Monster Hunter Wilds is designed with multiplayer at its heart, allowing you to team up with friends and strangers for hunts. But sometimes, you just want to experience the thrill of the hunt on your own terms. The good news is that you can absolutely switch to offline mode to play solo whenever you want. Even though the game doesn’t make it immediately obvious how to do so, I will show you how to play offline and solo in Monster Hunter Wilds.
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How to Play Offline and Solo in Monster Hunter Wilds
There are several good reasons you might want to play offline:
- You want to hunt at your own pace without other players swooping in to kill your target.
- You don’t have a stable internet connection.
- You don’t have an online subscription (PS Plus or Game Pass).
- You prefer the challenge of solo hunting.
- You want to avoid distractions from other players.
If this is what you are feeling, and you want to try playing alone, Monster Hunter Wilds offers multiple ways to play offline, each with different benefits:
1. Online Single Player Mode
Despite its somewhat confusing name, “Online Single Player” is the game’s primary solo mode. This is how to access online single player:
- From the main menu, select Online Single Player.
- If you’re already in-game, speak to Alma at any Quest Counter.
- Navigate to Change Lobby Menu.
- Select Online Single Player.
With this option, you’ll still be connected to the game’s servers, which means you’ll receive:
- Event quests and updates.
- The ability to use SOS Flares, which will summon NPC Support Hunters in single-player.
- Access to the Support Desk features and downloadable content.
No other players will join your hunt unless you specifically invite them.
2. Private Lobby
Another way to play alone while staying connected is to create a Private Lobby. Here are the steps if you want to do it:
- From the main menu, select Private Lobby.
- If you’re already in-game, speak to Alma.
- Go to Change Lobby Menu.
- Select Private Lobby.
This will create a space only you can access, giving you privacy while maintaining your connection to the servers.
3. Offline Mode
If you want to go completely offline, the game doesn’t have a direct menu option for this. Instead:
- Disconnect your console or PC from the internet.
- Start the game and click Online Single Player.
- You’ll see several pop-up messages about being offline; just click Confirm.
- After a few notifications, the game will stop reminding you, and you will start playing in Offline mode.
In offline mode, you can still play through the entire main story, hunt and capture monsters, craft all equipment, and access all single-player content. You can also use SOS Flares to summon NPC Support Hunters like Olivia and Rosso for help.
However, playing offline means you won’t have access to multiplayer hunts, limited-time event quests, downloadable content, news and updates, or character design uploads and downloads. If you participated in the Beta Test, you also won’t be able to transfer your character while offline.
Also Read:
- Monster Hunter Wilds: How to Prevent Flinching
- Monster Hunter Wilds: 5 Best Weapons for Beginners
- How to Track Monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds
Switching Back to Monster Hunter Wilds Online Mode
Whenever you want to return to online play, follow these steps:
- Reconnect your device to the internet.
- Speak to Alma and select Change Lobby Menu.
- Choose Recommended Lobby, Lobby Search, or create a new Private Lobby.
- Your progress will carry over seamlessly between offline and online modes.
Monster Hunter Wilds may focus on multiplayer, but the offline experience is just as complete. If you are in the mood to do solo hunts or play without any internet connection, you can still enjoy the adventure. Plus, with NPC Support Hunters still available through SOS Flares, you will always have backup, so don’t worry about it!
