Hunters Entwined in Love and Trepidation: Arkveld Unveiled in Monster Hunter Wilds

The Monster Hunter Wilds beta is back, introducing thrilling new challenges, particularly the formidable Arkveld. This flagship monster, prominently featured on the game's cover, promises a significant role in the Wilds adventure.

The beta test allows hunters to confront the Chained Arkveld, a 20-minute hunt with a five-faint limit. As many players have discovered, Arkveld is a powerful, massive winged beast wielding electrifying chains. Its swift attacks and thunderous power have proven challenging even for experienced hunters. Many are finding themselves "carted" (defeated) by its potent moves.

Arkveld is a peak monster
byu/Joeljb960 in MHWilds

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }Arkveld's impressive visual design and dynamic combat mechanics, utilizing its chains for mobility and devastating attacks, are showcased in this new fight. One particularly memorable attack involves grabbing the hunter, roaring, and then slamming them to the ground.

The monster's impact extends beyond combat; one amusing video on the r/MHWilds subreddit captures Arkveld unexpectedly disrupting a hunter's meal.

arkveld is having none of that
byu/tomkwuz in MHWilds

.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }Despite the challenging difficulty, the community's enthusiasm is high. Conquering powerful monsters is central to the Monster Hunter experience, and Arkveld's imposing presence reinforces this core gameplay loop. The "Chained" designation, combined with its flagship status, fuels speculation about a potentially even more dangerous "Unchained" variant.

The Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta Test 2 runs February 6-9 and February 13-16, offering hunts for Arkveld and the returning Gypceros, alongside features like a Training Area and Private Lobbies.

Monster Hunter Wilds launches February 28, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For further details, explore IGN First's coverage, including the Monster Hunter Wilds Final Preview. Our guide to the beta provides additional information on multiplayer, weapon types, and confirmed monsters.