3DS gets Monster Hunter (sales data added)

[Julius Seeker]

This is some fairly huge news for Japan. The DS sold 33 million in Japan - a videogame hardware sales record for the country, but it was missing one key franchise, and that franchise was Monster Hunter. This coming generation that has been fixed.

N-Europe Reports

After months of rumours and speculation a Nintendo 3DS version of the beloved Monster Hunter series has been confirmed in the newest issue of Famitsu. According to Andriasang Monster Hunter 3G is set to be released later this year in Japan.

The title is due to feature a local wireless multiplayer mode and is an expanded version of Monster Hunter 3 / Tri on the Wii, which the above screenshot is from. Several changes will be made but it is still set to feature a lot of content, including water elements that were absent from the PSP game Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, which are set to have a slightly different control layout for these parts.

Blakidios will be the new cover monster for Monster Hunter 3G according to the original Famitsu report. The Nintendo 3DS touch screen will be used to make your character turn to face larger beasts. Monster Hunter 3G is set to utilise the newly announced slide pad attachment and will be playable at the Tokyo Games Show next week so expect more details soon.

[Julius Seeker]

Some screens, unfortunately limited to 2D, so they lack that lifelike quality they have in 3D.

[Julius Seeker]

Now to show the beginning results of the actual impact of this acquisition has had within the Japanese market:

This week Monster Hunter 3G sold 155,069 units according to media create - and it now totals 885,456 after 3 weeks of sales (which is very high considering the 3DS has a userbase of 4 million).

Also according to Media Create, despite an initial shipment of 700,000 the Vita didn't sell spectacularly, and actually fell behind the 3DS for the week of its launch.
3DS - 367,691
Vita - 324,859

On its second week, this week: 3DS sales increased and Vita's dropped down heavily:
3DS 482,200
Vita 72,479

This leads me to believe that the big success that PSP had in Japan may have been largely due to the Monster Hunter (PSP sales spikes seemed to fall around release dates of Monster Hunter); which is incredibly popular in Japan as a handheld game. Monster Hunter really had a massive impact on the fortunes of both the 3DS and Vita on their homefront. Essentially the fanbase moved over to 3DS, and bulked up sales numbers, and the lack of those fans buying the Vita seems to have had a large negative impact. Some of this might also be a result of Monster Hunter 4 anticipation; as it will release on 3DS sometime next year.

http://andriasang.com/comzjb/media_create_hardware/

[bovine]

More like yawnster hunter.

[Zeus]

More like yawnster hunter.

Love it or hate it, it's the reason the PSP was a success in Japan. Heck, that system may not have survived without Monster Hunter over there....or at all. Japan was basically the only thing keeping the PSP going, it pretty much bombed everywhere else

Look at how well a re-release of a 2 year old game is doing. Imagine what the sales are gonna be like when #4 comes out.....