Monster Hunter is an extremely successful franchise in Japan. For us in the West, the action RPG has been regarded as a hidden gem and struggled to reach the wider audience – this is about to change! Capcom is trying to make us Monster Hunter World appealing.
The previous “Monster Hunter” titles have sold 40 million copies worldwide – with 80% of sales taking place in Japan alone. The franchise is a mega-hit there, while it has remained a niche game in the West.
The “Monster Hunter” titles have mostly been released on handheld consoles like the Nintendo 3DS. This is cited as one of the reasons why Monster Hunter has never really established itself here. Additionally, the clunky controls and steep learning curve are quite off-putting to many Western players.
Now Capcom wants to conquer the world with the franchise and establish itself here in the West, too. A fundamental step is to release Monster Hunter World on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Because in the West, gaming is primarily done on home consoles or PCs.
The studio has come up with further strategies.
Crossover with games that are also popular in the West: Horizon Zero Dawn & Mega Man
It is common for “Monster Hunter” titles to have crossovers with other games. There were already skins and armors from Final Fantasy or Animal Crossing in earlier parts of the series. This will also be the case for Monster Hunter World.
So far, Capcom seems to restrict themselves to brands that are also widely known and popular in the West.
- PS4 owners can play as the protagonist Aloy from the action RPG Horizon Zero Dawn.
The exclusive PS4 content includes armor that makes every character in Monster Hunter World look exactly like Aloy. Additionally, her bow and an armor for the Palico, which makes the cat look like a machine from Horizon Zero Dawn.
In the first two weeks after release, Horizon Zero Dawn sold over 2.6 million copies. In the UK, the action RPG was even the best-selling PS4 game in the first week after its release. It even surpassed Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
- The iconic blue battle robot Mega Man is also coming to Monster Hunter World.
- In the 80s and 90s, Mega Man became one of the most popular video game franchises worldwide and is also widely known in the West. Mega Man is available as a skin for the cat companion.
- On one hand, this has the advantage that the titles can promote each other internally.
- Horizon Zero Dawn was released exclusively on PS4, which is why this content in Monster Hunter World is also only available on PlayStation 4.
- Mega Man will get a new installment in 2018 and is also from Capcom.
- On the other hand, players will encounter familiar characters in Monster Hunter World, to whom they have already formed a connection.
- This makes it easier and strengthens the bond with MHWorld.
Sony & Capcom work closely together to strengthen Monster Hunter World
It is no coincidence that there is an exclusive beta for the PlayStation 4 and exclusive content for Monster Hunter World. Sony and Capcom are working closely together to strengthen their brands.
In an interview, Kazuhiko Takeda, Sony’s Head of Corporate Planning, spoke about the company’s financial situation. After two decades, Sony is soon set to make profits again, and the overall situation looks good.
A threat, according to Takeda, is the Nintendo Switch, which poses serious competition for the PS4. According to a leak, Sony even made a deal with Capcom to prevent a release on the Switch. A significant amount of money is said to have flowed to Capcom.
For a long time, the “Monster Hunter” series was exclusive to Nintendo. The franchise was primarily released on the Nintendo 3/DS and the WiiU. Now Sony has secured the rights.
When comparing “the 3 major home consoles” PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, the market distribution of sales in September 2017 according to market analyses was as follows:
- The PlayStation 4 took 50 percent
- The Xbox One took 34 percent
- The Nintendo Switch took 16 percent
However, the Switch saw a massive increase in sales compared to the previous month, while the PS4 and Xbox One sold fewer units. The Switch sold even 478,454 units more than the Xbox last September.
- Capcom benefits from this connection because the PlayStation 4 is currently the strongest home console.
- For Monster Hunter World, the release on consoles and PC is immensely important for spreading and establishing itself in the West.
- Sony benefits from this connection, as they have a marketing deal with a promising strong title
- Through the connection with Capcom, the PS4 can offer exclusive features such as the beta or the Aloy content.
Sony helps push and establish Monster Hunter World in the West, which can only be beneficial for Capcom.
“Quality of Life” adjustments to appeal to the West: Scout Flies, Open World, and enhancements
For Monster Hunter World, Capcom has broken with some traditions of the franchise to attract players worldwide. The title “World” was chosen deliberately – they could have named the new installment Monster Hunter 5. But they didn’t.
Capcom wanted to send a message with the title “Monster Hunter World” and invite players from all over the world to dive into the adventure. They were concerned that the title “Monster Hunter 5” might deter new players. It might seem as if newcomers would be arriving too late to the franchise and would have no chance to get started.
A “New World” was to be created, representing a fresh start. This also included the overhaul of old mechanics and features. Everyone should feel at home in World more quickly.
Here is an excerpt of the “Quality of Life” adjustments that will be in Monster Hunter World:
- There will be open world maps with seamless transitions
- The seamless transitions have led to many changes as they offer new possibilities. Previously, areas were interrupted by a loading screen, which limited the feeling of freedom. In the West, players are enthusiastic about open world and are attracted by these free maps.
- “Mainstream controller” friendly: The handling of weapons has been adjusted
- The button to run used to be R1. Now it is standard to press the stick to run faster
- The controllers have been adjusted to be more like “third-person shooters” for ranged weapons.
- These changes are intended to make it easier for players coming from other games to transition to Monster Hunter World
- Scout flies that guide you
- In older parts of the franchise, players had to explore everything on their own. There were no clues as to where the monster to hunt was located. The insects show important hints to track down the monsters. These can be footprints or secretions.
- This seemed to the developers as a logical tool in the world of Monster Hunter World.
- Things happen faster
- Capcom gathered feedback that the entry into Monster Hunter was too slow, and players wanted quicker action. The story and tutorial sequences at the beginning are now live-action gameplay. In earlier parts, players often had to read through a lot of text.
Release on PS4, Xbox & PC is the foundation – The rest is support
The release on home consoles and PC will be the decisive foundation for establishing Monster Hunter World in the West.
Capcom wants to make Monster Hunter World appealing to us by:
- Cleverly using crossovers with other games that we already have a relationship with
- Having formed a close cooperation with Sony to be able to “push” Monster Hunter World with more resources.
- By conquering the PS4, Monster Hunter World is directly on the currently strongest home console.
- Having many mechanics and “Quality of Life” features tailored to the West without betraying the DNA of Monster Hunter World.
- More about this here: Monster Hunter World caters to beginners and veterans
- Transitioning from handheld consoles to PS4, Xbox, and PC with Monster Hunter World
Monster Hunter World will be released on January 26, 2018, on PS4 and Xbox One. The release of the PC version is scheduled for later. No date has been announced yet.
Monster Hunter World: Beta in testing – Something good is coming our way!
