Monster Hunter Wilds Beta Players Share Love — and Fear — for Its New Flagship Monster Arkveld

The Monster Hunter Wilds beta is back, introducing thrilling new challenges, particularly the formidable Arkveld. This imposing beast, the game's flagship monster, is proving a significant test for even seasoned hunters.

The beta features a hunt against the Chained Arkveld, a time-limited (20 minutes) encounter with a five-faint limit. Arkveld, a massive winged creature wielding electrifying chains, is incredibly agile and packs devastating attacks. Its powerful moves, including a particularly memorable grab-and-slam, are already sending hunters back to camp.

Arkveld is a peak monster
byu/Joeljb960 inMHWilds

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }

The impressive visuals and challenging gameplay are generating considerable excitement. One amusing encounter, captured on video, shows Arkveld disrupting a hunter's mid-hunt meal.

arkveld is having none of that
byu/tomkwuz inMHWilds

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }

The difficulty, while daunting, is embraced by the community. The "Chained" designation also fuels speculation about a potentially even more challenging "Unchained" variant.

The Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta Test 2 runs from February 6th-9th and February 13th-16th. Hunters can tackle both Arkveld and the returning Gypceros, along with new features like a Training Area and Private Lobbies.

Monster Hunter Wilds launches February 28th, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For more information, explore IGN First's coverage, including the final preview. Our guide to the beta also provides details on multiplayer, weapon types, and confirmed monsters.