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Capcom reinvesting MH4 profits into new 4 billion yen internal Japanese mobile studio

Mandoric

Banned
What competition do they have on home consoles?
I mean sure, Tri didn't light up sales in the West, but it still showed that there is a market in the west, combine that with home platforms being more popular than in Japan (and the WiiU not selling), they just need an impressive title on PS360 or now PS4/XB1 to strengthen the IP in the west imo. Unless they don't care about that of course.

Even downscaled/"classic" titles for mobile platforms will sell well because people (especially in Japan) pay for fact that you can play on the go.

In monster-hunting action? Sure, none. In team gameplay, being the title you play because your friends are playing? They're competing for the same time investment as CoD, Battlefield, League, and DotA. Just with all the technical barrier to entry of the last two, and all the $60 game with $5 monthly sub on $400 box barrier to entry of the first two.
 

ys45

Member
Oh yay ! Another great news from Capcom .

Mobile might be profitable but so is the console market , we have proof of thid with the launch of PS4 and XBox one in NA .

Can't wait to see how much PS4 they are gonna sell in Japan when it launch .
 
whyareeveryonehavingas1s4o.gif

pretty much my response.
 
I saw this thread title and the image that came to mind was one of a large warehouse with nothing but a gold-plated toilet in the center, which gives enough room for dump trucks full of cash to drive through and dump the cash into pile where workers can carefully shovel it into a funnel that leads to the toilet. And flush.
 
I'm fine with this. It doesn't seem like it's going to be a situation of them abandoning arcade and console games. If they continue to make sequels to their successful console IPs and continue to experiment with 2-3 new console IPs per gen, I'm good.
 

txag2005

Banned
I'm fine with this. It doesn't seem like it's going to be a situation of them abandoning arcade and console games. If they continue to make sequels to their successful console IPs and continue to experiment with 2-3 new console IPs per gen, I'm good.

I think people are assuming they are going into this like SE, who outside of FFXV and KH3 seems to practically abandoning console/portable consoles for mobile this gen.
 

bigkrev

Member
I'm glad that they are actually investing money in Mobile development, instead of just farming it out to the lowest bidder. You can only get by on name reputation for so long if your games are crap (see: Zynga loosing marketshare), so hopefully this will pay dividends to them over the long haul.

For people complaining that they are abandoning their legacy IP- do you really think it would sell? If Capcom made a new Final Fight game for digital, and charged 15 dollars for it, do you think it would sell more than 100K? And if it did, how many of those copies would be for fractions of the cost due to PS+/Steam sales? Capcom doesn't do thinks like cancel MML3 just because they hate you- they do it because they don't think the likely return is worth the cost of making the game. If you think you will be able to sell enough games to make a 500K profit, is it worth risking 4 million in costs to get that return? Most companies would skip out on that, instead looking for low investment opportunities with higher risk-greater reward potential (F2P game), or spend big money on proven high bread-winners (investing in Resident Evil for the millions of copies it will sell). Capcom is no different. They aren't interested in pulling a Sony, who is willing to fund "prestige" pieces such as Puppeteer and Tearaway, games that a small subset will love/get critical acclaim, but will likely not make their money back.

If Capcom thought they could make good money making console Megaman/Breath of Fire/Dino Crisis/Darkstalker/whatever games, they would be doing that. They don't think it will be successful.
 

-Horizon-

Member
So they're not using MH4 money to invest in and improve the Monster Hunter series...

Capcpom!

MH5 to be mobile exclusive confirmed!
 

Shengar

Member
You could say the same thing about PC gaming.

I think the only real problem is how mobile games are priced. Recently it's been found that pretty much all the most successful iOS games are F2P. There's no market for a $20 or $40 mobile game. At least not a proven one.
Of course it is, but there is one big difference that could make such thing not a drawback on PC: dedicated controller. No matter how low the spec of your PC, it sure it must have both keyboard and mouse. We know that keyboard and mouse are an excellent input device for games that already used since the dawn of computer game era. Compare to touch interface that is very flawed as input for games as it is imprecise and very limited. One might argue that there are controller add-on for phones coming, but it backs again to my argument that publisher will try to make games that cater the widest audience available.

Not all developers are like that of course. If they create a game that specifically built around controller, then the game isn't different from handheld games. But in this case, that is Capcom, I can see that they are the type who chase that casual audience, the one who don't care getting controller add-on for their phones.

And yes, I believe the pricing on mobile market is a problem. If games are priced too cheap, it will find another way to make revenue, that is by IAP, which could potentially ruined the whole game itself. There is big difference between game that developed as free-to-play in mind, with the one that developed as $15 games.
For most Japanese publishers it's a growth area, because people spend more on mobile in Japan than they do in the West.

However, it's not the only avenue. Capcom is exploring more than just mobile.

Will the market saturated somehow after many similar games? A poster two pages back said that his friend in Japan began to despise the IAP which must make them pay to socialize with other.
 

Hcoregamer00

The 'H' stands for hentai.
I don't mind the shift to mobile, the problem is that they are adopting poor models.

The World Ends With You is easily one of the best handheld condole to mobile ports, ever. It was graphically nice, ran well, and provided with the same fast and fun gameplay. There are some capcom properties that would b perfect for the iPad and iPhone, like Ace Attorney 5. 3D models, touch interface, would be a perfect transition.

The problem? What they will release would not be full experices like TWENTY, but shoehorned ports and half-assed efforts. Having a full mobile studio can fix it, but it is up to capcom that they can make a good fit.

My iPad wants more games, and I am willing to buy it, but they have to live up to the same standards of gaming quality and effort as the 3DS releases, no less.
 
"You know, maybe we should do this mobile thing. Everyone says we should. Let's put EAD Tokyo on the scene and test the waters with a new mainline Mario game."
Dude how many people are you're trying to destroy here?? That's fucking terrifying to think of. If Mario goes, the rest goes.....
 

clem84

Gold Member
Smart phones are killing the industry confirmed.

On a serious note, Capcom has to do what it takes to survive. I don't blame them for doing this. But it still sucks. I hope we'll still get a sizeable amount of AAA goodness.
 
I really don't get why these companies are jumping blindly into the mobile market like this with absolutely unoriginal ideas.

You can make all the Bahamut and Puzzles and Dragons clones in the fucking world, BUT YOU WILL NEVER BE THOSE GAMES.

Someone already beat you to the pay to play card game route, copying that will not be a smash hit, someone already beat you to the cute monster collecting block breaker, that will not work. And you know thats exactly what the fuck they are going to make.

I don't even care anymore these half assed attempts at Gungho's money are just fucking pathetic and short sighted and they deserve every fucking bit of misery that comes with it. I have no problem with these big companies making mobile games, just stop slapping random once decent IP's on the label, and make a real effort at a real game, not this made in a week shit like everyone else desperate to make money because of their archaic old men business practices.

I mean look at this shit they are trying to compare to that has literally been ingrained in peoples minds already:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwhBhrjDxjw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLqwtmPS3aM

These damn games have a new commercial EVERY 2 MONTHS. Meanwhile the "big" devs cant even get fucking air time for their games anymore. Seriously, P&Z commercials air twice a break, its literally gotten to the point where its saying "oh hey just got your first smart phone, dont be a weirdo, download puzzle and dragons first, then see if it can you know... call somone"

just... UGH.
 

old

Member
Great news. Mobile is the future. It's going to be great when we don't have to buy expensive dedicated portable hardware just to play the franchises we love when we're on the go.
 

Shengar

Member
is mobile really the goldmine these companies make it out to be? serious question

Yes it is. Commute culture is big in japan, also mobile market is less riskful and requires less resources compared to console or handheld market.
 

I'M FINISHED!

Um exCUSE me Sakurai but CLEARLY the best choice for Smash Bros would be my fav niche character HOWEVER you are clearly INCOMPETENT and
Great news. Mobile is the future. It's going to be great when we don't have to buy expensive dedicated portable hardware just to play the franchises we love when we're on the go.

The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades.
 

clem84

Gold Member
The day that dedicated handhelds and consoles are gone and 99% of games are mobile, that day I'll be a retro gamer only. I'm sorry but touchscreen controls suck. Maybe smart phones will evolve and at some point an official controller solution will be made available. I'll still miss my physical copies though.
 

Striek

Member
is mobile really the goldmine these companies make it out to be? serious question

Mobile is a _much_ bigger market than dedicated handhelds, and much less risky than AAA console development.

The market for mobile is also still growing at an astonishing rate, albeit so are dev costs (though still low).

Pretty much all traditional publishers have invested in mobile, and they can't all be making terrible decisions.
 
Great news. Mobile is the future. It's going to be great when we don't have to buy expensive dedicated portable hardware just to play the franchises we love when we're on the go.
Yeah! All that graphical prowess, network capability, and...buttons...exciting!
 

Corsick

Member
A fully next gen Dragon's Dogma 2 running at 1080p with 60fps (edit: as long as it was always at or above 30fps I would be fine with that as well) and tons of upgrades to the pawn system/open world being fleshed out more would get me to buy a next gen console immediately. It's EASILY my most anticipated game (if it ever happens), and seeing this news is just deflating. DD felt like it was made for me, awesome combat that felt fluid and fast, but yet weighty and measured. An open world attempt that while a bit sparse made me optimistic at how much Capcom could improve it. Performance/graphical issues that could also be erased with a fully next gen focused sequel and even more monsters/items/customization/fully populated world with more interesting side quests and characters. Dragon's Dogma has such a beautiful and flawed core to it that you can see just how incredible it could be if Capcom really took the time to brush off the grime and polish the bright spots.

Reading this just sucks, because games like Dragon's Dogma deserve so much more affection from their creators, yet the bean counters unfortunately rule the castle in the end. I understand it completely, but that doesn't mean it isn't a kick in the teeth at best. My favorite new IP of the last generation might be forgotten forever with so much potential left unfulfilled. I believe it sold around two million copies worldwide as well? Respectable even if it didn't light the world on fire, but me thinking of how Capcom could make a fully funded next gen sequel happen is like trying to rearrange chairs on the Titanic...
 

Duxxy3

Member
In the west when a game does really well the employees get large bonuses.

In japan when a game does really well they use that money to do shit like this.


And people wonder why Japan is on the decline.
 
In the west when a game does really well the employees get large bonuses.

In japan when a game does really well they use that money to do shit like this.


And people wonder why Japan is on the decline.

In the west, when a game doesn't do well, the studio shuts down and hundreds of people get laid off.

In Japan, when a game doesn't do well, they look for other avenues, such as mobile gaming so they don't have to lay people off.

The story is just how you look at it.
 

Stimpack

Member
I think this is garbage like everyone else, but I suppose it makes sense in Japan. I can't help but wonder if mobile gaming will actually become a thing here, too. Not to play devil's advocate here, but the progress of mobile devices has been quite astounding.
 

Tomat

Wanna hear a good joke? Waste your time helping me! LOL!
If they could just give us MH4 in the west real quick before they go that'd be great. They don't even have to translate it... we'll manage.
 

Pain

Banned
Great news. Mobile is the future. It's going to be great when we don't have to buy expensive dedicated portable hardware just to play the franchises we love when we're on the go.
IPhones, iPads and iPods aren't expensive?
Hell those devices become outdated within two years.

The 3DS isn't exactly breaking the bank.....the 2DS is extremely affordable and these will last you 5+ years.

I'll take a dedicated gaming device over a general purpose one any day.
 

Raonak

Banned
Jesus fuck. goddammit cacpcom, how about you invest that money into upgrading your goddam ANCIENT monster hunter asthetics.
The graphics have been the same since monster hunter 1. It's kinda embarrasing that such a highly regarded series looks like such a mess. Reeks of pure laziness/greed. there's no excuse for it when the series sells so well.
 
Jesus fuck. goddammit cacpcom, how about you invest that money into upgrading your goddam ANCIENT monster hunter engine.
The graphics have been the same since monster hunter 1. It's kinda embarrasing that such a highly regarded series looks like such a mess. Reeks of pure laziness/greed. there's no excuse for it when the series sells so well.
It's been on like 3 different engines now. The engine ain't the problem.
 
IPhones, iPads and iPods aren't expensive?
Hell those devices become outdated within two years.

The 3DS isn't exactly breaking the bank.....the 2DS is extremely affordable and these will last you 5+ years.

I'll take a dedicated gaming device over a general purpose one any day.

People are buying new phones anyway. So, in that sense, a dedicated gaming device, no matter how affordable, is an extra charge.
 

zhorkat

Member
I think this is garbage like everyone else, but I suppose it makes sense in Japan. I can't help but wonder if mobile gaming will actually become a thing here, too. Not to play devil's advocate here, but the progress of mobile devices has been quite astounding.

Well it depends on what you mean by "become a thing", because companies like EA and Ubisoft are already making mobile games.
 

iMerc

Member
Yes it is. Commute culture is big in japan, also mobile market is less riskful and requires less resources compared to console or handheld market.

but it's also overly crowded isn't it? how do companies like capcom & Square find their audiences?

serious question.

anyway i still vastly prefer the dedicated gaming machine to play my games, but i could definitely se myself abandoning console gaming if more developers turn their top talent to mobile.
 

KoopaTheCasual

Junior Member
Honestly, if every single mobile game had controller/button support I would be totally fine with this developer shift to mobile gaming. Too bad that's not the case.
 
Not surprising, but disappointing nonetheless.

Capcom has been one of the most financially responsible Japanese developers, at the expense of alienating part of their fanbase by neglecting some popular franchises or changing their formulas significantly enough into something that the fans didn't want.

I think opening a new studio dedicated to mobile is a better announcement than hearing them say they will shift more resources towards mobile because that means that they won't need to compromise on the quality or quantity of their console titles, and if further down the line these spinoffs of their franchises, as much as they taint their names, help bring back a proper console sequel, then so be it. But so far, Capcom has not done such a thing, and somehow after completely missing Megaman's 25th anniversary year with little more than a USB key, I don't expect that to happen.
 

twofold

Member
is mobile really the goldmine these companies make it out to be? serious question

Yes. Mobile is, at the moment, relatively low risk with a potentially high reward. It's a good market to be in.

Mobile revenue is also eclipsing handheld revenue by quite a large margin.


https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.appannie.com/reports/AA-IDC+M&P+Gaming+Spotlight+2Q13.pdf

And while handheld revenue is slowly declining, mobile revenue is growing at an astonishingly quick pace.

These gaming companies would be foolish to ignore the mobile market.
 
Great news. Mobile is the future. It's going to be great when we don't have to buy expensive dedicated portable hardware just to play the franchises we love when we're on the go.
Yeah, we'll have to buy expensive smartphones that become obsolete every year or so instead!

The future indeed.
 
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