MH Wilds Beta: PSN Outage Spurs Extension Talk

Monster Hunter Wilds is considering extending its Open Beta Test 2 by 24 hours following this weekend's PlayStation Network outage. Read on for details.

Monster Hunter Wilds to Extend Beta Test 2?

24-Hour PS5 Gameplay Interruption

Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds) is exploring a one-day extension for Open Beta Test 2 due to the PlayStation Network outage that lasted 24 hours, beginning 6 PM EST on February 7th. This rendered all online PlayStation games unplayable, including the MH Wilds beta. PlayStation Network service was restored around 8 PM EST, according to the official NA X (Twitter) support account.

While the exact timing of any extension hasn't been announced, a 24-hour extension to compensate for lost playtime is under consideration. This could be added to the end of Beta Test 2 Part 2, which runs until February 27th, a day before the game's official release. Part 1 of Beta Test 2 is complete, and Part 2 begins February 13th at 7 PM PT. Players can soon return to the hunt, perhaps encountering the hilarious low-poly bug.

The Hilarious Low-Poly Bug Returns

Capcom has stated that the beta build is outdated and doesn't represent the final game. This explains the prevalence of bugs, including the infamous low-poly character glitch where textures fail to load correctly, transforming characters, Palicos, and monsters into blocky, low-resolution versions.

Instead of frustration, this glitch has become a source of amusement. Fans are sharing their low-poly encounters on social media, some even hoping for a future nod to these polygonal origins. While MH Wilds developers are aware and appreciate the humorous reactions, they recommend experiencing the game with proper specs upon its official release, as confirmed in a GamesRadar+ interview.

Monster Hunter Wilds, the latest in the acclaimed series and the first with an open-world setting (the Forbidden Lands), tasks players with investigating a mysterious region and its apex predator, the White Wraith. This action-RPG launches on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on February 28th, 2025.

PlayStation Network's Significant Outage

PlayStation's NA X (Twitter) support account attributed the outage to an "operational issue," apologizing for the inconvenience. PlayStation Plus subscribers will receive five extra days of service as compensation.

However, the lack of communication during the outage drew criticism, echoing concerns from the 2011 PSN outage (a three-and-a-half-week shutdown caused by a hacker attack affecting 77 million accounts). In contrast to the 2011 event, Sony's communication during this recent outage was lacking.