Monster Hunter Wilds Players Disappointed That the Best Cosmetics are Paywalled

Monster Hunter Wilds’ massive success comes as no surprise. A big part of that is due to its legacy as a major franchise from the golden era of gaming. After selling more than 10 million copies since launch, Wilds is now facing a different kind of problem, one that’s not tied to performance or content drought, but paid DLCs.

Players are already raising concerns that some of the best in-game cosmetics, like the new Alma and Erik outfits, are locked behind a paywall. Many are frustrated to find that even after purchasing the Premium Deluxe Edition of the game, which costs around $70, they still don’t receive these extra DLC packs, as they are no longer included in the bundle.

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Credit: Capcom

To make things worse, the Flamefete DLC Pack is priced at $32.95, a steep ask for purely cosmetic content.

Even popular Monster Hunter creator @Shincry has voiced concerns about paid DLCs creeping deeper into the franchise. Capcom has also done this tactic with Dragon's Dogma II, and that was a game marred by negative feedback.

While it wasn’t always a major issue in older titles, both Monster Hunter World and Iceborne did stir some slight controversy with how Capcom handled its paid cosmetics before.

Adding to the frustration, some players felt misled into thinking this was free summer-themed content after it appeared in the latest Monster Hunter Wilds Seasonal Event trailer. To their surprise, it turned out to be a temporary feature unless they purchased the Flamefete DLC Pack, which would make it permanent.

This feels like a new reality for both Capcom and Monster Hunter, and it’s a tough pill to swallow for longtime fans. The worst part is, it’s clearly working; people are buying these DLCs, especially when the cosmetics appeal to a certain type of player.

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Credit: Capcom

Whatever happened to unlocking skins through gameplay? Monster Hunter Wilds already features a tough lineup of monsters, and earning rare cosmetic rewards like Gemma’s outfit could have added more depth to the grind. Imagine having to hunt 50 Lagiacrus to earn it, or something equally demanding like Challenge Quests with sub-5-minute goals.

But that’s no longer the case. For a game that helped boost Capcom’s profits this year, it’s disheartening to see them lean into modern monetization tactics. It’s not like the game didn’t sell well enough.

Then again, money is money. At least, for now, these cosmetics remain purely optional.

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