Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance is the paid Master Rank expansion for Monster Hunter Wilds, and as of November 2026 Capcom still lists it only as a 2027 release for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC through Steam, with no exact date and no price. To play it you need the base game, Hunter Rank 40 and a cleared 7-star assignment called Awaking From a Dream, so the best use of the waiting time is getting your hunter to that point with gear worth carrying into a harder rank.
We checked everything below against the PlayStation Blog reveal post, the expansion's Steam page, Capcom's Switch 2 announcement coverage on Gematsu, Game8's running Ascendance page and the Fextralife wiki in November 2026.
What Ascendance Is and When It Was Announced
Capcom revealed Ascendance at Summer Game Fest on June 5, 2026, with a first trailer and a 2027 release window. A longer look followed in a PlayStation State of Play, which the PlayStation Blog wrote up on September 3, 2026, and Capcom showed more at Tokyo Game Show 2026. It is a single large expansion rather than another free Title Update, and it follows the same pattern as Iceborne for World and Sunbreak for Rise: a new story, a new region, new and returning monsters, and a higher difficulty tier called Master Rank with its own quests, weapons and armor.
That pattern matters for planning. In both earlier expansions, Master Rank gear quickly replaced almost everything players had built in High Rank, but the base game's systems, materials knowledge and weapon skills carried straight over. Expect the same here: your current Artian weapons and armor will get you through the opening Master Rank hunts, and then the upgrade treadmill starts again with new tiers of materials.
The free base game updates are not stopping either. Fextralife notes that Capcom plans to keep updating Monster Hunter Wilds itself during the expansion's development, and several quality of life changes shown for Ascendance are also coming to the base game. If you want the full history of what the free updates added so far, our Monster Hunter Wilds title updates timeline lists every version and date.
Release Date, Price and Platforms as of November 2026
The expansion's Steam page says the content is planned for 2027 and is not yet available, offers a wishlist button and shows no price or pre-order option. The PlayStation Blog post also gives only 2027 for PlayStation 5. Game8 lists the same three platforms, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam, and its own guess of a February to March 2027 launch is explicitly speculation based on past expansion timing, not a Capcom statement. Until Capcom posts a date, treat any specific day you see online as a rumor.
Price is in the same state. Several fan wikis publish price estimates, but none of the official pages we checked list a figure, and there is no announced bundle or edition yet. Capcom has also not said whether any existing edition of the base game will include Ascendance, so do not assume a deluxe purchase covers it until a store listing says so.
Nintendo Switch 2 owners are in a slightly different position. The base game itself launches on Switch 2 on December 4, 2026, with every Title Update included and full cross-play. Fextralife's summary of the Tokyo Game Show presentation mentions Switch 2 plans for the expansion as well, but the Steam page and the PlayStation Blog only speak for their own platforms, so we would wait for a Switch 2 store listing before counting on a same-day release there. Cross-play questions for the base game are covered in our guide on whether Monster Hunter Wilds is crossplay.
| Item | What is confirmed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Release | 2027, no exact date | Steam page, PlayStation Blog |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam) | Steam page, Game8 |
| Price | Not announced | Steam page |
| Requirements | Base game, HR 40, clear Awaking From a Dream (7-star) | PlayStation Blog, Steam page |
| New monsters | Gundoraja (Elder Dragon), Araketa (Bird Wyvern) | PlayStation Blog |
| Returning monsters shown | Lao-Shan Lung, Kushala Daora, Teostra, Khezu | Game8 |
| New locale | Skybound Eyrie | PlayStation Blog |
| New gear | Boost Bracer (all 14 weapon types) | PlayStation Blog |
New and Returning Monsters Confirmed So Far
Two brand new monsters have been named. Gundoraja is a newly discovered Elder Dragon that controls storm clouds and emerges from the dark clouds over the new region, which Game8 describes as calling down storms and lightning. Araketa is a Bird Wyvern that flies in packs, using air currents from its wings for high-speed travel, with pack leaders directing the group through distinct calls. Capcom has not said which monster is the flagship, so any cover-monster claims you read are theory.
The returning list is where longtime players got excited. Lao-Shan Lung, the giant Elder Dragon from older generations, is the center of the story setup. Game8 also lists Kushala Daora and Teostra among the returning Elder Dragons, and Khezu as a returning Flying Wyvern. Teostra's appearance was tied to the Oilwell Basin in the Tokyo Game Show footage, according to Fextralife, which suggests the existing maps will host new fights alongside the new region.
Capcom has not published a full monster list, so treat the names above as a floor rather than the full roster. Anything you see beyond them, including flagship guesses, is fan theory until a trailer or an official site update confirms it.
Story Setup and the Skybound Eyrie
Ascendance picks up after the base game's ending. In the PlayStation Blog synopsis, Lao-Shan Lung suddenly appears in the Forbidden Lands and leaves the Expedition powerless. Several years later the Expedition has built a fortified base, the Madoi Stronghold, to prepare for the dragon's return, and Nata comes back as a full Expedition member with his Wudwud partner, Bangard. Your job is to investigate the ecological disturbances that follow Lao-Shan Lung's arrival: strange abnormalities, Guardian Monster habitats that keep expanding, and new Elder Dragons.
The new locale is the Skybound Eyrie, a region floating above the clouds that appears once the mist over Wyveria's skies clears. Capcom describes open landscapes, ancient ruins and new endemic wildlife, and Fextralife's notes mention sky islands and floating ruins. If the base game's maps are any guide, the Eyrie will have its own camps, gathering points and environmental hazards to learn, and hunters who already know how to read weather shifts in the Plains and the Forest will adapt fastest.
The Boost Bracer and Other Combat Changes
The headline mechanic is the Boost Bracer, a new piece of equipment that works through your Slinger and temporarily strengthens your combat abilities on all 14 weapon types. Game8 explains that it activates a Boost mode powered by an energy resource that recharges over time and when your weapon hits, and that you can enter Boost manually or through Boost Driver attacks that create openings first. Each weapon gets its own Boost Actions, and the developers have also confirmed separate new moves that do not depend on the bracer at all.
Capcom's own weapon breakdown videos show how different the effect is per weapon. Fextralife summarizes three examples: the Great Sword becomes slower but stronger and better suited to hit-and-run play and guarding, the Bow gains charged arrows and tracers that home in and explode, and Dual Blades get a further Archdemon state on top of Demon Mode. In short, expect your weapon's rhythm to change in Master Rank, so do not over-commit to a single build before you have tried the new moves.
Smaller changes shown at Tokyo Game Show may matter more day to day. Game8 lists faster weapon switching, equipment changes from the Item Box outside a tent, bulk loadout filters and a toggle that shows numerical monster hide toughness, and Fextralife adds that you will be able to change loadouts during a hunt. Fextralife reports these quality of life features are coming to the base game too.
How to Get Ready Before Launch
The only hard gate is progress. Make sure every hunter you plan to use has reached Hunter Rank 40 and cleared Awaking From a Dream, because the PlayStation Blog and the Steam page both list that assignment as the entry point to the expansion's story and Master Rank. If you have several characters, each one needs to meet the requirement on its own save slot.
- Bank materials you will want on day one: spare armor spheres, common monster parts for smelting and a healthy stack of Zenny for new forging costs.
- Finish a defensive set as well as your damage set. Master Rank monsters hit much harder, and our guide on how to increase health and stop getting one-shot in Monster Hunter Wilds covers the skills and items that help most.
- Stock up on armor upgrades now; the Monster Hunter Wilds armor sphere farm guide lists the permanent event quests that pay Hard and Heavy spheres.
- Work on long-term goals that will be harder later, such as crown hunting for the Monster Hunter Wilds trophy guide, while High Rank monsters are still comfortable to farm.
Most of all, keep the hunter you actually enjoy playing. Expansions reward players who already know the base game's systems, and every hour you spend learning a weapon now is an hour you do not spend relearning it in Master Rank.
Starting the Expansion on a Finished Hunter
If your hunter is nowhere near Hunter Rank 40 and you would rather spend your time preparing for Master Rank than replaying the story grind, the store's Monster Hunter modded saves and services hub collects the PS4 and PS5 options for the series, including a Monster Hunter Wilds listing that also supports PC. Read each product page for its platform and scope before choosing, because they differ.
For PS5 players who want a sturdier hunter right now, the Monster Hunter Wilds God Mode modded save is PS5 only. Its page lists immunity to enemy damage with 99 million Defense (you can still die to specific mechanics and damage over time such as lava or fire), doubled damage on every weapon, a level 999 character, 9999 of each material and max Zenny and Guild Points. The game is not included, and nothing about Ascendance has been released yet, so nobody can say how any save will interact with the expansion when it arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance come out?
As of November 2026 Capcom only says 2027. The Steam page lists it as planned for 2027 without a date, and fan predictions of February or March 2027 are guesses based on past expansions.
Is Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance free?
No. It is a paid expansion that requires the base game. Capcom has not announced the price yet, and no official store page shows one.
What do I need to unlock Ascendance?
The PlayStation Blog lists Hunter Rank 40 and the completed 7-star assignment Awaking From a Dream, and the Steam page also names that assignment as the requirement.
Does Ascendance add Master Rank?
Yes. Master Rank quests, weapons and armor are confirmed, in the same style as Iceborne and Sunbreak.
What new monsters are in Ascendance?
Gundoraja, a storm Elder Dragon, and Araketa, a pack-hunting Bird Wyvern, are new. Lao-Shan Lung, Kushala Daora, Teostra and Khezu have been shown as returning monsters.
Is Ascendance coming to Switch 2?
The base game arrives on Switch 2 on December 4, 2026. Switch 2 plans for the expansion have been mentioned in Tokyo Game Show coverage, but check for an official Switch 2 store listing before counting on a release date.