Monster Hunter Wilds includes tons of exciting improvements for multiplayer, with large 100-player lobbies, a new Link Party system, and even open-world exploration. However, not everything seems to be perfect, as some players are outspokenly frustrated with how co-op works in the story mode, especially when compared to past games.
The Biggest Issue: Story Cutscene Restrictions
One of the biggest complaints from the recent open beta (which ended on February 18, 2025) is the way story quests handle cutscenes. You must watch certain cutscenes solo before you can join others on their hunt, similar to how things worked in Monster Hunter World.
This system often breaks the flow of co-op play. If you and your friends are progressing through the campaign together, you will frequently have to watch cutscenes separately, and then re-group afterward to continue the quest.
While Capcom has improved matchmaking and added better notifications, this system still makes campaign co-op feel less seamless than in Monster Hunter Rise, where players could tackle story quests together without being split up.
What About Open-World Exploration?
On the plus side, Monster Hunter Wilds expands co-op beyond just posted quests. Thanks to the Environment Link feature, you and your friends can explore the open world together freely, without needing to accept a specific hunt.
This means you can:
- Traverse the map as a group
- Engage in spontaneous fights with roaming monsters
- Track targets and decide what to hunt on the fly
Generally, this feature is a big step forward and offers a more dynamic, better multiplayer experience compared to previous titles. However, if you and your friends want to play through the story campaign together, the cutscene issue remains a rather big roadblock.
A Step Forward, but Not Perfect
As previously mentioned, Monster Hunter Wilds has made some great co-op improvements, but the story cutscene requirement is still a major frustration for many players. Yes, free exploration multiplayer is a great addition, but clearly, some fans hoped for a better co-op campaign experience, more like Monster Hunter Rise.
Will Capcom address these concerns in future updates? We will have to wait and see. For now, if you plan to play the story in co-op, be prepared for some interruptions!
What do you think about Monster Hunter Wilds’ co-op? Let us know on Twitter/X!
