Let's talk Monster Hunter future: last Iceborne DLC and Switch upcoming game

[Bonejack]

I wonder if there's a chance a MH game announced at TGS or a Capcom event instead of a Direct could be a multiplat one, including Switch.

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Mind you, that is only my opinion and thoughts, but i don't see them making a "regular" MH game (World gameplay or older gen gameplay) that targets Switch mutliplatform. They could continue making content for World rather than that. Probably also cheaper than the costs of the up-dev for a Switch targeted one.

Really, if it's a *full* multiplatform game, it's probably a spin-off like Stories.

Though with the forecast they've made this year, they either massively overestimated what such a game would sell, or there's something else.

 

[Harmony]

I loved World but the lack of monster variety compared to previous games made me drop it quickly once I completed the story and did some endgame stuff. Wasn't really a fan of the convoluted, over-the-top level design for some areas though *cough* Ancient Forest *cough* and to many of the armour and weapon designs were just generic palette swaps compared to the fun and colourful stuff they previously did.

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I think the lack of monster variety is my biggest gripe with the game too. It feels less like a Monster Hunter game and more like a Dragon Hunter.
If MHW2 actually does take until 2023, i'd reckon building the different skeletons they'd need from scratch might actually take up a lot of the dev time.

 

[Theswweet]

You're trying to argue "why are Capcom making a Switch game instead of MHW2" while we're telling you that Capcom is making both, and not making a Switch game wouldn't speed up MHW2 development.

A Switch game would make them a ton of money, fill in a gap year, and overall makes sense.

 

[Oregano]

I wonder if there's a chance a MH game announced at TGS or a Capcom event instead of a Direct could be a multiplat one, including Switch.

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I'd have some questions to be honest:

1) If it's heavily based on World, isn't that a bit redundant on the platforms that already have it?

2) If it's entirely unique why isn't it just focused on PS/XB/PC like World? Why bother with Switch at all?

 

[Gay Bowser]

You're trying to argue "why are Capcom making a Switch game instead of MHW2" while we're telling you that Capcom is making both, and not making a Switch game wouldn't speed up MHW2 development.

A Switch game would make them a ton of money, fill in a gap year, and overall makes sense.

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I feel like the people not getting it just don't want to get it at this point.

 

[UltraMagnus]

I think a Switch game has the potential to be one of Capcom's best selling games ever too, quite possibly the best selling Capcom game in Japan ever, but the Switch is also incredibly popular in the West.

And the rate the system sells software at is (no pun intended) monstrous too.

 

[Rosebud]

Making a sequel to World and a Switch MH game are not mutually exclusive.

Like RE, they want a MH game every year. They're not going to get there with just the World series. Just like they alternate mainline RE titles with remakes, they can alternate World titles with a portable series on the Switch. This wouldn't even be anything new for the series.

Also, whatever Ichinose and his team are working on, they started development on it before Capcom had any idea MH World would blow up the way it has.

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MHW 2 should only have expansions tbh. No reason to release sequels every other year.

RE games are more linear, story-based.

 

[Zaimokuza]

The graph is not accurate. MHW sold 2M in the first week alone in Japan.

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Do you have a better estimate? My data mainly comes from the video that graph is taken from.

If you go back there, sure, it's a big dip, but still not as significant as I feel you and others are implying. And just look at the overall sales vs any of the others.

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Apparently that graph is not accurate, but 2 millions IS an enormous dip. Still, World 2 will come and is being/will be made by different people. A MH game on Switch does not, in any way, hinder World 2. Plus, addressing different markets with different audiences is more profitable than addressing the same audience on the same market twice. MH Switch + World 2 on PS5/PC will sell more than World 2 + World 3 both on PS5/PC, especially since they supported World for a long time. World 3 on the next gen would just eat the sales of World 2, seeing how World 1 keeps selling.

 

[Gay Bowser]

I think a Switch game has the potential to be one of Capcom's best selling games ever too, quite possibly the best selling Capcom game in Japan ever, but the Switch is also incredibly popular in the West.

And the rate the system sells software at is (no pun intended) monstrous too.

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There's a decent chance MH Switch outsells RE8, but no one is like "why would Capcom bother with RE8 when MHW2 would sell better!"

 

[UltraMagnus]

MHP3 is the best selling Capcom game in Japan right? I think MH Switch hypothetically has a real shot at taking that down and becoming the new no.1.

You'd be stupid to not make such a game.

 

[MatrixMan.exe]

people should just answer this question:
should capcom not make any game other than MHW2? nothing is gonna sell that much or as well as the original

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This is a silly question. They're obviously going to make a follow up to World, but they have enough resources to make other games in the franchise and make even more money. Y'all seem to forget that the Portable series ran adjacent to the mainline entries up until 4, and even then you had another team do the lionshare of the work on Generations while a lot of the core team from 4 worked on World.

Why suddenly there's a group of people who seem to think Capcom is only capable of making one Monster Hunter game at a time is beyond me. It doesn't make sense given how the franchise has been handled in the past.

 

[Łazy]

Let's say a MH games comes out for the switch and is titled 5. Which would be "main titles", number or world ? : D

Spoiler

I don't care about the answer.

Why would anyone think a Switch MH is happening when you look at Capcom's Switch support so far?

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Because Capcom doesnt support platforms too much early.
And at least the Switch got some DMC, Onimusha and so on. No support from them would be a lot different.

Also lol... no MH for the current hot platform ?
I personally don't play MH so... whatever, but it's not really a mindblowing surprise if happening.

This thread won't age well.

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This comment won't age well.

Spoiler

This spoiler won't age well.

 

[Schreckweg 5000]

I only remember some investors or whatnot asking Capcom for a junior audience game, but I can't remember the answer.

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Middle and high schoolers are not juniors mate.

 

[Lord Fanny]

Apparently that graph is not accurate, but 2 millions IS an enormous dip. Still, World 2 will come and is being/will be made by different people. A MH game on Switch does not, in any way, hinder World 2. Plus, addressing different markets with different audiences is more profitable than addressing the same audience on the same market twice. MH Switch + World 2 on PS5/PC will sell more than World 2 + World 3 both on PS5/PC, especially since they supported World for a long time. World 3 on the next gen would just eat the sales of World 2, seeing how World 1 keeps selling.

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Again, as I've stated, my point is not about this potential Switch game 'hindering' a potential World 2. I am not saying anything about a sequel to World, but I'm more talking about the new model and dynamic for the franchise as a whole. As I broke down before, there's several business and logical reasons why I find this unlikely. I guess I could see a multiplat title, but I think a dual mobile/Switch title is more likely based on Capcom's output on the system. We'll see, though, I guess. I think by and large how Capcom views the franchise has probably changed a good deal, though.

 

[hannybunny24]

I dont't get why people react so defensively to the idea of a Switch Monster Hunter entry, as if it would take something from them, instead of seeing it as either additive value to grow the franchise and thus MH World even more and bridge the gap between World entries, or at least as a game for a different audience as them that while it might not suit their interests is still a popular wish.

 

[UltraMagnus]

I don't think Capcom's other Switch projects have any bearing on a MH Switch.

MH Switch has the potential to be the best selling Capcom game ever in Japan and possibly one of their 5 best selling games ever globally.

You can't say that about Resident Evil 7 Switch port or something. That is an apples to oranges comparison.

One has a far greater sales potential. If you actually look at it too, Capcom's support for the 3DS wasn't really great outside of the Monster Hunter games.

 

[Deleted member 5596]

You're trying to argue "why are Capcom making a Switch game instead of MHW2" while we're telling you that Capcom is making both, and not making a Switch game wouldn't speed up MHW2 development.

A Switch game would make them a ton of money, fill in a gap year, and overall makes sense.

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A better question would be "Why not support MHW until MHW2 is released instead of making a Switch game?"

Making MHW a game with regular season updates until MHW2 is released would make way more money. Is more than the business model behind MH is really out of date and they are losing ton of money in the table.

 

[Lord Fanny]

Because Capcom doesnt support platforms too much early.
And at least the Switch got some DMC, Onimusha and so on. No support from them would be a lot different.

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What? Capcom has supported systems very early before, though usually with some exclusive deals like Dead Rising 3 and Street Fighter 5 both coming out super early in that system's lifetime. RE8 is next gen exclusive within their first year. So, that isn't true. The support from Capcom for the Switch has been legacy titles almost exclusively outside Mega Man 11, which is I believe the only new title that has come to the Switch. But there's never really been a point where Capcom has been totally absent from a system early on really.

I dont't get why people react so defensively to the idea of a Switch Monster Hunter entry, as if it would take something from them, instead of seeing it as either additive value to grow the franchise and thus MH World even more and bridge the gap between World entries, or at least as a game for a different audience as them that while it might not suit their interests is still a popular wish.

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Feels like the opposite to me. I think it's more people are pointing out how they feel it's unlikely, and people are defensive at the idea that others maybe don't see it as a done deal.

 

[Redcrayon]

I'd have some questions to be honest:

1) If it's heavily based on World, isn't that a bit redundant on the platforms that already have it?

2) If it's entirely unique why isn't it just focused on PS/XB/PC like World? Why bother with Switch at all?

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I was thinking more mobile/Switch to be honest.

A Switch game is still likely to be one of Capcom's top selling games, even if it only sells half of what World managed across PS/Xbox/PC. Having a Switch title selling 8m copies, in the years while MW2 is in development, is still a better investment of time and resources than pretty much anything else other than RE mainline. Their finances have relied on a MonHun game releasing every year, not every 5, and a Switch game is all but guaranteed to outsell the PSP/3DS ones that already sit in the list of Capcom's bestsellers. Not bad for a title designed to plug a gap in the release schedule and hit the JP portable audience that isn't on home consoles.

 

[Zodiark]

I dont't get why people react so defensively to the idea of a Switch Monster Hunter entry, as if it would take something from them, instead of seeing it as either additive value to grow the franchise and thus MH World even more and bridge the gap between World entries, or at least as a game for a different audience as them that while it might not suit their interests is still a popular wish.

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[UltraMagnus]

A better question would be "Why not support MHW until MHW2 is released instead of making a Switch game?"

Making MHW a game with regular season updates until MHW2 is released would make way more money. Is more than the business model behind MH is really out of date and they are losing ton of money in the table.

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I actually don't know about that. I think MH Switch if it happens will outsell MHW Iceborne.

I think if it releases in the next 6-9 months a MH Switch title has sales potential of over 5 million copies in Japan alone.

 

[Łazy]

I dont't get why people react so defensively to the idea of a Switch Monster Hunter entry, as if it would take something from them, instead of seeing it as either additive value to grow the franchise and thus MH World even more and bridge the gap between World entries, or at least as a game for a different audience as them that while it might not suit their interests is still a popular wish.

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If it's coming on Switch, it won't be well received by a lot of people. It's one of the 10 commandments written in 2017.

 

[Bonejack]

A better question would be "Why not support MHW until MHW2 is released instead of making a Switch game?"

Making MHW a game with regular season updates until MHW2 is released would make way more money. Is more than the business model behind MH is really out of date and they are losing ton of money in the table.

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One taps into a new base of players buying a game.

The other panders to an existing and maybe not much more growing userbase.

 

[Rosebud]

I dont't get why people react so defensively to the idea of a Switch Monster Hunter entry, as if it would take something from them, instead of seeing it as either additive value to grow the franchise and thus MH World even more and bridge the gap between World entries, or at least as a game for a different audience as them that while it might not suit their interests is still a popular wish.

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I own a Switch so not defensive, I just don't see why Capcom would make a exclusive game when Switch is a HD console anyway. Unless Nintendo pays for exclusivity or publish it in the West like other deals.

 

[Spiegel]

Do you have a better estimate? My data mainly comes from the video that graph is taken from.

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We can't say for sure but it's likely around 3M.
2M are the physical sales.

 

[MatrixMan.exe]

I own a Switch so not defensive, I just don't see why Capcom would make a exclusive game when Switch is a HD console anyway. Unless Nintendo pays for exclusivity or publish it in the West like other deals.

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Because it would make them money lol

 

[Lord Fanny]

I was thinking more mobile/Switch to be honest.

A Switch game is still likely to be one of Capcom's top selling games, even if it only sells half of what World managed across PS/Xbox/PC. Having a Switch title selling 8m copies, in the years while MW2 is in development, is still a better investment of time and resources than pretty much anything else other than RE mainline. Their finances have relied on a MonHun game releasing every year, not every 5, and a Switch game is all but guaranteed to outsell the PSP/3DS ones that already sit in the list of Capcom's bestsellers. Not bad for a title designed to plug a gap in the release schedule and hit the JP portable audience that isn't on home consoles.

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Yeah, Switch/mobile makes a lot of sense to me in this kind of context.

 

[En-ou]

MHW is one of the best games this gen. I keep coming back to it and amazed just how much fun I am having.

in contrast, I find the monster hunter game on switch to be impenetrable. I can't even finish the first hinting mission.

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Quite possibly the best game on the PS4 for me. So much depth and gameplay systems. And just fun and satisfying to play.

 

[Łazy]

I own a Switch so not defensive, I just don't see why Capcom would make a exclusive game when Switch is a HD console anyway. Unless Nintendo pays for exclusivity or publish it in the West like other deals.

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Big publishers in Japan like to make games that look premium for consoles and the others for portable.
So a MH Switch can also be another way to print that in people's mind.
That's also why you see lots of discussion about consoles where only xbox and ps are mentioned.

Nintendo makes toys, not consoles right...
Something like that : /.

 

[Oregano]

I was thinking more mobile/Switch to be honest.

A Switch game is still likely to be one of Capcom's top selling games, even if it only sells half of what World managed across PS/Xbox/PC. Having a Switch title selling 8m copies, in the years while MW2 is in development, is still a better investment of time and resources than pretty much anything else other than RE mainline. Their finances have relied on a MonHun game releasing every year, not every 5, and a Switch game is all but guaranteed to outsell the PSP/3DS ones that already sit in the list of Capcom's bestsellers. Not bad for a title designed to plug a gap in the release schedule and hit the JP portable audience that isn't on home consoles.

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Mobile is possible(Apple Arcade?) but I don't think the brand has been particularly successful on there. The recent MH Riders seems to be a failure.

I'm not sure if a mobile release would have ramifications on the game design too, would they build it with the expectation of players using a controller?

EDIT: Actually I'm not even sure they could successfully thread the needle on a $60 console game being on mobile too.

 

[Lord Fanny]

I own a Switch so not defensive, I just don't see why Capcom would make a exclusive game when Switch is a HD console anyway. Unless Nintendo pays for exclusivity or publish it in the West like other deals.

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Yeah, the whole defensive thing is silly lol. But people are still angry and bitter about the switch from portable to console, and I guess people don't like the suggestion that the series may not be coming back to portable in any significant way so they lash out. Which I get. It was a big change.

 

[Deluxera]

After enjoying so much success by going multiplatform I don't see why Capcom should return to making games exclusive to one piece of hardware.
They could totally make that "middle/high school" game for the Switch and also releasing on other platforms. There are middle and high schoolers on Playstation, Xbox and PC you know.

 

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Is there a confirmed switch game? I thought it was just utter fantasy at this point.

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What Switch game? Lol

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What a Switch game would be? A less demanding MH World?

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There's no upcoming game for Switch, obviously.

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As I've mentioned before in the Direct thread, I have it on good authority that Stories (or potentially a Stories 2) is coming to Switch soon.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

This is a silly question. They're obviously going to make a follow up to World, but they have enough resources to make other games in the franchise and make even more money. Y'all seem to forget that the Portable series ran adjacent to the mainline entries up until 4, and even then you had another team do the lionshare of the work on Generations while a lot of the core team from 4 worked on World.

Why suddenly there's a group of people who seem to think Capcom is only capable of making one Monster Hunter game at a time is beyond me. It doesn't make sense given how the franchise has been handled in the past.

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that's my point tho. people argue that capcom should focus on MHW2 since MHW is their best selling game, but they can obviously do that and also continue the portable series (which is what they're already doing based on the info we have). saying a portable MH is pointless since it's not gonna do as well as world makes no sense, because then capcom shouldn't make RE/DMC/whatever games either. only when it comes to portable MH people get concerned about capcom losing focus.

 

[Deleted member 5596]

I actually don't know about that. I think MH Switch if it happens will outsell MHW Iceborne.

I think if it releases in the next 6-9 months a MH Switch title has sales potential of over 5 million copies in Japan alone.

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It might or not, but that's not relally relevant. The fact that the game got an expansion and not season passes or the game didn't tapped to it's microtransaction potential is kind of the point.

Due to it's gameplay loop and refined gameplay they have such potential as a 'game of service' that companies like EA and Activision must jealous and faceplaming at the same time.

One taps into a new base of players buying a game.

The other panders to an existing and maybe not much more growing userbase.

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Sure, but Fortnite didn't created a new Fortnite game for Switch. Apex Legends didn't created a new spin-off for Switch. They included the platform and it's players inside the wheel.

This is not a personal preference, I too prefer a new game for Switch, but if we are talking about 'making money' is not like what the way of Capcom handling the MH is the best given the current times and where the industry is heading.

 

[Oregano]

As I've mentioned before in the Direct thread, I have it on good authority that Stories (or potentially a Stories 2) is coming to Switch soon.

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That would probably be worse than no MH on Switch. =P

 

[MatrixMan.exe]

that's my point tho. people argue that capcom should focus on MHW2 since MHW is their best selling game, but they can obviously do that and also continue the portable series (which is what they're already doing based on the info we have). saying a portable MH is pointless since it's not gonna do as well as world makes no sense, because then capcom shouldn't make RE/DMC/whatever games either. only when it comes to portable MH people get concerned about capcom losing focus.

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Oh right, I understand what you mean and it's true, it's weird concern trolling / gatekeeping at best. There's no reason why MH can't have a Portable and Console series running simultaneously, and it means that whenever one series entry begins to wind down in preparation for the next, the other series can pick up the slack and MH still gets their MH revenue.

How that shakes out financially in practice remains to be seen but at the very least, MH on Switch would several orders of magnitude better than any portable entry before it. Not chasing that is leaving money on the table, but luckily Capcom isn't being run by random Era posters.

That would probably be worse than no MH on Switch. =P

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We can have both!

 

[Bonejack]

Sure, but Fortnite didn't created a new Fortnite game for Switch. Apex Legends didn't created a new spin-off for Switch. They included the platform and it's players inside the wheel.

This is not a personal preference, I too prefer a new game for Switch, but if we are talking about 'making money' is not like what the way of Capcom handling the MH is the best given the current times and where the industry is heading.

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Fortnite didn't need to make a new Fortnite game, it had a Switch version. Apex Legends didn't have to, it had a Switch version.

World doesn't have a Switch version. It doesn't even have cross-progression and cross-play (iirc about the latter).

E: Heck it doesn't even have release and feature parity between all of it's platforms *cough*PC*cough*!

So why are you comparing these games?

Besides, Iceborne sales were down from World, do you expect that sales would be up from Iceborne if Capcom would make another paid expansion like it was for World?

We can have both!

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We only would need Capcom realizing what most people would want of the two. Or short: Watch Capcom focus on Stories 2 if it really exists. Failing to read the room kinda.

 

[shinken]

A better question would be "Why not support MHW until MHW2 is released instead of making a Switch game?"

Making MHW a game with regular season updates until MHW2 is released would make way more money. Is more than the business model behind MH is really out of date and they are losing ton of money in the table.

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But that is not a better question. What do you think are gonna make Capcom waaaaaaaaaaay more money? By continuing supporting MHW or making a new MH for the Switch? Do you think MHW can sell another 8 or so million copies between now and MHW2? (which I think a Switch version will sell and that's a conservative estimate, in Japan alone a Switch MH will most likely sell at least 4-5m)

This is the perfect time to release a MH game for the Switch. It's also gonna be relatively cheap, cause the MH team looooooooves to reuse assets.

 

[AfterTheFall]

There most likely is something in the works for Switch but I'm guessing it will be a spin-off we shall have to wait and see.

 

[UltraMagnus]

It's not like there's some law Capcom couldn't port MH Switch to other platforms eventually. Resident Evil Revelations started off as a 3DS only title and was eventually ported to like 6 other platforms.

They'd probably take a sweetheart deal from Nintendo for 1 year exclusivity and then port it to other systems after, DQXI S seems to be the same deal as well.

 

[Deleted member 37917]

I'm very much willing to accept the idea of a Monster Hunter Switch since the ship has sailed for MHW on the system; I'd be surprised if the game was exclusive to Nintendo's console though.

 

[Deleted member 5596]

Fortnite didn't need to make a new Fortnite game, it had a Switch version. Apex Legends didn't have to, it had a Switch version.

World doesn't have a Switch version. It doesn't even have cross-progression and cross-play (iirc about the latter).

So why are you comparing these games?

Besides, Iceborne sales were down from World, do you expect that sales would be up from Iceborne if Capcom would make another paid expansion like it was for World?

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DLC expansions selling less from base games is the normal. That's why the industry is backing away from DLC/Expansions and focusing on MST and 'Season passes', which is why I mention Fortnite and Apex Legends, which are games that thrive on having a huge player engagement over time as MH should.

 

[Oregano]

It might or not, but that's not relally relevant. The fact that the game got an expansion and not season passes or the game didn't tapped to it's microtransaction potential is kind of the point.

Due to it's gameplay loop and refined gameplay they have such potential as a 'game of service' that companies like EA and Activision must jealous and faceplaming at the same time.



Sure, but Fortnite didn't created a new Fortnite game for Switch. Apex Legends didn't created a new spin-off for Switch. They included the platform and it's players inside the wheel.

This is not a personal preference, I too prefer a new game for Switch, but if we are talking about 'making money' is not like what the way of Capcom handling the MH is the best given the current times and where the industry is heading.

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I think the logical assumption is that like past Ichinose games the hypothetical Switch game would largely be based on World anyway, but as Portable 3rd did it would have unique content or features in places of ones not easily transferable to Switch.

As I said in the Direct thread though taking any new monsters from the hypothetical Switch game and making them DLC for World would be an easy way to keep support for that game going.

 

[Mr Swine]

I think it's a bit odd that Capcom is not at least making 1 more Expansion for MHW where it sells at least 3-4 million

 

[Bonejack]

DLC expansions selling less from base games is the normal. That's why the industry is backing away from DLC/Expansions and focusing on MST and 'Season passes', which is why I mention Fortnite and Apex Legends, which are games that thrive on having a huge player engagement over time as MH should.

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Which, again, isn't the point since World isn't a full GaaS-game and i'm pretty sure Capcom won't change their monetization this late in World's lifetime.

 

[shinken]

Let's say a MH games comes out for the switch and is titled 5. Which would be "main titles", number or world ? : D

Spoiler

I don't care about the answer.

Because Capcom doesnt support platforms too much early.
And at least the Switch got some DMC, Onimusha and so on. No support from them would be a lot different.

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I wouldn't call releasing some old ass PS2 games "support". Instead of doing a DMC collection, they released them separately.
Yeah, this is the "support" Nintendo are getting from Capcom.

 

[UltraMagnus]

I wouldn't call releasing some old ass PS2 games "support". Instead of doing a DMC collection, they released them separately.
Yeah, this is the "support" Nintendo are getting from Capcom.

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It's not really comparable though.

It's not like if Capcom made a DMC game from the ground up for the Switch that it has a sales potential of 8 million copies or something.

Monster Hunter does.

The franchise has a unique legacy with Nintendo platforms and portable platforms in particular, things like DMC and even Resident Evil are not comparable. MH really broke out on the portable PSP and the best selling MH games in Japan are all the portable ones.

 

[Xion_Stellar]

I don't know something didn't click with me in Iceborne and I dropped the game immediately after beating the final boss and no amount of free monsters and other additions ever stoked my interest enough to bring me back in. The only thing I can say for sure is that I dislike the live aspects of the game where "DLC" Quests are on rotation and that they "lock" armor sets behind seasonal events.

In every single portable Monster Hunter game this was never an issue for me because once DLC was released it was part of the game forever nothing was rotated out and I wasn't being compelled to jump on Monster Hunter just to play some season content or else I miss out on stuff.

In opinion Capcom should either fully commit to the live aspect and release a new version of Monster Hunter Online in the West or don't bother at all and stick with their traditional portable DLC plans because I don't like the in-between approach they did with Monsters Hunter Tri and Monster Hunter World.

 

[Alek]

Switch or not, the next MH game will be announced this year provided that the game is not delayed. Ichinose the Director of the portable MH games has been working on his game for at least 3 years.

MH is annual franchise. Gaijin Hunter explains it better here

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Probably worth noting that the development costs and time for Monster Hunter World will likely have skyrocketted compared to previous games.

Also, there's been that small matter of a global pandemic.

There's also the matter of new hardware. Many developers haven't had PS5 dev kits for all that long.

So, I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see things on that schedule.