Monster Hunter: Global Phenomenon

Before its global release, *Monster Hunter Wilds* shattered pre-order records on Steam and PlayStation, echoing the phenomenal success of its predecessors, *Monster Hunter Rise* (2022) and *Monster Hunter: World* (2018). This achievement firmly establishes Capcom's unique RPG series as a major player in the global video game market. However, this wasn't always the case.

Less than a decade ago, such widespread global popularity would have seemed unimaginable. The original 2004 release received mixed reviews. It wasn't until the 2005 PSP release that the series truly exploded—in Japan. For years, *Monster Hunter* epitomized the "bigger in Japan" phenomenon. This article explores the reasons behind this and Capcom's successful strategy to conquer the international market, culminating in the triumphs of *Monster Hunter: World*, *Rise*, and now, *Wilds*.

This is the story of *Monster Hunter*'s journey from a domestic sensation to a global powerhouse.

Around the launch of *Street Fighter 5* in 2016, Capcom underwent a significant internal restructuring, preparing for a new generation of games powered by the RE Engine, replacing the aging MT Framework. This wasn't just a technological shift; it signified a commitment to creating games for a global, not just a region-specific, audience. Hideaki Itsuno, a former Capcom game director known for *Devil May Cry*, explains: "The change of the engine, and all teams were given a very clear goal at that point to make games that reach the global market. Games that are fun for everyone."

Capcom's earlier PS3 and Xbox 360 era titles often seemed to chase Western gaming trends, with mixed results. After several years, the company recognized the need for broader appeal. Itsuno emphasizes: "I think that we had that clear goal of just focusing and not holding anything back, towards making good games that would reach people from all over the world." The 2017 release of *Resident Evil 7* marked a turning point in this strategy.

No series better exemplifies this new global focus than *Monster Hunter*. While it had dedicated Western fans, its popularity in Japan dwarfed its international presence. This wasn't intentional, but several factors contributed. The PSP release of *Monster Hunter Freedom Unite* proved pivotal. Handheld gaming has always been stronger in Japan, and Japan's advanced wireless internet infrastructure allowed for seamless multiplayer experiences—crucial for *Monster Hunter*'s cooperative gameplay, as executive producer Ryozo Tsujimoto explains: "20 years ago, Japan was in a very, very solid state in terms of the network environments available to people, and being able to connect and to play online together…By moving over to handheld systems, we were able to grow that player base that was interacting and playing multiplayer together."

This success created a feedback loop. Japanese *Monster Hunter* sales led to Japan-centric content and events, reinforcing its image as a primarily Japanese franchise. However, Western fans yearned for more. As Western internet infrastructure improved, Tsujimoto saw an opportunity.

The 2018 release of *Monster Hunter: World* on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC was transformative. It offered AAA console-quality visuals, expansive environments, and larger monsters. Tsujimoto explains the naming choice: "The fact that we called it *Monster Hunter: World* is really kind of a nod to the fact that we wanted to appeal to this worldwide audience that we wanted to really dig into and experience *Monster Hunter* for the first time." Simultaneous global release and the elimination of Japan-exclusive content were crucial.

Extensive global playtesting was instrumental. Tsujimoto notes: "We did focus tests and user tests across the world, and some of the impact of those—the feedback and the opinions that we got during that—really affected how we designed our game systems and really affected how much success we had as a global title for that game." A simple change, displaying damage numbers, significantly improved the experience.

Sales figures dramatically increased. *Monster Hunter: World* and *Rise* both surpassed 20 million copies sold, a stark contrast to previous titles' sales of 1.3 to 5 million. This wasn't accidental; Capcom enhanced accessibility without compromising the core experience. Tsujimoto explains: "At its heart, *Monster Hunter* really is an action game, and that sense of accomplishment you get from really mastering that action is an important aspect of *Monster Hunter*. But for newer players, it's really getting to that point. The steps involved in getting to that sense of accomplishment is really what we're trying to strategize for, in terms of designing for new players."

*Monster Hunter Wilds* achieved 738,000 concurrent Steam players within 35 minutes of release, surpassing *Monster Hunter: World*'s peak. With positive reviews and planned future content, *Wilds* is poised to continue the series' global dominance.