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Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate: over 3m units shipped WW (inc. digital sales)

Peru

Member
Great news that they're happy with shipments, it's sold out many places here, hopefully it gets restocked quickly. This will be the best-selling MH in the west and continue the positive trend.
 

Memory

Member
The market has changed: PS2 audience was more keen about Japanese games, indeed. Dragon's Dogma is different from MH, of course, but it really flopped over here; if PS360 audience would have really liked MH, than a Japanese fantasy action-game should have been more successful.

A PS4 version with AAA shiney graphics (since console owners seem to hate mid-tier games - See the RER2 thread) would not see the profit margins the 3DS versions do WW even if it sold the same amount due to the increased production cost.
 

Shengar

Member
The market has changed: PS2 audience was more keen about Japanese games, indeed. Dragon's Dogma is different from MH, of course, but it really flopped over here; if PS360 audience would have really liked MH, than a Japanese fantasy action-game should have been more successful.

If we take the whole fantasy-action game into the mix, then you shouldn't forget about Dark Souls too.
 
A PS4 version with AAA shiney graphics (since console owners seem to hate mid-tier games - See the RER2 thread) would not see the profit margins the 3DS versions do WW even if it sold the same amount due to the increased production cost.

Indeed.

If we take the whole fantasy-action game into the mix, then you shouldn't forget about Dark Souls too.

...which indeed had a slow start in the West, and gained a cult following over time. The Souls series is not ever such that big in the West, and I don't see Souls numbers being enough in the West to make up the lost sales in Japan. Also, Souls and MH are quite different games; the former might seem as more mature and dark, something that seems to be appreciated by PS360 audience.
 
Would the sales on other consoles even cover the costs it would take to port it? Monster Hunter would still be niche outside of Japan even if it was on PS4 and putting it on XBone would be even more of a waste of money since it'll garner almost 0 sales in Japan. Hell putting it on WiiU alongside the 3DS like 3Ultimate would probably have been their safest bet and they didnt even do that which shows that the money spent wouldnt be covered by a few more sales. Nintendo's support for Monster Hunter outside of Japan such as localization and advertising also takes some load of Capcom, which wouldn't happen without exclusivity.

I think honestly a added PS4 game would of been more profitable in long term due to legs, 3DS is predicted at 9million sales this year, next year most likely will be even less.
PS4 port most likely would continue to sell at budget/sales for next 6 years.
 

casiopao

Member
If we take the whole fantasy-action game into the mix, then you shouldn't forget about Dark Souls too.

And yet Demon Souls and Dark Souls started just ok and then slowly growing more due to worth to mouth and many fans digging its own new niche.

Mon Hun at least in JP, is 3 mill guaranted seller. Something Souls series never achieved till now.
 

-MB-

Member
I think honestly the PS4 game would of been more profitable in long term due to legs, 3DS is predicted at 9million sales this year, next year most likely will be even less.
PS4 port most likely would continue to sell at budget/sales for next 6 years.

Legs lol. Most games are horribly frontloaded nowadays. And 3Ds still has a userbase advantage to PS4.
 
Capcom has just announced that total shipments for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate have reached 3m worldwide. This includes retail shipments + download card sales + eShop sales.
So it doesn't include the digital copies with hardware bundle because...

How do you ship a digital item?
...that is the only way to ship a digital game.

FOUR hours?

Holy shit.

My phone battery would've died on me.

;__;
Forget your phone the originator 3DS would struggle to last that with 3D off. Maybe you can manage if you also turn off wireless mode.
 
From UK charts.

Two things there:

-- It's launching at the same time as a new system revision, and is being promoted as the title to get alongside a key Nintendo release.

-- Greatly increased first-week sales could also just be a case of everyone who wants a niche title jumping in day 1, rather than the slow burn of the earlier release. This is seen often enough with sequels to niche games - the FW sales of the sequel seem vastly more impressive, but sales collapse far quicker and the game ends up selling to roughly the same numbers as the first.

This isn't to suggest that the series isn't "gaining traction", it's more about being cautious about claiming that based on the FW sales given those two points.
 

PetrCobra

Member
Well, I dont beg for a port. I really think that we'll have a WiiA version eventually

if there is one, I'll buy it for sure and use it for playing at home. For now, I'm happy with the 3DS version even though my hands are crying at times (I've decided XL is too big for me).
 

NewGame

Banned
It's like an unofficial GAF rule at this point that any Monster Hunter thread has to have port begging in it.

It's the less bannable route. "Stealin' our games!!" is basically what Vita owners said when MH4 became 3DS exclusive.

Honestly though out of all the current gen consoles which one would of had the most sales? 3DS has the biggest install base by far.
 

jorgejjvr

Member
Yeah idk the exact numbers but MH3 sold way more on 3ds than wii u, like maybe even three times as much, and that one the wii u version was clearly the better version even with online. I'm sure we all want our MH HD Game again and I'm sure we'll get it again, if not for wii u then the next system. But I guess capcom cut their losses and released it where they knew the money was at. There's many more 3ds than wii u, and Japan prefers handhelds and people that love MH would buy it on 3ds regardless and there's a bigger audience and install base there anyway
 

Kyoufu

Member
There is no reason to make a WiiU version now, it would be like portable 3rd HD; a definitive bomb.

Maybe MH5 or G2 (if they ever go down a path of multiple expansions).

Portable 3rd HD did pretty well actually. Around 400k for a late port.

Not that I think MH4G is coming to Wii U though lol.
 

Garou

Member
Well, I dont beg for a port. I really think that we'll have a WiiA version eventually

While it is true that the WiiU-version of MH3U came almost a year after the 3DS-version in Japan, I wouldn't wait for it anymore at this point.

The WiiU needed some nice & quick launchtitles back then and the market for a console-version of MH4U would be US/EU and that ship has now sailed.
 

AmyS

Member
Now the big N seriously needs be in talks with Capcom and Tencent Games about bringing a future version of Monster Hunter Online to their next generation console at launch.

Monster Hunter Online PC benchmark - CryEngine 3
[1080p60]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww8-tQQFHEI

Assuming Nintendo's next gen system is more powerful than PS4 and could handle MHO with those visuals at 60 FPS (and a scaled back version for the next handheld) it would be an instant killer app.
 

Calamari41

41 > 38
I think honestly a added PS4 game would of been more profitable in long term due to legs, 3DS is predicted at 9million sales this year, next year most likely will be even less.
PS4 port most likely would continue to sell at budget/sales for next 6 years.

You think the PS4 audience in the West is going to buy a game with uprezzed 3DS assets?
 

Tengrave

Member
I've has so many questions this week of "is there a Monster Hunter game on PC or anything else?" It deserves a bigger release. Hope the sales continue
 

Oersted

Member
Two things there:

-- It's launching at the same time as a new system revision, and is being promoted as the title to get alongside a key Nintendo release.

-- Greatly increased first-week sales could also just be a case of everyone who wants a niche title jumping in day 1, rather than the slow burn of the earlier release. This is seen often enough with sequels to niche games - the FW sales of the sequel seem vastly more impressive, but sales collapse far quicker and the game ends up selling to roughly the same numbers as the first.

This isn't to suggest that the series isn't "gaining traction", it's more about being cautious about claiming that based on the FW sales given those two points.

In the "Has Capcom established Monster Hunter on the west" thread some speculated that it probably didn't help to launch alongside Zelda. Your suggestion just raises the fun level xD
 

hoserx

Member
Now the big N seriously needs be in talks with Capcom and Tencent Games about bringing a future version of Monster Hunter Online to their next generation console at launch.

Monster Hunter Online PC benchmark - CryEngine 3
[1080p60]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww8-tQQFHEI

Assuming Nintendo's next gen system is more powerful than PS4 and could handle MHO with those visuals at 60 FPS (and a scaled back version for the next handheld) it would be an instant killer app.

Well, GTX 980 SLI and an i7 3770k is still leaps and bounds more powerful than a PS4. Nintendo's next system will not have this kind of horsepower.
 

fahr

Member
I don't disagree, but how on earth is this game so popular in Japan, given its complexity? Surely there aren't 4 million people who can play the game at high proficiency.

Do people explain the various systems to each other there or something?

Bingo.

MH is a highly social game over there. People actually leave their homes and play together with friends physically in the same place. They share techniques and help newbies.

That type of gaming culture is more rare here in the us where it's mostly online or nothing.
 

L Thammy

Member
...which indeed had a slow start in the West, and gained a cult following over time. The Souls series is not ever such that big in the West, and I don't see Souls numbers being enough in the West to make up the lost sales in Japan. Also, Souls and MH are quite different games; the former might seem as more mature and dark, something that seems to be appreciated by PS360 audience.

Monster Hunter had relatively slow start in Japan. Back when the series started off on PS2, it was doing somewhere like 200K-300K. Pretty good number for a core game but hardly earth-shattering. Then it hit PSP and it nearly tripled that number. Then another PSP entry came out and it tripled it again.

It's the less bannable route. "Stealin' our games!!" is basically what Vita owners said when MH4 became 3DS exclusive.

When MH3U and MH4 were announced, a lot of Vita fans were port begging because they wanted the Vita to be "saved", not because they wanted to actually play a Monster Hunter game. The Vita has pretty great support now. I don't find the port begging to be as obnoxious anymore.
 

AmyS

Member
Well, GTX 980 SLI and an i7 3770k is still leaps and bounds more powerful than a PS4. Nintendo's next system will not have this kind of horsepower.

But a new console wouldn't have to have nearly those specs to get similar results, because, newer much cheaper hardware, not running on a PC/Windows, huge amount of optimizations compared to a PC beta and benchmark. Lower level API, etc.

A well designed Nintendo console designed between 2013 ~ 2016 launching in 2017 for $250 ~ $300 might be able to swing those visuals.
 

ys45

Member
Bingo.

MH is a highly social game over there. People actually leave their homes and play together with friends physically in the same place. They share techniques and help newbies.

That type of gaming culture is more rare here in the us where it's mostly online or nothing.

I wish it was more like that here , but then again my best online gaming experience I had in years was with Tri on Wii .

I hope it will be the same with 4.
 

Calamari41

41 > 38
When MH3U and MH4 were announced, a lot of Vita fans were port begging because they wanted the Vita to be "saved", not because they wanted to actually play a Monster Hunter game. The Vita has pretty great support now. I don't find the port begging to be as obnoxious anymore.

The new one that I've been seeing in every single MH4U thread since release is that the series needs to be on PS4 and it will go on to sell millions and millions of copies in the West. That one is already getting old.
 

lyrick

Member
The new one that I've been seeing in every single MH4U thread since release is that the series needs to be on PS4 and it will go on to sell millions and millions of copies in the West. That one is already getting old.

Yeah I'm guessing the posters are too young to remember that being on the PS2 didn't do the series any favors in the West.
 
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