What is the best hunting game on PC?

Way of the Hunter is the best overall recommendation because it combines large natural environments, animal populations, firearm simulation, tracking, a story campaign and online co-op.

What is the best realistic hunting game?

Way of the Hunter is the strongest realistic open-world option. Hunting Simulator 2 is better for players who want hunting dogs, licensed equipment and a more focused single-player simulation.

What is the best co-op hunting game?

Monster Hunter: World is the best action-focused co-op choice for large fantasy creatures and equipment progression. Way of the Hunter is better for realistic wildlife expeditions.

Which hunting game is best for beginners?

Hunting Simulator 2 is the most approachable realistic recommendation because its animal selection, equipment options and hunting dogs provide a focused structure. Monster Hunter: World has a larger combat learning curve.

Which hunting game is best for a lower-spec PC?

BIGFOOT has the lowest listed memory requirement, while Stranded Deep has a small listed installation. BIGFOOT remains in Early Access, so its requirements and systems can change.

7 Best Hunting Games for Tracking and Survival

Best hunting games at a glance

Game	Best for	Hunting style
Way of the Hunter	Best overall realistic hunting game	Open-world tracking and wildlife management
Hunting Simulator 2	Best hunting-dog simulation	Licensed gear and 33 animal species
Monster Hunter: World	Best fantasy monster hunting	Action RPG hunts and equipment crafting
Predator: Hunting Grounds	Best asymmetrical PvP hunt	Fireteam versus Predator competition
BIGFOOT	Best cryptid-hunting horror	Co-op investigation, traps and survival
Stranded Deep	Best ocean survival hunting	Fishing, sharks, crafting and island survival
Medieval Dynasty	Best medieval hunting game	Hunting, survival, building and dynasty management

How these hunting games were selected

The ranking considers:

Tracking, animal behavior and environmental awareness
Weapon, equipment or trap selection
Whether patience and preparation affect success
Variety between realistic, fantasy, competitive and survival hunting
Solo, cooperative and competitive multiplayer options
Progression through equipment, crafting or settlement development
Replay value across locations, species and mission types
PC hardware and storage requirements where listed

The first two are dedicated wildlife simulators. Monster Hunter: World transforms hunting into fantasy action, while the remaining picks mix hunting with PvP, horror, survival crafting or settlement management.

1. Way of the Hunter

Best overall realistic hunting game

Way of the Hunter places the player in large natural environments populated by wildlife that moves through habitats rather than waiting at fixed mission points.

Tracking involves signs, sound, distance and positioning. A rushed approach can alert an animal before the player has a clear opportunity.

Firearm choice and shot placement matter because the game provides feedback about what happened after the trigger was pulled. That encourages players to improve technique rather than treat every hit as equally effective.

The animal-population system gives hunting a longer-term context. Decisions can affect the quality and structure of wildlife across the environment.

A story campaign provides direction for players who prefer objectives, while free exploration supports a slower self-directed approach.

It supports single-player and online co-op with full controller support. Minimum requirements include 8 GB RAM and 19 GB of storage.

Choose Way of the Hunter for realistic tracking, large landscapes and the option to share an expedition with friends.

2. Hunting Simulator 2

Best hunting game with dogs

Hunting Simulator 2 offers a more focused single-player simulation across environments inspired by Texas, Colorado and Europe.

The game features 33 animal species and more than 160 pieces of official equipment, including weapons, accessories and clothing.

Hunting dogs provide the game’s most distinctive feature. Different dogs can assist with tracking, flushing or retrieving, making the companion part of the hunting method rather than a cosmetic addition.

Signs and scent trails encourage slow observation. Wind, cover and the chosen approach can determine whether an animal remains within range.

The equipment selection supports experimentation, but the game remains more directed than an open survival sandbox.

Hunting Simulator 2 is single-player with full controller support. Minimum requirements include 4 GB RAM and 17 GB of storage.

Choose it when dogs, recognizable equipment and a straightforward wildlife simulation matter more than co-op or ecosystem management.

3. Monster Hunter: World

Best fantasy hunting game

Monster Hunter: World replaces realistic wildlife pursuit with long action-RPG battles against large fantasy creatures.

Fourteen weapon types provide different movement, defense and attack systems. Learning one weapon can be as important as learning the target.

Monsters travel through interconnected environments, interact with other creatures and change behavior during a hunt. Tracking helps locate a target, but combat mastery determines the result.

Materials from completed hunts are used to craft stronger weapons and armor. The next challenge is therefore supported by knowledge and equipment earned from previous monsters.

It supports single-player, co-op and multiplayer. Minimum requirements include 8 GB RAM and 52 GB of storage.

Choose Monster Hunter: World for cooperative boss hunts, equipment progression and fantasy action. It is not a realistic hunting simulator and should not be selected for firearm or wildlife-management systems.

4. Predator: Hunting Grounds

Best competitive hunting game

Predator: Hunting Grounds is an asymmetrical multiplayer shooter where a Fireteam completes objectives while another player hunts as the Predator.

The Fireteam uses first-person firearms and coordination. Completing the mission efficiently reduces the time available for the opposing hunter to isolate the group.

The Predator uses mobility, elevated routes, vision tools and specialized equipment. Success depends on observing the Fireteam and choosing when to reveal the attack.

This creates two versions of the hunt in the same match. One side pursues mission goals while remaining alert, and the other studies movement before committing.

It supports online competitive multiplayer with 8 GB RAM and 25 GB of storage as minimum requirements.

Choose Predator: Hunting Grounds for competitive stalking and pursuit. Players seeking a solo campaign or realistic wildlife should choose Way of the Hunter or Hunting Simulator 2.

5. BIGFOOT

Best cryptid-hunting horror game

BIGFOOT sends one or more hunters into dark wilderness locations to investigate and confront a dangerous creature.

Players gather information, place cameras or traps and manage limited equipment while searching across a large area.

The target can become the hunter, shifting the experience from investigation to survival when the team loses control of the encounter.

Communication matters in co-op because participants may monitor separate areas or carry different supplies. Splitting up improves coverage but increases risk.

It supports single-player, online co-op and competitive multiplayer. Minimum requirements include 2 GB RAM and 10 GB of storage.

BIGFOOT remains in Early Access, so content, balance and systems can continue changing.

Choose it for a horror-focused hunt with friends. It is less polished and predictable than a completed simulation, but the uncertainty is part of the appeal.

6. Stranded Deep

Best ocean survival hunting game

Stranded Deep begins after a crash leaves the player on islands in the Pacific with few immediate resources.

Fishing and hunting provide food, but both are part of a larger survival loop involving water, shelter, tools and travel.

The ocean creates risk around resource gathering. Sharks and weather can turn a routine trip between islands into a dangerous expedition.

Crafting supports rafts, shelters, equipment and other systems needed for longer-term survival. Exploration also reveals wrecks and resources that may justify traveling farther from a safe base.

It supports single-player, online co-op and split-screen co-op with full controller support. Minimum requirements include 8 GB RAM and 4 GB of storage.

Choose Stranded Deep when hunting and fishing should directly support open-world survival. It is not a dedicated hunting simulation, so animal tracking and firearm detail are limited.

7. Medieval Dynasty

Best medieval hunting game

Medieval Dynasty combines hunting with survival, crafting, farming, village construction and long-term family progression.

Early hunting provides food and materials when the settlement has few other sources. Bows, spears and crafted equipment keep the process connected to the wider economy.

Seasons change resource availability and the needs of the community. A successful hunt can therefore support more than the player character.

The campaign gradually expands from personal survival into recruiting residents, organizing production and developing a settlement.

It supports single-player and online co-op with full controller support. Minimum requirements include 8 GB RAM and 20 GB of storage.

Choose Medieval Dynasty when hunting should be one profession inside a larger historical life simulation. Dedicated wildlife enthusiasts will find deeper tracking systems in Way of the Hunter.

Which hunting game should you play first?

Match the recommendation to the experience you want:

Realistic open-world hunting: Way of the Hunter
Hunting dogs and licensed gear: Hunting Simulator 2
Fantasy monster battles: Monster Hunter: World
Asymmetrical competitive hunting: Predator: Hunting Grounds
Co-op cryptid horror: BIGFOOT
Ocean fishing and survival: Stranded Deep
Medieval hunting and settlement building: Medieval Dynasty

Way of the Hunter is the safest first choice for realism and co-op. Hunting Simulator 2 is better for a focused solo simulation, while Monster Hunter: World provides the deepest action and equipment progression.

Best realistic hunting games

Way of the Hunter leads this category because tracking, shot feedback, animal populations and large habitats all contribute to the simulation.

Hunting Simulator 2 offers a more contained alternative with dogs and a broad selection of official equipment.

The key difference is scope. Way of the Hunter emphasizes open environments and ecosystem-level consequences, while Hunting Simulator 2 concentrates on gear, species and companion-assisted pursuit.

Neither game should be approached like a fast shooter. Patience, observation and route planning produce more consistent results than moving directly toward the first visible animal.

Best co-op hunting games

Monster Hunter: World is the strongest action-focused co-op pick. Teams learn a creature’s behavior and combine weapon roles during long encounters.

Way of the Hunter provides realistic co-op expeditions with firearms and wildlife tracking. Medieval Dynasty lets players hunt together while also building and maintaining a settlement.

Stranded Deep supports online and split-screen co-op, with hunting and fishing serving shared survival.

BIGFOOT offers the most horror-driven group hunt but remains in Early Access. Teams should expect a less stable and more changeable experience than the completed alternatives.

Realistic hunting versus monster hunting

Realistic hunting games use sound, wind, tracks, distance and shot placement to simulate wildlife pursuit. Way of the Hunter and Hunting Simulator 2 are the relevant choices.

Monster Hunter: World is an action RPG. Its targets behave like elaborate bosses, and success depends on weapon mastery, attack patterns and crafted equipment.

BIGFOOT and Predator: Hunting Grounds reverse parts of the relationship. The target can actively stalk the hunters, turning pursuit into horror or competitive multiplayer.

Choose realism for slow observation, fantasy hunting for combat mastery or asymmetrical hunting for an unpredictable opponent.

Best hunting games for lower-spec PCs

BIGFOOT lists 2 GB RAM and 10 GB of storage, but it remains in Early Access and its requirements can change.

Hunting Simulator 2 lists 4 GB RAM and 17 GB of storage. Stranded Deep has a smaller 4 GB installation but requires 8 GB RAM.

Monster Hunter: World has the largest listed installation in this ranking at 52 GB. Way of the Hunter and Medieval Dynasty each list 8 GB RAM with installations below 20 GB and at 20 GB respectively.

Minimum requirements do not guarantee ideal performance. Compare the current processor, graphics, operating-system and complete requirements with the intended PC before purchasing.

Final recommendations

Way of the Hunter is the best overall realistic hunting game in this selection. Hunting Simulator 2 is the strongest choice for hunting dogs and equipment variety, while Monster Hunter: World provides the best fantasy co-op hunts and progression.

Choose Predator: Hunting Grounds for competitive pursuit, BIGFOOT for cryptid horror, Stranded Deep for ocean survival, or Medieval Dynasty for hunting inside a long-term settlement campaign.

The right hunting game depends on what should make the pursuit rewarding: reading a track, planning a shot, learning a monster, coordinating a team or bringing enough food and materials home for another season.

The Best Hunting Games