No matter which game you play, there will always be cheaters. But in a game like Monster Hunter Wilds, where cheating doesn’t seem necessary? Well, they’ve found a way in here, too.
Despite repeated warnings from Capcom that cheaters would be banned or suspended for tampering with game files and manipulating data, they ignored everything and quickly made themselves comfortable—especially in the game’s new Arena Mode.
With the release of Title Update 1, Monster Hunter Wilds didn’t just introduce the Leviathan Mizutsune and the High Rank version of Zoh Shia. It also introduced a new arena where hunters can compete in timed speedrun hunts.
Speedrunning monster hunts have always been a core part of the Monster Hunter experience. While many professional speedrunners prefer open-world hunts tailored to their style, the new Arena Mode adds a fresh twist by offering a curated selection of monsters to slay.
Arena Missions are a different beast compared to standard hunts. Players are restricted to pre-equipped armor and weapons, removing any opportunity for gear min/maxing. Your builds don’t matter here; it's just pure skill.
The Arena features a lineup of basic monsters like Doshaguma and Rathian, and players can choose to take them on solo or invite a friend for Duo hunts. Going solo is often the ultimate flex—whoever finishes the hunt fastest earns the bragging rights.
Usually, an A Ranking is awarded only if a monster is defeated in under five minutes. Any longer, and you’re looking at a B or C Rank.
But all of that brings us back to the core issue: cheaters. In a game where performance is individual and there’s no PvP component, the presence of cheaters feels especially strange. Yet, they’ve been around in every Monster Hunter entry for as long as the series has existed.
In Wilds, cheaters have altered weapon data to boost raw damage, turning hunts into one-swing finishes. A glance at the Leaderboards reveals suspiciously fast times—some clocking in under 10 seconds, which is statistically impossible without tampering.
Despite Capcom’s constant warnings, cheaters continue to thrive, particularly on PC, where mods and third-party tools are easy to access. Console players have a harder time modifying their systems, and bans are easier to enforce.
There’s little hope for these cheaters in the long run, as Capcom seems to be issuing suspensions daily. Still, without any built-in anti-cheat system, it may not be enough.
If this turns into another World and Iceborne situation, where the leaderboards become a cheater’s playground, it’s hard not to feel like the Wilds dev team is simply looking the other way.