Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds may be getting a Nintendo Switch 2 release soon, according to dataminers.
Just when we thought we’d seen enough of the base version of Monster Hunter Wilds, new information suddenly drops out of nowhere. Dataminer u/STRCoolerSimp in the r/MonsterHunterLeaks community was the first to discover a mysterious ‘nsw2UpgradeEdition’ found inside the game files after Title Update 4 dropped. Other members from the subreddit immediately pitched in and discovered more Nintendo Switch 2-specific configurations currently present, ranging from performance-related settings to multiplayer functionality.
The performance-specific changes in the Nintendo Switch 2 version were mainly culling NPC quality, reducing their level of detail when viewed from a distance. The leaker clarified that this also includes monster detail, not just the game’s many human inhabitants. Given Monster Hunter Wilds' semi-open-world approach, it would likely be a necessary step to optimize its performance on Nintendo’s latest hybrid console. Otherwise, it could pose as another RE Engine blunder, especially since the PC and Steam versions of Wilds are still encountering a myriad of optimization issues.
These sacrifices to quality make sense. If we consider the RE Engine’s heavy reliance on CPU load, it’s no surprise that Capcom had to resort to downgrading Wilds’ visual quality to make up for Nintendo Switch 2’s less-powerful internal hardware.
Nintendo’s hybrid console may not be able to run the game properly, compared to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Games like CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher III: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077 are playable on Nintendo Switch 2, but their visual quality is far from that of their console versions. We can expect the same if Capcom ports Wilds to the Switch 2.
There is a clear challenge that Capcom needs to overcome if a Nintendo Switch 2 version is indeed real. However, with Wilds' imminent expansion coming soon, there is a strong possibility that Capcom will simultaneously release both the Nintendo Switch 2 version and the expansion. If this is the case, it follows a similar case to how Monster Hunter Rise was treated. It went from being a Nintendo Switch timed exclusive for a year, then came out on PC a year later alongside its meaty Sunbreak expansion.
Of course, everything mentioned in the datamined content is all speculative and should be taken with a grain of salt. Capcom has a lot of ground to cover next year, considering that Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword will be their headliners for 2026. Meanwhile, fans continue to call for a 60fps patch for Monster Hunter Rise, which remains locked at 30fps on the Nintendo Switch 2, with no official word from Capcom.
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