MH Wilds Beta Extends After PSN Outage

Monster Hunter Wilds is considering a 24-hour extension to Open Beta Test 2 following this weekend's PlayStation Network outage. Let's dive into the details.

Monster Hunter Wilds Extends Beta Test 2

A 24-Hour Play Interruption

Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds) is exploring a one-day extension for Open Beta Test 2 due to the PlayStation Network outage that started at 6 PM EST on February 7th. The 24-hour service disruption 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 the potential extension hasn't been announced, a 24-hour addition is being considered to compensate for lost playtime. This could be added to the end of Beta Test 2 Part 2, which runs until the 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 look forward to resuming their hunts, and perhaps encountering the hilariously infamous low-poly bug.

The Return of the Low-Poly Bug

Capcom has acknowledged that the beta build is an older version and doesn't represent the final game. This explains the presence of bugs, including the infamous low-poly character glitch where textures fail to load properly, transforming characters, Palicos, and monsters into blocky, low-resolution versions of themselves.

Instead of frustration, this bug has become a source of amusement, with players sharing their low-poly encounters on social media. Some even hope the game will acknowledge this quirky glitch in the future. While MH Wilds developers are aware and amused by the bug (as confirmed in a GamesRadar+ interview), they encourage players to experience the game with optimal specifications upon its official launch.

Monster Hunter Wilds, the latest installment 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 highly anticipated action-RPG launches on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on February 28th, 2025.

PlayStation Network's Recent Major Outage

PlayStation attributed the outage to an "operational issue" and apologized for the inconvenience via its NA X (Twitter) support account. PlayStation Plus subscribers will receive five extra days of service as compensation.

However, the lack of communication during the outage drew criticism, sparking concerns and echoing a similar 2011 incident. The 2011 outage, caused by a hacker attack, resulted in a 3.5-week service disruption and 77 million compromised accounts. In contrast to the recent event, Sony provided regular updates and a thorough analysis of the 2011 attack.