Capcom absolutely stole the spotlight at Summer Game Fest 2026. Following a blistering surprise reveal during the live showcase, Monster Hunter series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and director Takuro Hiraoka dropped a massive developer update.
Not only did we get a deeper look at the upcoming massive expansion, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, but Capcom also dropped a secondary bombshell: the base game of Monster Hunter Wilds™ is officially in development for the Nintendo Switch™ 2.
Here is everything you need to know from the massive blowout.
Take to the Skies in the Skybound Eyrie
The headline feature of the Ascendance expansion is an incredible new locale: the Skybound Eyrie.
Shifting away from the dusty plains of the Forbidden Lands, this new ecosystem features ancient, ruin-adorned islands floating high in the clouds.
We’ll be able to utilise our trusty Seikret mounts to glide seamlessly between these suspended landmasses. Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance promises a verticality never before seen in the franchise.
The locales in the base game have been wonderful, seeing them impacted by weather and the ecosystem every time you go on a hunt has been amazing. Seeing a sky-based, vertical areas is going to be great.
The Boost Bracer
Capcom is shaking up the meta for all 14 weapon types by introducing a brand-new piece of gear: the Boost Bracer. This tool introduces a suite of fresh attacks, devastating combos, and enhanced mobility options.
Whether you are a Great Sword loyalist or an Insect Glaive flyer, the Boost Bracer is designed to give you the versatile tools needed to survive the expansion’s brutal endgame.
Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance looks to be cooking-up something much more significant than the clutch-claw of Iceborne. We’re going to need all the support we can get, no doubt!
Master Rank & The Story So Far
As expected, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance will usher in the return of Master Rank.
The expansion’s narrative will centre around a sudden, chaotic surge of Elder Dragons invading the Forbidden Lands.
How to Access: Players will need to complete the base game’s 7★ Quest “Awaking from a Dream” to jump into the expansion content.
New and Returning Monsters
The reveal trailer gave fans a glimpse of a deadly new monster pack that utilises aggressive aerial coordination to hunt.
Furthermore, classic threats are making their return, with the metallic Elder Dragon Kushala Daora officially locked in to terrorise the skies once more.
In Monster Hunter World, Kushala Daora ruined us with our aerial combat using the Insect Glaive. Now that we’re Sword and Shield converts in monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, will we have a more fun encounter?
That boost bracer better come in handy when we’re being blown around.
Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance
Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance is officially slated for a 2027 release window.
Want to catch up? The base version of Monster Hunter Wilds is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. If you haven’t jumped in yet, it is currently on sale for a steal at just $29.39.
Capcom notes that specific release details regarding the Nintendo Switch 2 port will be shared in a future update.
We’re basically obliged to buy Wilds on the Switch 2. We’ve not had it on the Steam Deck yet, with all the performance issues at launch, it never seemed to be on the cards. But if Capcom make a version for the portability of the Switch 2, maybe we’ll have that on the cards, as well?
Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance can’t come soon enough, truth me told. We love the base game, and know exactly how good these expansions have been, historically.
Come back for updates over the next few months.
