Though one of Capcom’s strongest franchises in the more handheld-dominated market of the East, Monster Hunter has never seen similar numbers in the West. Going forward, this is something Capcom recognizes and hopes to fix.
Speaking with Esuteru (via NeoGAF), Capcom says they are looking very closely at the gaming market in the West. Estimating that handhelds only make up roughly 10% of the western market, the publisher knows things have to change if Monster Hunter is ever to really catch on. Pointing out the success of home consoles such as the PS4 and Xbox One, Capcom says the team is prepared to take the steps necessary to make Monster Hunter succeed.
Since the company doesn’t go into more detail, that can mean many things, from bringing a version of Monster Hunter to the recently announced Nintendo Switch, to bringing a version to the PS4 or Xbox One. From a pure numbers standpoint, the established user base of Sony and Microsoft’s consoles would make them the logical destination for a western-focused title. That said, the Switch promises to be a home console (appealing to the West) and a handheld (appealing to the established Monster Hunter fan-base in the East).
In our list of games we would love to see on the Switch, we included Monster Hunters Generations Ultimate, hoping such a game would capitalize on the stronger Switch hardware. But a PS4 and Xbox One version would be just as welcome. As we learn more about Capcom’s plans, you’ll find it right here on Gamespresso.