MH Wilds Beta Extended After PSN Outage

Monster Hunter Wilds is exploring a 24-hour extension for Open Beta Test 2 following this weekend's extensive PlayStation Network outage. This article details the potential extension and the events leading up to it.

24-Hour Playtime Interruption for PS5 Users

Due to the PlayStation Network's 24-hour downtime (6 PM EST February 7th to approximately 8 PM EST February 8th), Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds) is considering a one-day extension to Open Beta Test 2 to compensate players for lost playtime. While the exact timing of the extension hasn't been announced, it's expected to add a full 24 hours, potentially extending into the 27th, a day before the game's official release. Beta Test 2, Part 1, is complete, and Part 2 starts February 13th at 7 PM PT. Players can look forward to resuming their hunts and perhaps encountering the amusing low-poly character bug.

The Hilarious Low-Poly Bug Returns

Capcom acknowledges the beta build's outdated nature, resulting in bugs like the infamous low-poly character glitch. This visual bug, caused by texture loading issues, transforms characters, Palicos, and monsters into blocky, low-resolution versions. Instead of frustration, this glitch has become a source of amusement for players, who have shared their encounters on social media. While developers are aware and appreciate the humorous response, they encourage players to experience the game's full visual fidelity with appropriate hardware upon its official launch.

Monster Hunter Wilds, the latest installment in the acclaimed series, introduces an open-world setting—the Forbidden Lands. Players take on the role of a Hunter investigating this mysterious region and its apex predator, the White Wraith. The game launches on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on February 28th, 2025.

PlayStation Network's Significant Outage

PlayStation attributed the outage to an "operational issue" and apologized, offering PlayStation Plus subscribers five extra days of service as compensation. However, the lack of communication during the outage drew criticism, evoking comparisons to the 2011 PSN outage caused by a hacker attack that compromised 77 million accounts and resulted in a three-and-a-half-week service interruption. In contrast to the 2011 event, communication during this recent outage was deemed insufficient.