MH Wilds Beta Test Extended Due to PSN Outage

Monster Hunter Wilds is contemplating a 24-hour extension for their Open Beta Test 2 following a significant PlayStation Network outage over the weekend. Dive deeper to understand the reasons behind this extension and the events that led to it.

Monster Hunter Wilds To Extend Beta Test 2

PS5 Players Could Not Play For 24 Hours

Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds) is seriously considering a one-day extension of their Open Beta Test 2 due to a disruptive PlayStation Network outage that occurred this past weekend. The outage started at 6 PM EST on February 7th and lasted for a full 24 hours, making it impossible for PS5 players to access any online games, including the MH Wilds beta test. The service was restored around 8 PM EST, as reported by the official NA X (Twitter) support account.

While the specific date and time for the extension have not yet been confirmed, MH Wilds has assured that it will be a 24-hour extension to compensate for the lost playtime. This extension could happen anytime between the end of Beta Test 2 Part 2 and February 27th, the day before the game's official release. Part 1 of Beta Test 2 has already concluded, and Part 2 is set to kick off on February 13th at 7 PM PT. Players can look forward to jumping back into the action, and perhaps even encountering the amusing low-poly bug that transforms the game's usually detailed characters into comical, blocky versions.

The Cursed Low-Poly Bug Returns

Capcom has made it clear that the beta test builds are not representative of the final game, which is why players might encounter various bugs, including the notorious low-poly character glitch. This glitch results from textures failing to load correctly, turning characters, Palicos, and monsters into strangely blocky figures.

Instead of frustration, the community has embraced these quirky low-poly characters, sharing their humorous encounters on social media. Some fans are even hoping that MH Wilds will pay homage to these early polygonal characters in the future. In an interview with GamesRadar+, the MH Wilds team acknowledged this amusing bug and expressed their happiness that players are finding joy in it. However, they also encourage players to experience the game's full potential upon its official launch later this month.

Monster Hunter Wilds is the latest installment in the celebrated Monster Hunter series and introduces the first open-world setting known as the Forbidden Lands. Players assume the role of the Hunter, tasked with exploring this mysterious region and confronting its apex predator, the White Wraith. The eagerly awaited action-RPG is scheduled for release on February 28th, 2025, across PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

PlayStation Network’s Largest Outage In Recent Years

PlayStation attributed the 24-hour outage to an "operational issue" in a post on their NA X (Twitter) support account and extended an apology for the disruption. As compensation, users with active PlayStation Plus subscriptions will receive an additional five days of service.

However, the community expressed dissatisfaction with Sony's communication during the outage, which fueled widespread concern and reminded many of the infamous 2011 PSN outage. The 2011 incident, caused by a hacker attack, compromised approximately 77 million user accounts and led to a service interruption lasting three and a half weeks from April 20th to May 14th. During that period, Sony actively communicated the situation to users, explaining the need for a comprehensive investigation into the breach.