Revision 1

Monster Hunter Outlanders has run three closed beta tests. All three were free of in-app purchases and wiped player data at the end, and all three were playable on iOS and Android. Each one added content that had not appeared in the previous test, which makes the sequence the single best record of how the game grew before launch. When the game was announced in November 2024, the developer said several playtests were planned before release, and these are them.

The Three Tests

First Closed Beta Test

Recruitment opened on 24 September 2025 in step with the Tokyo Game Show 2025 trailer, for a test scheduled to run in November 2025 in select areas. The same event carried the game's first public demo, at the Level Infinite and Capcom booths. The trailer released with the announcement introduced the island setting, showed hunting action, and presented the default protagonist, the Adventurer, alongside exploration footage that laid out the crafting function.

Second Closed Beta Test

Registration ran from 1 April 2026 to 21 April 2026, with the test held in May 2026. An official developer video published shortly after the test covered what it contained: the available weapon types, the Adventurers in the build, the hunting experience, additional hunting modes, in-game events, building in the field, field expeditions and Gathering Hub features. A separate developer video from February 2026 had already covered a new weapon and character, the difference between Adventure Mode and Classic Mode, monster design, and responses to feedback from the first test.

Third Closed Beta Test

The third test is the best documented. Applications ran from 2 July 2026 at 12:00 UTC to 24 July 2026 at 06:59 UTC, and the test itself began on 7 August 2026 at 02:00 UTC. Applications were taken in two categories: a General Participant category, and a Content Creator category open to creators who regularly produce content and want to play with their community. Applicants could apply to either category or to both, and selected applicants were contacted by email.

The test featured new Radiant monsters and additional Adventurers that had appeared since the second test, together with improvements from an optimisation plan the team had published after that test.

The development team stated at the time that it was still optimising performance ahead of launch and would continue to evaluate which devices to support, so these requirements describe the test build rather than the shipping game. That distinction is carried over onto the Release Date and Platforms page.

What the Tests Established

Across the three tests the game moved from a single trailer showing an unnamed island to a build with a named weapon roster, nine revealed Adventurers, three buddy types, several Radiant species and a flagship Elder Dragon. The official weapon overview series ran in parallel with the tests: Great Sword, Long Sword, Dual Blades and Heavy Bowgun overviews appeared in February 2026, Bow and Lance in April 2026, and Hammer on the day the third test began.

Not Yet Confirmed

• Whether a fourth closed beta or an open beta will be held.

• The exact region list for the first and second tests.

• Participant numbers for any test.

• The contents of the optimisation plan published after the second test.

• Which specific Radiant monsters and Adventurers each test added.

• Whether any beta progress or reward carries into the launch build. Data was wiped after each test.