monster-hunter posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 defeated HD Remix in sales battle

by JC Fletcher { Nov 23rd 2009 at 6:00PM }

Capcom and Udon Entertainment spent years redrawing and re-balancing Super Street Fighter II Turbo for its HD Remix version. Later, Capcom announced and released a port of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 over the course of a few months, with filters on the original sprites. Guess which one sold better?

"We have three titles that have drastically over-performed our expectations," Capcom's VP of strategic planning and business development Christian Svensson told GamesIndustry.biz. "The most recent of which was Marvel vs Capcom 2, which we didn't expect to exceed Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix's numbers, but it has."

One IP that hasn't quite exceeded Capcom's expectations in the west is Monster Hunter. The company is working to turn that around with events like Monster Hunter Tri University designed to familiarize press with the workings of the series. "We are strategically investing in the brand in the West," Svensson explained, "because we know that as a company we're going to continue to be creating Monster Hunter content, so it behooves us to do what it takes to make it stick here." In other words, Japanese sales ensure that Capcom is going to continue making the things, so Capcom might as well try to sell them outside of Japan as well.

Gallery: Marvel vs Capcom 2

Capcom schools Monster Hunter Tri rookies, unsure about Wii Speak for US

by Randy Nelson { Nov 19th 2009 at 6:00PM }

[Capcom-Unity]

Capcom held a university-themed event Tuesday evening in San Francisco to introduce newcomers to the Monster Hunter universe in the runup to next spring's North American release of Monster Hunter Tri for the Wii. We'd already played the game at previous events, so we knew what to expect: Monster Hunter, looking nice (especially the large monsters) but not as nice as it could have on the PS3.

After spending some time with the three-level, English-localized trade show demo on-hand -- including a go using the very nice Classic Controller Pro, which is included in Japan's black system/game bundle -- we asked Capcom staff about two unsettled questions concerning the game's US release. The first was the matter of paying to play Monster Hunter Tri online, as the game eschews Nintendo's servers for Capcom-operated ones and is fee-based in Japan. We didn't receive a decisive answer, being told only that the publisher is "hoping" the game will be free to play in the US. We got a similar response when we wondered if Wii Speak support was 100% set for the domestic release -- Capcom's "hoping" to get it in, but couldn't promise anything.

The event did provide taste of what trying to coordinate a successful online monster hunt would be like without Wii Speak -- we found it nearly impossible to hear our fellow players (or the game) over the music being piped through the venue's formidable sound system.

Gallery: Monster Hunter 3

Monster Hunter pillow will give you nightmares

by JC Fletcher { Nov 17th 2009 at 11:30AM }

Capcom's Monster Hunter Furu Furu Pillow is officially the most terrifying pillow we've seen today. What appears in the games as a winged, eyeless wyvern (called Khezu outside of Japan) has been transmuted into a tube with a lamprey mouth. That you put on your bed. And look at when you wake up. We suppose it would be better used as an accent pillow on a couch or something, especially if you don't want anyone to use your couch ever.

Japanese Monster Hunter fans will be able to bring this abomination into their lives, in white or red, on January 29, for ¥9,240 ($103.52).

[Via Andriasang]

Capcom posts strong Q2 2009 earnings, despite 'soft' overseas sales

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 29th 2009 at 2:01PM }

Capcom has posted its financial results for the six months ending September 30, 2009, and things are definitely looking good for the company. The publisher reported net sales of ¥38.892 billion ($426 million), up from ¥31.236 billion ($342 million) during the same period last year, which amounts to a 24.5-percent increase. The majority of those sales were generated by Capcom's home video games division, which pulled in ¥27.748 billion ($303 million) -- up from ¥16.486 ($180 million); a staggering 68.3-percent increase.

Capcom credits strong sales of Monster Hunter Tri in Japan, as well as continued sales of Resident Evil 5, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and Ace Attorney: Investigations to its recent financial success. However, the company stated that overseas sales remained "soft" for the period thanks to the delay of Dark Void and the weak performance of Bionic Commando and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. Joystiq readers will recall that Capcom leveled complaints at the same games in its first quarter report earlier this year. It's worth noting that overseas sales still amounted to ¥11.739 billion ($128 million), which accounted for 57-percent of the home video games division sales.

We suppose Capcom might consider that "soft," but the suits can't be too broken up about it.

Source -- Capcom | Favorable Financial Results for the 6 months ended September 30, 2009
Source -- Capcom | Consolidated Financial Results for the 2nd Quarter of the FY2009

Capcom announces new Monster Hunter spin-off for PSP, awaits money-flood

by Andrew Yoon { Oct 26th 2009 at 11:45AM }

Capcom surprised attendees of a Monster Hunter competition in Tokyo by announcing a brand new Monster Hunter title for the PSP. Don't get too excited though -- this appears to be a spin-off game, featuring the series' Toro-esque mascots. The game is titled "Monhan Nikki Poka Poka Airu Mura," or "Monster Hunter Diary Poka Poka Airu Village."

Other than this logo, no other details were revealed about this mysterious new entry to the Monster Hunter franchise. Considering millions of Japanese people bought a PSP specifically for Monster Hunter, Capcom is bound to rake in a lot of dough when this eventually releases.

Capcom still undecided about Monster Hunter 3 fees

by JC Fletcher { Oct 22nd 2009 at 1:30PM }

We'll start with the good news about the upcoming Western release of Monster Hunter Tri: according to statements given to MTV Multiplayer by Capcom Community Specialist Shawn Baxter, the North American version of the game will use Capcom-hosted servers, like the Japanese version does, enabling players to connect and play online, free from friend codes.

The other part isn't necessarily bad news, but it could be in the future: Capcom still hasn't decided whether to use the pay-for-play model found in all online Monster Hunter games in Japan, or whether to make online play free like it has for those same games in North America so far. It's likely that Capcom will do things the same way as before (which means free online), but with the company not saying anything, we can't be sure yet.

Gallery: Monster Hunter 3

Review: Monster Hunter 3 (Ramen)

by Andrew Yoon { Sep 17th 2009 at 12:15PM }

No, this is not a hands-on preview of the upcoming US release of Monster Hunter 3. (You'll have to wait until next year for that!) Nor is this a review of the Japanese release. (You can, instead, read our hands-on preview from TGS.) This is the next best thing: a review of the limited edition Monster Hunter 3 ramen -- or "hunta-men" as the packaging states.

Available for 200 yen (about $2.20), this packaged instant ramen is surprisingly good, featuring a hearty meaty taste and slight spicy kick. There are even dried meat pieces floating in the soup. While it may actually be beef, we're going to pretend it's dragon meat, because that's what a real monster hunter would eat, right?

Continued →

Cheat at Monster Hunter 3, get banned until 9999 AD

by David Hinkle { Aug 31st 2009 at 12:15PM }

Even long after Bruce Willis has saved the universe, identified cheaters will still be unable to play Monster Hunter 3. At least that's the case for one Japanese player, who tried to connect online and was given a dismissive prompt (in Japanese; machine translation here), indicating that he'd been banned until December 12, 9999.

The message cited "modded data" as the cause for the banning, and while we can't confirm that there was any questionable data on the system, we will say that if you're looking to hunt monsters (possibly around early 2010), you may want to avoid the uber hax!!1! option. We'd hate for you to have to go on living a lootless life for the next couple thousand years.

[Via Kotaku]

Famitsu hands Monster Hunter 3 a perfect 40

by David Hinkle { Aug 6th 2009 at 5:15PM }

It's not impossible to earn a perfect score from Famitsu, you know. The latest to earn top marks is Capcom's Monster Hunter 3 (based on translation over at NeoGAF), which comes as little surprise considering everyone and their grandmother loves the franchise in Japan.

The true question is: Will it receive such critical acclaim when it hits the States and Europe in early 2010?

[Thanks, Victor]

Monster Hunter Tri coming to US, Europe in (sigh) early 2010

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Aug 3rd 2009 at 12:00PM }

Wii owners eager to take sword in hand and slay humongous creatures had best take note of Capcom's latest announcement: Monster Hunter Tri is set to depart from Japan (and assured smash-hit status) and arrive in American and European homes in early 2010. The Wii incarnation will boast both online and offline cooperative modes, as well as "strikingly beautiful" graphics and the challenging quests that fans of the franchise have come to expect.

If you consider yourself to be outside that rather large group of the gaming population and have no idea what to expect, understand that among franchises like Devil May Cry and Resident Evil, Monster Hunter stands out as having a remarkably straightforward title. As the titular monster hunter, you'll track down and slay all manner of snarling creatures, only to turn them into better equipment to facilitate more dangerous monster hunt ... ery. Find it, stab it and then make it into a nice hat!

Gallery: Monster Hunter 3

Capcom ships 1 million copies of Monster Hunter 3 for Japan launch

by Randy Nelson { Jul 30th 2009 at 12:00AM }

Capcom is anticipating monstrous sales of its Wii-exclusive Monster Hunter 3 in Japan, having shipped one million units of the game to retailers in advance of its launch there this Saturday. As pointed out in a blog post on the publisher's community site, this makes it the first third-party Wii game in Japan to have an initial run of 1M copies.

Saturday's also a big day for Wii in general, as it's also when Nintendo launches a version of the system with a gloss black finish -- including bundles which will have Monster Hunter 3 as a pack-in. Wow, it's almost as if Nintendo and Capcom planned it that way. The game is slated to hit the US and Europe before next April; Nintendo claims the black Wii won't be leaving Japan.

Download free Monster Hunter Freedom Unite quests at Comic-Con

by Randy Nelson { Jul 15th 2009 at 6:00PM }

Capcom is issuing a call to all PSP-owning monster hunters, revealing that, if they bring their system and copy of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite to next week's San Diego Comic-Con, they'll be able to download eight free quests for the game. The company cautions those planning to do so that only six quests will fit on a memory stick (no file sizes are given), so you'd best bring a second MS Duo along just to be safe.

Four of the eight quests are said to be geared toward beginner-level players; the other eight are intended for Monster Hunter vets. Capcom has remarked that these freebies will serve as a taste of what's to come from the game's upcoming DLC, which will hit the PS Store every Friday through the end of 2009. (DLC quests for the game first became available earlier this month.)

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite does monsterously well in Japan

by Randy Nelson { Jul 8th 2009 at 10:00PM }

Japanese PSP owners are united in their love of Capcom's latest Monster Hunter installment. According to figures released today, Freedom Unite -- which just launched here in the US -- has sold a total of 3.5 million copies in Japan since its release there in March. Capcom notes that this includes 1 million in sales of the game's "The Best" budget line version.

The Monster Hunter franchise is not nearly as huge in the States, but that's something that could change once Sony finally releases its adhocParty app for PS3 here. It enables groups of PSP users to play online with full voice chat, which kinda makes coordinating to bring down the beasts a whole lot easier -- and fun.

Weekly Monster Hunter DLC begins today

by Andrew Yoon { Jul 3rd 2009 at 11:45AM }

Just like its Japanese counterpart, the English language version of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite will feature weekly downloadable content. Best of all, it'll be free! Expect updates every Friday for the next few months. The first content update, available today, is a new "Epic Hunting Quest" called "The Triumvirate of the Sands." This quest will feature the monsters Daimyo Hermitaur, Tigrex, Plesioth, and will take place in the desert (hence the "Sands" part, you see?). Survive and you'll be able to net 12300z.

In order to download the DLC, all you need to do is boot up the game in your PSP and click Download from the start menu. No need to log on to the PlayStation Network or download anything from the PlayStation Store. Not bad, huh?

Hunt monsters in Namco Bandai's 'God Eater'

by JC Fletcher { Jul 1st 2009 at 11:25AM }

Famitsu scans have revealed the God Eater project whose title was trademarked by Namco Bandai a couple of months ago. It's a multiplayer action game for PSP that appears aimed at the Monster Hunter market (which, let's be honest, every Japanese developer probably should be trying to do on the PSP). God Eater trades out the fantasy setting of Monster Hunter for a more futuristic, industrial venue. It features a mix of mythical creatures and big, robotic monsters.

According to Siliconera, God Eater will be out this fall in Japan. The existence of that US trademark suggests that the company will be releasing it here as well.