Summary
Monster Hunter Worldhelped to bring the long-runningMonster Hunterfranchise into the mainstream, achieving the greatest level of success the series had seen in localized regions. Since its release, players have also been treated to the excellentMonster Hunter World: Iceborneexpansion, as well as the follow-upMonster Hunter Riseand its phenomenalSunbreakexpansion. With the recent announcement ofMonster Hunter Wildsarriving in 2025 and acting as the official “sequel” of sorts toMonster Hunter World, some players might be wondering whether it’s worth going back and playing Capcom’s 2018 masterpiece.
TheMonster Hunterseries is one that players can choose to invest hundreds of hours in should they choose to do so, andMonster Hunter Worldis no different. Whilethe main story ofMonster Hunter Worldand theIceborneexpansion is more than worth the price of admission and clock in at a cumulative 85 hours on average, there are over 500 hours of potential content available for completionists. With an excellent roster of available monsters, hundreds of hours of content, and a great introduction to the series that will help players acclimate to bothRiseandWilds,Monster Hunter Worldis worth checking out in 2024 for a multitude of reasons.
Reasons to Still Play Monster Hunter World in 2024
Monster Hunter World’s Online Community Is Thriving After ‘Wilds’ Announcement
In addition toMonster Hunter Worldbeing a phenomenal single-player experience, its tense monster hunts are made all the more enjoyable with up to three friends in co-op. Whether using matchmaking to fill out a complete squad or gearing up and hunting with three friends,Monster Hunter Worldoffers a relatively seamless co-op experience that only adds to the fun of the game by increasing monster aggression and health, making the experience of taking down powerful prey that much more engaging with 4 players. The icing on the cake is that, in the wake ofMonster Hunter Wilds' announcement, the community forMonster Hunter Worldis more active than it’s been in years.
Recent Steam player counts forMonster Hunter Worldshow that the game is experiencing a bit of a renaissance ahead ofMonster Hunter Wilds' release, and that’s withMonster Hunter Risealso being available as an option.Riseis an excellent game and quasi-follow-up toWorld, but it sits somewhere between the traditionalMonster Hunterexperience and the more approachable aspects ofMonster Hunter Worldthat helped it make the franchise so popular and accessible.
The all-time peakplayer count ofMonster Hunter Worldstands at nearly 330k players, and the resurgence of interest in the game has it maintaining a solid average player count of roughly half that, around 160k players.Monster Hunter Worldis excellent in either single-player or co-op, and now is a great time to jump in ahead ofWilds.
Monster Hunter World is the Perfect Series Introduction for Newcomers
While not much is known aboutMonster Hunter Wildsoutside what players have been able to surmise from analyzing the trailer, it’s safe to say that it will carry on the framework laid down byMonster Hunter World.World’s success in the West comes, at least partially, from how much more accessible it is in comparison to previous entries, including its incorporation of several quality-of-life features that make the game easier to learn.
For anyone who has yet to jump into theMonster Hunterseries, bothWorldandRiseare excellent starting points, butMonster Hunter Worldjust might eke out a victory thanks to its approachable learning curve. And, for anyone who is a lapsed player looking for somemoreMonster Hunterahead ofWilds, there are worse ways to spend time than starting up a new build and using any one of the game’s 14 weapon types.
Monster Hunter World
WHERE TO PLAY
Hunt, craft, track and survive. Embark on a perilous hunting expedition into a newly discovered continent known only as ‘The New World’. Prowl its uncharted wilds in search of the land’s most ferocious beasts in Monster Hunter: World. Each new foe you discover will pose a unique challenge, demanding careful planning and a hunter’s instinct to bring it down. Use a vast array of traps, lures, and weapons as well as the living ecosystem around you to overcome your quarry. Carcasses can be harvested for materials to upgrade and augment your arsenal, while the environment itself can tip the battle in your favor, providing cover, vantage points, and even allowing you to pit monsters against one another. This world is yours to explore as you choose, either as a lone warrior on the path to glory, or with up to three other players online in drop-in, drop-out cooperative play.
