Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance Trailer Reveals New Monsters, Sky-High Locale, and a Time Skip
Capcom used Sony's PlayStation State of Play broadcast on September 3, 2026 to debut a new trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, the expansion continuing the story of this year's base game. The trailer introduced new monsters, a floating new region, and a narrative time skip that pushes the story forward several years. The expansion is scheduled for release on PlayStation 5 in 2027, according to the PlayStation Blog.
Two new creatures took centre stage. Araketa, a Bird Wyvern — the category of smaller, often pack-hunting dragon species — soars in coordinated flocks. Gundoraja, an Elder Dragon (the series' designation for its most powerful, lore-heavy beasts), commands storm clouds.
The story opens with the sudden appearance of Lao-Shan Lung, a colossal Elder Dragon long familiar to series veterans, in the Forbidden Lands — the setting of the base game. From there, the narrative jumps forward several years. The Expedition, the player's organisation, fortifies its position and constructs Madoi Stronghold in preparation for Lao-Shan Lung's return. Familiar characters from Monster Hunter Wilds reappear, changed by the passage of time and their earlier encounter with Arkveld, the base game's flagship monster. Nata, the young Keeper turned apprentice Hunter, has grown into a full-fledged Expedition Team member.
The mist shrouding the skies above Wyveria clears to reveal the Skybound Eyrie — a new locale floating above the clouds, with open landscapes, ancient ruins, and wildlife not seen elsewhere in the game. A new piece of equipment called the Boost Bracer works through the Hunter's Slinger (a wrist-mounted tool for firing projectiles and grappling) to temporarily amplify combat abilities across all 14 weapon types.
For context, Monster Hunter Wilds launched earlier in 2026 as the latest entry in a franchise that has sold over 100 million units worldwide since its 2004 debut. Ascendance is a paid expansion — a large content add-on building on the base game's world, monsters, and mechanics.
The September 3 State of Play was announced by PlayStation on August 31, 2026, via its blog, and included separate Japan-focused and global broadcasts. Other titles featured included Final Fantasy Resonance, which launched a PS5 demo the same day and releases October 22, 2026, and Fate/Extra Record, scheduled for January 28, 2027 on PS5 and PS4.
A Monster Hunter Wilds port for Nintendo Switch 2 was also reported by Kotaku in June 2026, said to arrive alongside the Ascendance expansion. Capcom has not yet confirmed a Switch 2 release date for either the base game or the expansion.
For fans, the trailer signals that Ascendance is leaning into the series' most dramatic beats: Elder Dragons, a time skip, and a setting that literally lifts players off the ground.
