Yeah, I had the feeling they did; admittedly I haven't played them both since early last year. In my mind it seemed like it took a little longer for that to happen.
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Can Monster Hunter be popular in the West?
- Thread starter DarknessTear
- Start date
Yeah, I had the feeling they did; admittedly I haven't played them both since early last year. In my mind it seemed like it took a little longer for that to happen.
mugurumakensei
Member
I doubt it would be a big hit. Monster Hunter sold better on Wii than it did on PS2. 360 and PS3 are not some magical solution to selling hardcore games. Otherwise, Vanquish would have sold better.
Father_Brain
Banned
I suspect that Capcom has concluded that MH will simply never be a multimillion-selling series in the West (though MH4 does look more friendly to a broader audience), and that whatever sales increase significant graphical improvements would grant them here simply wouldn't be enough to offset the attendant increase in budget. I'm inclined to think they're right, but YMMV.
Tri really disappointed me with its multiplayer. If you ask me, that's the main reason it didn't catch on in the west.
The local multiplayer is pathetic, and it really shouldn't be. It's a console game which gets x100 times better in multiplayer. So why only Arena?
There's also the accessibility issues I guess (control schemes, item combinations..), but they're secondary to the local multiplayer.
As for the title question, not in its current form, but MH can definitely go places if it reforms itself. It won't just be popular in the west, it'll be even more popular in Japan.
The local multiplayer is pathetic, and it really shouldn't be. It's a console game which gets x100 times better in multiplayer. So why only Arena?
There's also the accessibility issues I guess (control schemes, item combinations..), but they're secondary to the local multiplayer.
As for the title question, not in its current form, but MH can definitely go places if it reforms itself. It won't just be popular in the west, it'll be even more popular in Japan.
There's a mission where you have a run-in with Lagiacrus and you basically have to flee it or you'll get destroyed.
Barroth was really strong though for relatively early on but that's just one of the challenges you have to get past. Rather that than have the game be too easy.
If they were doing Barroth without going through jaggi, quro and ludroth properly (which I think is what happened?) obviously they're going to get frustrated. Hell, I got stuck on the first capture quest.
What do you mean? Tri is online.
lunchwithyuzo
Banned
People are buying plenty of SD remakes on PS3 and 360. Capcom can also always upgrade assets for console if they need to, like they did for Frontier (which is based on DOS). Lower engine requirements would also allow upgrades in other areas possibly, like framerate, resolution and splitscreen support. MH4 with remixed HD textures, at 60fps, in 1080p might look pretty decent on Wii U.
Besides, unlike PSP there's actually some decent market potential for 3DS games outside Japan. Console isn't the lone opportunity for MH in foreign markets this time around.
I'd say Capcom made the right call in choosing a platform they can ride over one they would be forced to carry. Simple as that.
I mean my friend, who doesn't own a Wii, coming to my house and playing with me. And not playing a watered down lite version of the game.
I mean, if we're talking about expanding a franchise, it shouldn't be rocket science to expect such functionality. Especially on a console like the Wii which is built for local multiplayer.
I think he wanted more local multiplayer options than just the Arena.
The online worked well despite being on the Wii, so props to Capcom. Would've worked a thousand times better on Live.
Oh okay, I see now. Remember PSO on Gamecube? Local 4 player splitscreen. That would require effort on Capcom's part though which wouldn't make sense for this franchise. Capcom are just the laziest when it comes to MH for some reason.
Too difficult for 6-10 year old kids?
this was on reddit few days ago
To gain more popularity in the west kinda does have to be on consoles..
To gain more popularity in the west kinda does have to be on consoles..
The solution is to release new Felyne/Airu games in the West as Monster Hunter Jr. and start them hunting monsters from a younger age.
That wasn't his point. Pokemon has survived on handhelds, with no important console releases.
Pokemon has a show
And has been handled a tonne better than Capcom has handled MH.
Little Green Yoda
Member
Just a case of Capcom being cautious and protecting their existing market before doubling down on the Western market. Just because Tri sold well doesn't mean a full fledged console gamble in the form of MH4 would necessarily pay off. Who knows how well their long term international plan will play out with their emphasis on portable MH.
Pretty sure most if not all the 3DS Capcom games are running on some type of MT Framework. Up-porting should be possible - I don't know how much work goes into improving textures for such a project though. A simple rushed port job would probably not go over well for mainstream success though.
Pokemon is way more accessible than MH in its current form. Pokemon is the quintessential game that targets multiple demographics - you can play it casually by just doing the story mode, you can become an obsessive collector, you can battle competitively, etc.
Between the unforgiving difficulty and necessity of grinding, there's only so many gamers willing to put up with this stuff to give MH a chance. I don't believe the current handheld gaming population in the West consist of too many players that fit that mold.
Just like Demon/Dark Souls?
Gianni Merryman
Member
In one of the early missions, you may bump into a Gran Jaggi if you have bad luck so, since it's quite tough to beat at that stage, you have to stay away from it if you want to stay alive.
Also, when fighting a Qurupeco, unless you hit its throat, it often yells out for help, and sometimes you may end up fighting against a Barroth or Rathalan(or is it called Rathan? I mistake these two one for another) as well, that makes it quite tougher.
bigdaddygamebot
Member
Lost Planet is NOT Monster Hunter.
Someone needs to tell Capcom that.
But only just barely.
There's actually a short felyne anime in Japan, and a shonen manga that's been published in the US.
Yeah that doesn't make any sense...
Gianni Merryman
Member
Yes, it has to be Rathalos the one making its appearence on first/second rank missions, but some monsters - namely Barroth/Barrioth and Rathian/Rathalos or whatever are they call like - have too much similar names that when I have to look for the single monsters on the Wikia, I have to watch a picture to be sure that's the one I am looking for.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
Barely, my ass. Its great.
bigdaddygamebot
Member
It would do well.
Even a port where they slapped on good multiplayer code and achievements/trophies...it would do well.
Compared to what other games offer in the ways of grouping up, communicating and playing co-operatively?
Yeah...no.
airmangataosenai
Member
This post is so goofy I don't even know where to begin but I'm going to try anyway as this first sentence sticks out and it really needs to be addressed.
You begin by seriously comparing the lifetime sales of a game which has been out for 2 years and has gone through the full sales lifecycle to one that's been out for less than 5 months and is just now entering the $30-$40 price range at most shops..... and only counting the sales on a single platform for some reason at that. If you were actually looking for a fair comparison it'd be between Demon's Souls and Tri where DS handily beat Tri in sales with no advertising backing.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
What the series needs is a more traditional single player mode that eases you in better. tri did it better than any others so far, but it can still be rough for new people. Something like the AI partners that are in there now need to be expanded. They are crucial in allowing new people to actually hit a major monster than isnt always trying to hit them. Thats what made fights in the first and the portables so drawn out and frustrating.
bigdaddygamebot
Member
Wont TERA scratch that itch?
It kindof seems like they are doing that with Dragon's Dogma? Haven't played it though. Just speculating from what I have read and watched.
Yeah. And those aren't really popular in the west either....
I could see PSO2 doing well if it's put on Steam. I'm liking what their doing with that game. Though the game will have to be F2P for it to succeed. Vindictus was a bit of a surprise success despite being more of an action MMO game like PSO.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
What? There are friends list where you can click a button and join them on whatever server they are on or message them as well as text and voice chat. It is far from 'barely there' that you described is all im saying. I wouldnt compare it to an xbla experience, if thats what you think.
pieatorium
Member
bigdaddygamebot
Member
I've put a silly amount of hours into Tri. I'm aware of the friends list and "warp" feature. Getting someone on your friend's list is super easy, ya?
Anyway...it seems we will have to agree to disagree on this one.
lunchwithyuzo
Banned
From what we can tell, Demon's Souls didn't outsell Tri in western markets though. We don't have a full picture because Bandai never gave EU figures fir DS, but since it missed their financial highlights that means it did less than 110k it's first quarter and less than 400k it's first year.
Did the game ever chart well in Europe? Tri did okay in some markets initially fromwhat I can remember.
pieatorium
Member
Still sell decently but it's alot lower than on handhelds
DCharlie
And even i am moderately surprised
where does this idea come from? It's bullshit! lol
You need items from the field to make items that provide effects/upgrade your weaponry
Some of the games have extra farming activities or similar to increase chances of getting items
The field has monsters of varying strength/ability that you can kill/capture
The general premise is to kill/capture everything
Sometimes you might go onto the field for an egg or crystal
It's really not that complex.
Gianni Merryman
Member
IIRC Capcom stated they were content enough with Tri's sales, that they said amounted to some 2 millions worldwide.
bigdaddygamebot
Member
On the "Wii Channel"
where does it rank now as far as hours played etc? I haven't checked that in ages...
They're plenty popular in the west. More than enough to be profitable.
Not really. It's a rather boring grindfest, judging from the beta. At least out of the nearly 10 hours I put into it, I never had a single challenging encounter.
Even watching late game encounters, they seem like mashfests with little strategy needed.
Best art design in the world deserves HD dammit *sobs*
Anyway, seriously the areas are like little boxing rings...I think there could be the same functionality if areas were more akin to kingdoms of amalur, still zoned corridors but much larger.
VanillaCakeIsBurning
Member
A new monster hunter in the west would be great.
I also think Capcom should give the MH team a bigger budget so they can create a "next gen" Monster Hunter on the Vita or something. Right now we're still stuck with ps2ish visuals.
I would really like to see Monster Hunter rendered in some glorious HD(higher resolution than it is now) with the appropriately brand new assets.
I also think Capcom should give the MH team a bigger budget so they can create a "next gen" Monster Hunter on the Vita or something. Right now we're still stuck with ps2ish visuals.
I would really like to see Monster Hunter rendered in some glorious HD(higher resolution than it is now) with the appropriately brand new assets.
lunchwithyuzo
Banned
It was closer to 2m. Their Platinum chart says 1.9m.
DCharlie
And even i am moderately surprised
it's already big here in Japan, but the thing is the game originally started on consoles and was mildly popular
Eventually online gaming is going to catch on in a big way in Japan - it doesn't seem to have caught the bug just yet.
The issue is that someone at some point will do a very similar Monster Hunter on next gen consoles. Capcom might be forced to at least be a bit more serious about offering an HD version for consoles as a companion game simply to counter someone else stealing their thunder.
there's absolutely nothing clunky about the claw style of play though. Even when playing Rag Odyssey i instinctively go to the claw and can't get used to having the second analog for "look"