Akuma arrives for free in the crossover between MH Wilds and SF6

The next free update for Monster Hunter Wilds, scheduled for May 28, will bring a collaboration with Street Fighter 6, centered around the character Akuma. The content, which includes new missions and exclusive rewards, is part of a strategy by Capcom to promote cross-promotion between its major franchises — but not everything will be free.

The highlight of the collaboration will be the complete Akuma armor, obtained through the Ultimate Strength mission. In addition to this, two other arena missions — Demonic Strength and True Strength — will also be available, offering complementary rewards. Akuma's armor will not be just cosmetic (i.e. not a layered armor), but the list of skills or active bonuses it will grant to the player has not been disclosed yet.

The equipment will also allow the hunter to perform attacks inspired by the classic Street Fighter moves, such as Shoryuken and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, through specific gestures. It is still unclear whether these moves will have an impact on practical combat or if they will only be aesthetic animations.

Another item included in the update is the Blanka-Chan armor set for the Palico, turning the feline companion into a miniature version of the green character. Like Akuma's content, this item will also be free.

"You will be able to perform various Street Fighter attacks using Akuma's armor," emphasized Capcom during the announcement. "They will be activated by unique gestures."

On the other hand, character customization through paid DLCs will also be present. Huntresses will be able to acquire costumes inspired by Chun-Li and Cammy for the Alma avatar, but these will only be available through separate purchase, as part of the developer's monetization strategy.

Despite the excitement surrounding the free content, the recurring criticism of Capcom for monetizing cosmetic elements of iconic characters resurfaces, as has happened in previous collaborations, including in previous editions of Monster Hunter Rise and Street Fighter V.

The full patch notes have not been released yet, but the company has promised "various gameplay enhancements and new technical adjustments" as part of the same update.

With this, Monster Hunter Wilds continues to expand its content base, betting on both major collaborations and hybrid strategies between free content and paid DLCs — a standard that has been adopted by other franchises of Capcom in recent years.