Certain video game developers have a large library of IPs under their name, and any one of them can be a potential hit. However, when one of their titles transcends what previous ones do, or, return to what made a franchise great, it can have epic rewards for them. Case and point, Capcom with Monster Hunter: World. The Monster Hunter franchise is beloved in Japan, but everywhere else? Not so much. So, Capcom set out to make a Monster Hunter game that would take the world by storm, and oh boy, did they ever.
In a press release today, Capcom revealed that Monster Hunter: World has shipped 7.5 million copies worldwide (this does include digital sales), making it the best-selling game in Capcom history. For the record, the previous title holder was Resident Evil 7. Which had sold 7.2 million copies by the end of last year. And it’s important to note that World has only been out a little over a month.
This is beyond impressive, and could be a milestone that few get to be in terms of turnaround. For while the series has arguably always sold well, its primary sales were always in Japan. Whereas here, it’s much global. So, this begs the question, what did Capcom do differently to make this one sell so well?
First, intent. They wanted this to be a Monster Hunter game that could break the stereotype that it had created (this series was the originator of the phrase “git gud”), all the while maintaining the challenge and difficulty that it’s known for. Second, they incorporated some Western aspects into the gameplay, mainly, an interconnected land/world that wasn’t broken up by loading screens.
Finally, and this has been noted by many, Monster Hunter: World is just a lot of fun to play. It has consistent content, great battles, a visually stunning world, and more. So how could it not succeed?
