Second PS4 Monster Hunter World Beta Available To Pre-Load Now, Doesn't Require PS Plus

Capcom is holding another Monster Hunter World beta this week on PS4. While players who participated in the previous beta earlier this month can jump into the upcoming one using the same client they already downloaded, those who missed out the first time can start preparing for the next beta now, as it's available to pre-load from the PlayStation Store.

The next Monster Hunter World beta begins this Friday, December 22, but players who are interesting in participating can already download it before it officially goes live. It weighs in at 5.47 GB, and unlike the previous beta, you won't need a PS Plus subscription in order to jump into any of the content. However, you will need one to play the game online with other players after it releases.

The beta officially kicks off at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM GMT (4 AM AET on December 23) and runs until the same times on December 26 (or December 27, depending on your time zone). As before, it features three quests across two environments. Players can hunt the beginner-friendly Great Jagras and the much more challenging Anjanath in the Ancient Forest, while the intermediate-level Barroth can be hunted in Wildspire Waste. Each quest can be tackled either solo or with up to three other players.

As with the previous Monster Hunter World beta, it appears this one is exclusive to PS4 owners. Capcom hasn't announced if it will hold a similar beta for Xbox One or PC at a later date. However, the PC version of Monster Hunter World is slated to launch some time after the game arrives on consoles, so it's unsurprising that platform hasn't received its own beta yet.

Monster Hunter World releases for PS4 and Xbox One on January 26. Capcom says it plans to release new monsters for the game as free DLC following its launch. The game will also receive DLC armor, including a PS4-exclusive set of gear themed after Horizon Zero Dawn. You can find out more about the game in our Monster Hunter World review.