Where would Capcom be without Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and its success in Japan? In a tricky spot, undoubtedly, as its latest financial results demonstrate; sales of the action title in the West will no doubt be closely watched by the company.
The Q3 financial report for Capcom highlights net sales that are 36% down on the equivalent figures last year; despite this the company is headed towards improved profits, however. Oddly, the diminishing popularity of the original Monster Hunter 4 - predecessor to Ultimate - is cited as a factor in the sales drop, along with "the delay in the introduction of a new model in the Pachinko & Pachislo sub-segment".
As for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, it's emphasized that it's the "main product" for the period and has delivered sales "in line with the plan".
...Sales of "Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate" (for New Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS), which is expected to be a huge success, grew steadily supported by its strong popularity. The Company also worked to streamline and reinforce its development function in order to shorten the development lead time and cut development costs for video game software by, for example, introducing a large 3D scanning system.
In general Capcom described its other major releases as bringing solid performances, with the exception of Gaist Crusher God on 3DS, for which sales were "below expectations".
It'll be interesting to see whether Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, timed to release with the New Nintendo 3DS and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, can achieve notable sales in the West. We'll see soon enough when it lands on 13th February.
[source capcom.co.jp]
Comments 36
Well it doesn't help it's being released along side of Majoras Mask. How many people will actually get both. Plus there is a bit of a front load of 3ds games this first half of the year to choose from. I hope it does well and by that sells at least 500k to a million in the west.
Capcom should try putting more money into Monster Hunter as a whole then (also Dragon's Dogma). More advertising and brings more games and such.
Like an Android version of Freedom Unite Mobile (I don't have an iOS device and do not plan to get one, nor do I want the original version on PSP) and also bring over Tencent's Monster Hunter Online.
Maybe make a Monster Hunter game built for the Wii U, instead of yet another quick port that would look just like every other 6th gen HD port.
@Spoony_Tech
Well you have Monster Hunter fans getting MH4U and Zelda fans getting MM. Both games should do pretty fine.
@AVahne That the thing though most Nintendo will get Majoras Mask first before monster Hunter if at all. If anything having a major Nintendo release to go up against is usually a nail in the coffin for 3rd parties. Not many will shell out 80$ or more to get both. Just us diehard crazies lol.
If this was reversed and in Japan they both were released on the same day I'd feel sorry for Zelda.
@Spoony_Tech
Hahah, that certainly is true.
Personally though, I'm getting neither on release day. I have several Vita games I need to save my money for (specifically the ones from the Neptunia series) so it'll be a little while before I can grab either game. Once I do though, I'll be going for MH4U. Unlike the majority of Nintendo fans, I'm not too crazy about Zelda. I like the series and all, but I very rarely complete a Zelda game. Monster Hunter is of the type of Action RPG that I'm fond of, so finally having a portable MH WITH ONLINE would be awesome (so far I've just been substituting with some pretty good alternatives on Vita like Freedom Wars, Soul Sacrifice, and Ragnarok Odyssey Ace).
Plus there's the New 3DS XL to think about. Fortunately for my wallet, I'll be trading in my 3DS and maybe 2DS and selling things like my 32 GB Vita memory card and unused clone handhelds to completely cover the cost of that.
Has Capcom actually released anything last year that wasn't yet another SF4 update and Monster Hunter? maybe that is why their profits could be down. They've been invisible last year.
I've completed MM 100% on the N64 and Gamcube so I'm done with that .Monster Hunter however I never get tired of .
I just bought mh3 for the 3ds and I will get Majora's next Friday along with mh4u, plus my n3ds too. I really want to get into mh, and I have a feeling mh4 is going to do well, not Majora's Mask well, but, well enough in the west that it will be recognized..
Also, just bought Sumico on the 3ds eshop, suprising little maths games. Peeps should buy it!
Not my fault that they spent all of MH4's sales on mobile stuff. >.>
Not my problem they're too stubborn to make another mega man
1 million copies, please. It's all about profitability, not merely sales. Sprites do not cost as much to make. So why not revert to those for some
@Spoony_Tech I know I'll be getting both. These are the two games I'm probably the most excited for, period. I more than likely will play MM3D a bit more to start (the place I just moved to is currently without internet for the short term future), but I'm definitely looking forward to both.
So capcom, tell me about those resident evil games that DIDN'T COME TO THE 3DS? How is Revelations 2? 800k units sold yet?
Now how different would your sales be if you didn't abandon Mega Man Capcom? A free runner is not what people want. People buy Monster Hunter because it's want they want, people don't ask for HD ports, DLC overloads, and specific console releases (e.g. SFV)
I couldn't care less about Monster Hunter, and since Capcom aren't giving us Resident Evil, they'll get no money from me this year.
@Spoony_Tech Monster Hunter is better than so many shallow 3DS games it's not even funny. A Link Between Worlds... not even in the same league.
@RainbowGazelle They are releasing a resident evil game, RE Revelations 2, and monster hunter is a deeper game. Try it, you might enjoy it / know what you're talking about.
As a Zelda fan since the release of the original LoZ, and a newbie to Monster Hunter just last year ... I'd pick Monster Hunter over LoZ MM anyday MM is my favorite Zelda of the series and would give any excuse to replay it. But if I had to chose only 1, I'd get about 15-20 hours out of MM, where with MH4U I'd get 1500-2000 hours of playtime out of ... easily. 8)
MH4 deserves a great success in the West. Let's hope not only Nintendo games get all the attention. MH3 was the game I've played the most last gen so you can see MH as a cheap game when you count the hours you can have fun with it, SPECIALLY if it has online mode.
Already have this pre-ordered together with the New 3DS XL. Can't wait!!
MH4U demo controls feel very clunky with 1 analog stick so until I try the demo on my New 3DS XL at launch, I'm passing. Majora's Mask 3D however is something I've wanted for a while and OoT 3D was an excellent port.
I am definitely waiting with bated breath for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. The series is absolutely amazing. To be honest, I could be very addicted to Monster Hunter considering I am unable to stop playing MH3U on 3DS and completing all the armours solo, while waiting for the next game to come out. Just completed all G-rank quests, now to forge all the weapons!
Time consuming, but fun!
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate will definitely take it up a notch considering it has built in online!
I definitely hope Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate does well, it's a game I really love playing. Considering I got more playtime in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate than all of the Pokemon games I own combined, that should say something about how much I enjoy the series since I do like Pokemon.
When I have to choose, it's an easy choice to pick the new game vs the remade game.
@Spoony_Tech Depends on how you look at it. I could only get one game so I went with MH4U since I already played MM on N64. I will eventually get it but I prefer a new game with my new system. Plus the amount of content in MH4U is a lot more than MM which still has lots of things to do.
@RainbowGazelle Yeah I don't get why RE Revelations 2 wasn't announced for 3DS or even New 3DS. Maybe eventually. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I could get it on PC, XB1, 360 or Vita but since I have the first one on 3DS, the second one would be a perfect fit.
@ReaperX30 I don't get why people want a gimped port so badly. It's obvious this Resident Evil Revelations 2 is being built with the idea of the HD systems being the lead platforms for the game. Which means a 3DS port would for lack of a better term, be gimped due to the 3DS hardware(even the new model) being much weaker then the PS4 and Xbox One, and even the PS3 and Xbox 360.
You're talking about porting a game that is being made for HD systems to hardware that is around the level of a Wii.
The main problem is this, if the 3DS is the lead platform, then the HD versions would be held back in terms of features and what they want to do with this game. If the HD versions are the lead platforms, then a 3DS version would be gimped, since the 3DS hardware is much weaker then a PS3/360 and nowhere near the level of power of a PS4 or an Xbox One.
As for why the Vita is getting a port, it's simple. The Vita's hardware is around the level of a PS3, so a port would be easier to do without having to really cut anything back.
I understand people want this game on a Nintendo platform, but rather then demanding a gimped port of a system that clearly can't handle it, why don't we ask for a Wii U version? The Wii U can handle this game with no problem.
Personally I think it's a dumb idea to release MM and MH4U on the same day. I want to buy both but I've played and beaten MM so buying the new MH game on release day.
Mediocre performance by a mediocre company. No surprise here.
@Caryslan You make a good point. Still considering the first game worked fine on the system they could easily use an upgraded version of the engine. Also Revelation 2 is presented as 4 episodes sold separately at first and then bundled together so I doubt it's a lot bigger than the first game. Unless they dumb down the Vita port I don't see why this one would be. To each his own but I'd rather have it on my 3DS where it's portable than a Wii U version. If I want to play it on a bigger screen I'll go for the XB1 version which I was going for anyway and for portable I might get it for the Vita if it's good.
They should just pitch the idea to Nintendo, that Nintendo should buy the company.
Capcom improves drastically, Nintendo reaps the benefits.
After playing MH3U for the first time ever about 2 weeks ago (when I got my N3DS), I'm tempted to go for MH4U instead of MM, because I now realise how long that game will keep me entertained.
Obviously I want both. But I also need a new phone and new glasses... So I might just pick one for now. Leaning towards MH4U (!)
Capcom seems to be holding on to slivers of success lately. I miss the days when Capcom was awesome. So many of their games I used to play would have a great home on Nintendo consoles. I'll play the heck out of some Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate though.
@Haru17 Not on Nintendo consoles they're not.
@RainbowGazelle Your lack of interest for monster hunter only betrays your folly.
@Haru17 I tried it, and thought it was crap.
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