Capcom stated in its annual report that the company wants to focus more on “Games-as-a-Service” in the future. Games like Monster Hunter World are set to follow a similar path to Destiny 2 and will be continuously provided with significant updates.
Capcom in transition: The Japanese developer and publisher Capcom will restructure its business model. The studio is known for strong titles like the hack-and-slash Devil May Cry or the role-playing game Dragon’s Dogma. The studio seems to be ready to part ways with pure offline games. Capcom’s business report states:
- Capcom plans to release only 3 games per year
- These games will be supported with updates for 3 to 4 years
- Microtransactions will generate ongoing revenue
Capcom wants what Destiny 2 has
Service games keep players engaged: Destiny 2 has strong MMO elements and follows the “Games-as-a-Service” approach. Players receive regular updates that keep them entertained in the long run. Additionally, there are significant DLCs. Regularly, ingrained game elements such as Iron Banner are revised and optimized, making the game livelier.
That’s why the comparison to Destiny 2: Of course, there are more service games that could be compared. However, Destiny 2 exemplifies the strength of a “Games-as-a-Service” title. Bungie keeps players engaged with weekly events and content rituals. But not only small content pieces give players a reason to log in regularly; DLCs or expansions also show that it gets improved over years. Players feel at home and remain loyal to the title in the long run.
Monster Hunter more like Destiny 2: Especially during the times when Destiny 2 was struggling significantly, we observed at MeinMMO that many players placed their hopes in Monster Hunter World as their new Destiny. The problem was that Monster Hunter World was never intended as a “Games-as-a-Service” title – even though it seemed that way.
After six months, most players felt that the air had run out of MHW. The updates that followed were too infrequent for players and lacked new content.
Fans wanted more from MHW: The desire for regular, significant content updates in Monster Hunter World was high. Players even expressed that they would be willing to pay for an expansion with more monsters and maps.
Monster Hunter World has successfully tested the waters
MHW still popular: Although Monster Hunter World is not a “Games-as-a-Service” title, it is still actively played. On Steam, there are still about 59,700 active players. On MeinMMO, posts related to Monster Hunter World are still among the most clicked. Players are eager for new information about the game.
Monster Hunter World has made such a strong impact that it could have been the perfect service game if Capcom had fully committed to that approach.
MHW received more social features: In an interview with MeinMMO, the developers of Monster Hunter World revealed at the time that they appreciated the advantages of an MMO. For World, Capcom specifically analyzed MMOs and introduced features like limited-time hunts or a daily login bonus into the franchise for the first time.
A hint that Capcom wants to move the Monster Hunter franchise more towards “Games-as-a-Service” was already given in our interview. In retrospect, it fits better than ever with Capcom’s announced directional change.
The communicative aspects and ongoing updates of an MMO game have their advantages and I would like to keep this in mind for the future. – Yuya Tokuda, lead developer of Monster Hunter World
Capcom’s most successful game: Monster Hunter World alleviates Capcom’s crisis and is the studio’s best-selling title. That alone was probably enough for Capcom to seek a directional change for all its titles.
We can assume that the entire Monster Hunter franchise will increasingly expand its social features in the future. The developers have recognized that these elements are what keep players engaged over the long term and lure them back into the game.
Continuation of MHW? Monster Hunter World still lacks the G-Rank, an expansion that makes monsters stronger and brings new gear. We could even be expecting a significant DLC here that also brings fresh content into the game. This would be another alternative to a completely new game.
This way, Monster Hunter World could win back its still interested players and become relevant again – just as Destiny 2 did with Forsaken.
What do you think, how will Monster Hunter evolve as a franchise?
How much potential still lies within the franchise is evidenced by the Extrem Behemoth. This monster brought real MMORPG mechanics into the game and made the hunters go crazy.
