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Nirolak · Feb 3, 2014

I'm going to guess at least Asia given the context of the rest of this interview, but putting it on console platforms suggests possibly other regions as well.

Capcom said:
- You distribute regular updates for "Monster Hunter Frontier G", one of your key titles.

"Ono"
We do. The letter "G" in the title implies it's compatible with a wide range of platforms, including PlayStation3, Wii U, Xbox 360, and PC. We're also planning to extend this support to PlayStation Vita. The reason why we have increased our support for so many hardware platforms is because we have our sights set on distributing services for this game in the future outside Japan. We simply can't release a game as it is, but need to adapt all the necessary services to the unique characteristics of each region. In preparation for that, we've broadened our scope and started launching individual titles across multiple hardware platforms.

Source: http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/interview/2013/vol05/02.html

Relevant related note:

- To start things off, I was wondering if you could tell us about the strategy of the entire Capcom group.

"Ono"
Capcom is currently targeting three main markets: Japan, North America and Europe, and Asia. The challenge for us now is determining the best way to adapt our approach for delivering services in each regional market. In Japan, for example, home video game consoles enjoy the same amount of popularity among gamers as smartphones and computers. On the other hand, there is little need to focus on game consoles in other Asian countries because they are only used by hardcore gamers. We do intend to continue marketing titles aimed at hardcore gamers, but in general our primary focus in the Asia is building up the market for online games.

Ridley327 · Feb 3, 2014

Well shit, maybe IGN knew something we didn't after all when they put it on their Wii U in 2014 list.

I'm curious to see what adjustments they're going to need to make, since the f2p model they have adopted is one of the most brutal and consumer unfriendly ones that I know of.

L~A · Feb 3, 2014

Yeah, my money's on Asia, not EU/NA. I mean, the Monster Hunter franchise is far from being popular enough in the west to support a MMO. I guess we shall see soon enough.

Koppai · Feb 3, 2014

Makes sense with the delay of MH4 to 2015. I honestly cannot enjoy this series but I am glad that some Japanese games still win the hearts of millions of people outside of Japan <3

Nirolak · Feb 3, 2014

L~A said:
Yeah, my money's on Asia, not EU/NA. I mean, the Monster Hunter franchise is far from being popular enough in the west to support a MMO.

I updated the OP with a slight side note which is why I'm wondering a bit.

Oersted · Feb 3, 2014

3DS is it then.

FlyingSaucer · Feb 3, 2014

Btw - has Frontier got any better those last 2-3 years ?

Not really a loss if it doesn't come to the West if it didn't.

L~A · Feb 3, 2014

Nirolak said:
I updated the OP with a slight side note which is why I'm wondering a bit.

Ah, yes, I see... and I believe there's already a MH MMO in Asia, no?

You know, it's kinda interesting, didn't Square-Enix have plans for Dragon Quest X outside Japan too?

Edit : here it is. Again same thing 'adapt stuff...', difference between countries, etc...

cafemomo · Feb 3, 2014

Oersted said:
3DS is it then.

Can't support a MMO

Ridley327 · Feb 3, 2014

Oersted said:
3DS is it then.

It is just about the only platform that doesn't have a port of the game yet, although I think it can be excused from one simply because it's the home of the mainline titles that MHFO relies on for inspiration of the new monsters that they put in with each expansion, for the most part.

Nirolak · Feb 3, 2014

L~A said:
Ah, yes, I see... and I believe there's already a MH MMO in Asia, no?

You know, it's kinda interesting, didn't Square-Enix have plans for Dragon Quest X outside Japan too?

Edit : here it is. Again same thing 'adapt stuff...', difference between countries, etc...

Yeah, they mention Monster Hunter Online for China and potentially South East Asia in the interview as well.

Ridley327 · Feb 3, 2014

suppadoopa said:
Can't support a MMO

Why not? It's not like the Vita is an ideal platform for a MMO, either, and that already has PSO2.

Oersted · Feb 3, 2014

suppadoopa said:
Can't support a MMO

3Ds has the superior Monster Hunter. Superior everything. With online. Without F2P sheanigans. It's so blatantly obvious, I don't even know why I bothered to response.

Gorilla Shark · Feb 3, 2014

So I got into my first MH game last year when MH3U came out and I know 4 is coming next year (I'm in the US).

How is the Frontier series different?

djplaeskool · Feb 3, 2014

Gorilla Shark said:
So I got into my first MH game last year when MH3U came out and I know 4 is coming next year (I'm in the US).

How is the Frontier series different?

It's scaled like an MMO and has some additional online game trappings (like large-scale lobby areas and such).
Basically take MonHun and stretch it WAY out for maximum grinding and add microtransactions.

BadWolf · Feb 3, 2014

Gorilla Shark said:
So I got into my first MH game last year when MH3U came out and I know 4 is coming next year (I'm in the US).

How is the Frontier series different?

Its an online version of MH with microtransactions galore iirc.

Shengar · Feb 3, 2014

Nirolak said:
Yeah, they mention Monster Hunter Online for China and potentially South East Asia in the interview as well.

Released this in my country, marketed it, and see how it will literary prints money.
We take all kind of F2P games, from shit to gem.

Sentenza · Feb 3, 2014

L~A said:
Yeah, my money's on Asia, not EU/NA. I mean, the Monster Hunter franchise is far from being popular enough in the west to support a MMO.

I absolutely disagree with this.
Well, more or less. It's factually right that the franchise isn't the biggest in the west, but I really think that's because of how terribly Capcom handled it so far, between arguable choices of platforms and so on; not because something about it makes it poorly suited for the "western sensibilities and tastes".

A modern Monster Hunter on, say, Steam or PS4 could be big, in my opinion.

On a side note, the chinese MMO is shaping quite nicely.
Too bad that being both a MMO and a Chinese game, it will activate the deadly combo perk of "you must grind your soul out for every small bullshit or pay tons of 'micro'-transactions"-

Ridley327 · Feb 3, 2014

In case people are wondering what Capcom is going to have to work with to adapt this for markets outside of Japan, this is what the microtransaction list looks like:

Mugaaz said:
The cash shop shit in Frontier is also completely fucking insane. I COULDNT IMAGINE what it would be like if the game was also F2P. Which everyone here seems to want? I know it would change if brought West, but the cash shop stuff is just so crazy. Im pretty tolerant of IAP stuff and not a guy who yells P2W every time a game sells skins, but holy shit lol. The stuff you can buy with real money in frontier is insane.

Here's some examples of the cash shop in Frontier

Hunter's Course: $14/30 days. Required to do anything relevant in the game. Without it you can't gain exp or fight much of anything except Kut-ku.

Extra Course: $6/30 days. Gives you access to boxes in town (otherwise need to go into private area, PITA), ability to buy additional items (honey, traps, mats for meals, etc), and gathering missions where you can gather 14-16 times per node instead of normal 4-6.

Premium Course: $10/72 hours. Gives you 200% exp, access to premium quests that gives 200-500k z.

Assist Course: $10/72 hours. Gives you a demigod AI partner that uses drinks on you, heals you, plays flutes, deal absolutely crazy damage, can't die, and wake syou up from dizzy/sleep/etc.

BoS Course: $10/72 hours. Gives you another 200% bonus exp, and extra books of secrets for when you are grinding Style Rank. (Another leveling system for each specific weapon that begins at HR 500 and limits the rarity of equipment you can use on quest, gradually being removed as you level up. In return you get some additional moves for each weapon. SR carves are required for high end gear)

Forward Course: $30/72 hours. Lowers damage you take by 60-70%, gives you a 25% damage boost, gives you an extra carve off everything

Cash Shop Armor/weapon sets: $25-30. These are usually around 95% as good as normal armor, but about 100000x easier to upgrade. When you see people in various anime outfits or using weird looking stuff its from here.

Armor/Weapon "Booster Packs": Same as the sets, except you get random tickets for various items int he set, and you need several of each ticket to make / upgrade.

They have their work cut out for them, to say the very least.

Cosmo Clock 21 · Feb 3, 2014

Gorilla Shark said:
So I got into my first MH game last year when MH3U came out and I know 4 is coming next year (I'm in the US).

How is the Frontier series different?

Imagine the grind for some of the rarest upgrades in 3U, then multiply that by a hundred and prepare some lube for your ass.

Xater · Feb 3, 2014

Frontier is something they can really keep in Asia.

Shengar · Feb 3, 2014

TucoBenedictoPacifico said:
Too bad that being both a MMO and a Chinese game, it will activate the deadly combo perk of "you must grind your soul out for every small bullshit or pay tons of 'micro'-transactions"-

They apply an ancient proverb "a hundred li travel began with a single step" to its fullest.

Cosmo Clock 21 · Feb 3, 2014

TucoBenedictoPacifico said:
I absolutely disagree with this.
Well, more or less. It's factually right that the franchise isn't the biggest in the west, but I really think that's because of how terribly Capcom handled it so far, between arguable choices of platforms and so on; not because something about it makes it poorly suited for the "western sensibilities and tastes".

A modern Monster Hunter on, say, Steam or PS4 could be big, in my opinion.

On a side note, the chinese MMO is shaping quite nicely.
Too bad that being both a MMO and a Chinese game, it will activate the deadly combo perk of "you must grind your soul out for every small bullshit or pay tons of 'micro'-transactions"-

Wow I remember being worried about Tencent cocking up the formula but it's the same fucking game except with better shaders. Much to the chagrin of everybody who wanted a "modern" monhun game, I bet.

Sammy Samusu · Feb 3, 2014

I would buy it just to give it a try, but I'm not excited.

Koppai said:
Makes sense with the delay of MH4 to 2015.

Delay? lol

Schwabe · Feb 3, 2014

i wouldn't mind, unless it's only for old hardware (everything but PS4 and X1) ... but hey, it's capcpom ... what do i expect? ...

enishi · Feb 3, 2014

Chinese version of MHF G already announced with dedicated server for PS3 and Vita a few weeks ago, to be released in 2014.

Sanic · Feb 3, 2014

TucoBenedictoPacifico said:
I absolutely disagree with this.
Well, more or less. It's factually right that the franchise isn't the biggest in the west, but I really think that's because of how terribly Capcom handled it so far, between arguable choices of platforms and so on; not because something about it makes it poorly suited for the "western sensibilities and tastes".

A modern Monster Hunter on, say, Steam or PS4 could be big, in my opinion.

I agree with this sentiment.

I also feel that the design has stagnated somewhat due to the platforms the games have been released on. I won't say that they should invest in the series as if it was akin to one of their other AAA IPs like RE, but a PS4 rebuild and a new marketing focus would probably work really well in western markets. Think something like Dark Souls.

ShogunDarius · Feb 3, 2014

G this year? 4 next?

Ridley327 · Feb 3, 2014

ShogunDarius said:
G this year? 4 next?

It's tough to say. The sheer amount of content in MHFG is going to take quite a while to localize, to say nothing of the adjustments that it's going to need to be palatable for foreign audiences. I'd say it's much bigger undertaking than localizing MH4U will be, by far.

The12thGripper · Feb 3, 2014

Yeah...you can keep this Japan.

sd28821 · Feb 3, 2014

I feel sorry for any one who buys this without knowledge of the microtransactions

jimmypython · Feb 3, 2014

MH4U is more than enough for me.....

Bjoern the Smexy · Feb 3, 2014

Well, I would at least try it.
They should at least bring the PC version over, though I would vastly prefer the Wii U version.
If they intend to only bring the Vita version then count me out

EDIT: They'd have to get rid of the microtransactions though.

Sentenza · Feb 3, 2014

sd28821 said:
I feel sorry for any one who buys this without knowledge of the microtransactions

Well, damn, after reading this post I'm not so sure anymore than the Chinese MMO will be the worst thing ever when it comes to grinding and micro-transactions.

w1gglyjones · Feb 3, 2014

If they just wanted to expand the markets for Frontier G, they could have just started working on a new multiplatform Frontier G instead of "Deep Down." It would have been a better product than either of those two games.

fates · Feb 3, 2014

FlyingSaucer said:
Btw - has Frontier got any better those last 2-3 years ?

Not really a loss if it doesn't come to the West if it didn't.

If you liked Frontier, yes.

If you didn't, no.

It's still Frontier, just with more stuff.

Makes sense with the delay of MH4 to 2015.

That's not a delay, we are getting MH4G, which is not out in Japan until Fall of this year.

ArcaneFreeze · Feb 4, 2014

Does it still have those craptastic gen 2 hit boxes or were they finally changed to the current ones?

joelseph · Feb 5, 2014

Capcom is so confusing with this stuff...

Will any Monster Hunter ever be playable on American Xbox 360?

baekshi · Feb 5, 2014

I'm calling it now. If it does happen, its not happening on Vita/ WiiU.

Incitemaybe · Feb 5, 2014

Perhaps it's because I just woke up, but why does the letter G imply that it's for every console?

Ridley327 · Feb 5, 2014

baekshi said:
I'm calling it now. If it does happen, its not happening on Vita/ WiiU.

I can understand not localizing the Vita version, but why cut out the Wii U version? It's the only console with a Monster Hunter game right now!

DAREALGUMMY · Feb 5, 2014

baekshi said:
I'm calling it now. If it does happen, its not happening on Vita/ WiiU.

They're both planned for release. Nothing is confirmed outside of Japan/Asia though.

Raide · Feb 5, 2014

Incitemaybe said:
Perhaps it's because I just woke up, but why does the letter G imply that it's for every console?

Linked to G Rank, which is the highest rank that gives you more items/challenges etc. Usually a way to re-release the same game and add some content, thus adding the G to the title.

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