In a surprising turn of events, Monster Hunter Wilds has catapulted itself into the ranks of the top 10 most-played games on Steam in terms of concurrent players. It’s snagged the 7th position, edging past powerhouse titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, Hogwarts Legacy, and Baldur’s Gate 3. At present, only Counter-Strike 2 boasts more active Steam users, and the numbers for Monster Hunter Wilds are steadily ticking upwards. If this trend continues, it might just challenge Dota 2’s impressive record of 1.295 million players.
Despite this fiery start, Monster Hunter Wilds hasn’t quite reached the pinnacle set by PUBG back in 2018, which boasted a staggering 3.26 million players. It’s also unlikely to top the two-million-plus player figures that Palworld and Black Myth: Wukong posted during their launch weeks in 2024, fueled largely by massive interest from Chinese gamers.
There’s room yet for Monster Hunter Wilds to climb higher in the rankings. Gaming trends suggest that weekends, particularly Saturdays and Sundays, are when player counts peak on Steam. Encouragingly, both Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate 3 reached their highest player numbers during their second weekend post-launch, suggesting Monster Hunter could see a similar surge. What makes this feat even more noteworthy is the game’s unconventional launch time—it was released late at night in North America, early morning in Europe, and mid-afternoon in East Asia.
However, Capcom has encountered a few bumps in the road with the PC launch of Monster Hunter Wilds. Steam user reviews currently stand at “mixed,” as several players have pointed out performance hiccups. In response, Capcom has recommended that players facing issues should update their graphics drivers, disable compatibility mode, and tweak their settings for a smoother experience.
