while others feel it is indeed a bit clunky compared to older systems. Either way, Wilds is still a Monster Hunter game at its core, just with a few new ways to approach the hunt.
You can check out a Reddit post related to this topic below:
What do you think? Do you like this new system, or do you prefer the old-school way of handling quests? Let us know on Twitter/X!
