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[Obliterator]

It would seem that Dead Rising 4 is meeting its sales expectations, as Capcom listed the title as performing "firm". Monster Hunter Stories on the other hand not so much

In the Digital Contents business, sales of Dead Rising 4 (for Xbox One and PC), which was released in December 2016, were firm, while the sales of Monster Hunter Stories (for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems), which targeted younger audiences, were soft.

A few other things worth noting, it seems Capcom is betting on a big Q4 due to RE7 and MH XX

In the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, the Company plans on an aggressive sales campaign with the release of two major titles for the quarter: RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard (for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC) and Monster Hunter XX (Double Cross) (for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems) in Japan.

And also no adjustment to forecasts which would seem to imply Capcom feels confident they are going to hit their 4 million RE7 shipment by the end of the fiscal year

With regards to the forecast for the consolidated results for the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, the Company plans an aggressive sales campaign for its major titles in the Digital Contents business, including the titles RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard and Monster Hunter XX (Double Cross); as such the forecast remains the same as what was projected at the financial results announcement on May 9, 2016.

http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/news/html/e170201b.html

Edit: Some unit numbers

 

[Nirolak]

Monster Hunter Stories' sales were impressively bad.

 

[EloquentM]

Monster Hunter Stories' sales were impressively bad.

What was the reason behind it? Have recent MH titles been lagging in Japan as well (I assume not)?

 

[Kazuo Hirai]

No numbers?

What was the reason behind it? Have recent MH titles been lagging in Japan as well (I assume not)?

It's not a normal MH, its target audience are kids

Dead Rising 4 dropped 50% in price like a week or two after release.

Amazon UK, DR4 dropped price after 1 week, TLG 2 week

OK, DR4 sell in(ship)=700k first month from Zhuge

 

[plasmawave]

What was the reason behind it? Have recent MH titles been lagging in Japan as well (I assume not)?

It's been going down since MHp3 on the PSP.

 

[oti]

Dead Rising 4 dropped 50% in price like a week or two after release.

 

[Guymelef]

"firm"

 

[SinCityAssassin]

It's a shame it bombed like that, it looked real good.

 

[Rymuth]

Firm, eh? That's a new one.

Nice to know they're confident about RE7

Monster Hunter Stories' sales were impressively bad.

So what's the takeaway here? Don't try to kiddify your IP?

 

[jj984jj]

What was the reason behind it? Have recent MH titles been lagging in Japan as well (I assume not)?

It was trying to aim at a younger audience with a turn-based RPG. It looks pretty but I guess it didn't interest the MH audience or other demographics on the 3DS.

 

[Chobel]

So they didn't adjust their DR4 forecast? Because I don't believe they'll reach that 2M forecast.

 

[Obliterator]

It says in "digital content" in "physical content" Dead Rising 4 sales could be bad.

Digital Content Business is what they refer to their traditional gaming business as. Its referring to physical sales as well.

So they didn't adjust their DR4 forecast? Because I don't believe they'll reach that 2M forecast.

No adjustment as of now, it would appear they believe they are going to hit it.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

What was the reason behind it? Have recent MH titles been lagging in Japan as well (I assume not)?

Might just be a genre no one really wants.

Single-player MH that evokes Level-5 kid's games with an IP mostly known for none of that.

 

[blankempathy]

Dead Rising 4 dropped 50% in price like a week or two after release.

It was $24 for a little bit there if you had a best buy GCU discount.

 

[EloquentM]

It was trying to aim at a younger audience with a turn-based RPG. It looks pretty but I guess it didn't interest the MH audience or other demographics on the 3DS.

Might just be a genre no one really wants.

Single-player MH that evokes Level-5 kid's games with an IP mostly known for none of that.

So genre shift that fails to recognize why people actually like monster hunter. Got it. I wonder how they'll react with MH5

 

[Vuze]

Firm, eh? That's a new one.

Nice to know they're confident about RE7

So what's the takeaway here? Don't try to kiddify your IP?

I guess "don't kiddify your IP and try to compete with Pokémon and Yokai". Game wasn't bad by any means but it is pretty forgettable.

 

[Jarod McChicken]

Street Fighter V moved from 1.4 million to 1.5 million by the way.

Dead Rising 4 is below 1 million after december, so I don't see how it can meet the 2 million target before march.

http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/finance/million.html

 

[oti]

It was $24 for a little bit there if you had a best buy GCU discount.

Crazy how fast that game dropped in price.

 

[Chobel]

No adjustment as of now, it would appear they believe they are going to hit it.

I just don't see how. It didn't even reach 1M in the last quarter, and I doubt its Steam release will do anything notable.

Street Fighter V moved from 1.4 million to 1.5 million by the way. Dead Rising 4 is below 1 million.

http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/finance/million.html

It only took 9 months lol.

 

[kubus]

A shame because Monster Hunter Stories is a really great game. Up there in my top 3 from last year.

I can see why it wasn't a commercial succes though. The anime tie in is pretty bad and takes away all the exciting parts about the game so it does a bad job at selling the game to kids, and the genre shift + different target audience made it so hardcore MH players weren't interested.

 

[Obliterator]

Street Fighter V moved from 1.4 million to 1.5 million by the way.

Dead Rising 4 is below 1 million, so I don't see how it can meet the 2 million target before march.

http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/finance/million.html

Keep in mind DR4 may be over that now, though there is no way of knowing. This was as of December 31st. But yeah as of this quarters financial results its sub 1 million which is worth noting and 2 million by the end of March looks highly unlikely. Maybe there is no revenue forcast change because they feel RE7 may do above their 4 million target.

SFV actually managed to move a few more copies so that's nice I suppose. Still some of the worst legs I've ever seen for a "AAA" title

 

[Nirolak]

What was the reason behind it? Have recent MH titles been lagging in Japan as well (I assume not)?

Firm, eh? That's a new one.

Nice to know they're confident about RE7

So what's the takeaway here? Don't try to kiddify your IP?

They basically made a game that didn't appeal to the existing Monster Hunter audience, so it was essentially the same as trying to launch a new IP aimed at kids, which is very difficult and way outside Capcom's wheelhouse.

Generally you want toy lines and smart partnerships with the right children's companies to do that, along with frequently testing your game design, art, and presentation with actual children, and Capcom didn't really as far as I can tell.

The mainline games are generally doing fine, but those are aimed at 14-24 year olds more than 6-12 year olds.

 

[Guymelef]

The Capcom experiments are failing.
An esport centered Streef Fighter.
A "Musou" Dead Rising.
A rpg Monster Hunter.

 

[StrongBlackVine]

As long a RE7 is doing well I'm satisfied. Couldn't care less about their other current offerings.

 

[GuardianE]

Another 100,000 units sold of the DMC HD Collection.

 

[SatoAilDarko]

How did the Monster Hunter Stories Amiibo factor in?

There were large and elaborate (riders could be used on any monster).

It was the second Amiibo made for a third-party game after Shovel Knight I think. I would think Capcom would've funded at least some of that.

 

[Chobel]

From @ZhugeEx

 

[Obliterator]

From @ZhugeEx

Hmm 700k isn't abysmal. If they get the Steam release up before the end of the fiscal year they can come reasonably close to that 2 million goal. They won't hit it but with some continued Xbone sales + Steam they could probably get to 1.3 - 1.5

Still low sales considering the size of that studio. I hope for their sake the team is the size it is due to them having another project in the works and not all dependent on DR4's performance.

Also thanks gonna add that to the OP

 

[pa22word]

The Capcom experiments are failing.
An esport centered Streef Fighter.
A "Musou" Dead Rising.
A rpg Monster Hunter.

Calling it a musou is being rather kind. The game is more a highlight reel of every mechanic from open world games of the last few years that happens to have zombies in it. They even changed the combat up to play more like Arkham and it's clones by focusing on hits and having weapons strike single targets vs the sweeping rag doll like swings of the older games. The game has no identity of its own at all. It's a generic retread of every other game out there that has a capcom sticker on the front. It feels like it was designed by a committee of people so terrified of doing anything interesting they intentionally went out of their way to make the most boring, uninspired game they possibly could by looking at all their competitors and making the same game they did.

If you want to play dr4 pick up something like mad max or batman ak or mordor and save the cash to get a better game.

 

[Nirolak]

Source: http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/data/pdf/explanation/2016/3rd/explanation_2016_3rd_01.pdf

 

[HooYaH]

Capcom sales are based on Tofu.

 

[cw_sasuke]

MH Stories just just like most of their mobile MH endeavors failed. At some point they have to realize that MH isnt Dragon Quest or Pokemon - doesnt seem like there is enough demand for more casual oriented side-projects.

 

[Creaking]

Do we have numbers on the other Dead Rising games? The original releases? Especially interested in DR1 and DR3 numbers.

 

[Oregano]

After Monster Hunter XX bombs they can fast-track the western focused PS4 game.

 

[Nirolak]

MH Stories just just like most of their mobile MH endeavors failed. At some point they have to realize that MH isnt Dragon Quest or Pokemon - doesnt seem like there is enough demand for more casual oriented side-projects.

Explore is still making money, though it's the mobile title that most closely matches the main game.

 

[Obliterator]

RE 4,5, and 6 doing 2 million units on current gen so far is damn respectable.

 

[Rymuth]

RE 4,5, and 6 doing 2 million units on current gen so far is damn respectable.

0 did great as well, as I recall

 

[opricnik]

Good on BoTH6 under performing

 

[Chobel]

Source: http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/data/pdf/explanation/2016/3rd/explanation_2016_3rd_01.pdf

So they finally got some success in mobile?

 

[Nirolak]

So they finally got some success in mobile?

It's modest success, but yes.

 

[Zaverious]

So DR4 sold less than even DR3? I expected at least 1 million for it.

 

[Terrell]

Keep in mind DR4 may be over that now, though there is no way of knowing. This was as of December 31st. But yeah as of this quarters financial results its sub 1 million which is worth noting and 2 million by the end of March looks highly unlikely. Maybe there is no revenue forcast change because they feel RE7 may do above their 4 million target.

You don't adjust your earnings unless you're wildly off your targeted projections in a highly visible and publicized way, since earnings adjustments have a very negative impact on your stock price, which was sliding downward pretty consistently over the past few weeks. It's not indicative of faith in meeting the target, they just don't have enough information to risk the hit they'll take for doing it until the final quarter data is released.

 

[squall23]

So what's the takeaway here? Don't try to kiddify your IP?

I mean, they tried to make a kid version of MH with Gaist Crusher, and that failed even though the idea was solid. Then they make Stories and it doesn't meet expectations either. How many times will Capcom make notMonster Hunter games before they realize Monster Hunter is successful because it's Monster Hunter and not anything else?

 

[Waddle Dee]

Good to see DR4 is doing kinda poorly. Hopefully they either bring the franchise back to it's former glory or let it rot.

Nice to see RE 4, 5, and 6 all doing well (considering they're rereleases).

 

[Creaking]

So DR4 sold less than even DR3? I expected at least 1 million for it.

I'd love to think that Capcom might reconsider how they've been handling the series (dumbing down "streamlining" mechanics, weird regressive Microsoft exclusivity, yes Frank but actually no Frank, yes Willamette but actually no Willamette, no more Co-op, timer being added after the fact while designing the game without it)

...but then the monkey's paw comes into play and they'd end up dropping it completely.

 

[Obliterator]

You don't adjust your earnings unless you're wildly off your targeted projections in a highly visible and publicized way, since earnings adjustments have a very negative impact on your stock price, which was sliding downward pretty consistently over the past few weeks. It's not indicative of faith in meeting the target, they just don't have enough information to risk the hit they'll take for doing it until the final quarter data is released.

I get that, and I do think they are going to miss on DR4 now that we have the 700k number. How much will depend on when the Steam release is. If it's soon that will help as it should move about 200k or so there in a short period of time. Also keep in mind it will still move some units on Xbone though not a large amount. I think they could get to around 1.3 with Steam. Still a miss but not necessarily a catastrophe (for the company. It's certainly bad for the franchise). But it is not good for the franchise that's for sure. Especially if it shows no legs throughout the coming year with how we've with SFV for example.

There is almost zero chance they miss 4 million RE7.

 

[cw_sasuke]

Explore is still making money, though it's the mobile title that most closely matches the main game.

Its still far away from doing as much money as other players in the space are making. MH Stories also sold "well" for a 3DS title and many other devs would be fine with those numbers in 2016 - but for MH the expectations are higher considering what the main titles sell.

Im def. interested to see how their next mobile approach in regard to MH will look like. Dont think the current strategy is working well for them.

 

[WadeitOut]

SF5 didn't even deserve that many sales in the quarter. Such a hot mess.

 

[Sinatar]

RE6 re-release sold 700K!?!

Why?

 

[Celine]

"Breath of Fire 6 underperforming"
No one could have guessed, eh.