There are no surprises in this week's Media Create chart as Nintendo 3DS exclusive Monster Hunter XX topped the software charts with a frightening debut of almost 850k units. We wonder whether Capcom will use the success as a means to justify another couple of years of PlayStation Portable assets, or whether it's panicking over the fact that the Nintendo Switch is going to force it into upgrading the series' visuals at last.
PlayStation 4 continued its steady start to the year, selling another 34k units or so cumulatively between models. It was buoyed by the release of sexy Splatoon-esque third-person shooter Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash, which moved a reasonable 53k units in total. Elsewhere, Horizon: Zero Dawn's still clinging on to the top ten, with its life-to-date sales now nearing 200k units – a very good number for Guerrilla Games.
Hardware Sales
- Switch – 49,913 (61,998)
- New 3DS LL – 33,352 (18,360)
- PlayStation 4 – 28,805 (28,902)
- PlayStation Vita – 8,004 (8,398)
- 2DS – 6,131 (4,094)
- PlayStation 4 Pro – 5,823 (6,398)
- New 3DS – 2,796 (1,227)
- PlayStation 3 – 2,212 (639)
- Wii U – 368 (430)
- Xbox One – 135 (117)
Software Sales
- [3DS] Monster Hunter XX (Capcom, 03/16/17) – 848,467 (New)
- [PS4] Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash (Limited Edition Included) (Marvelous, 03/15/17) – 53,747 (New)
- [PSV] Accel World VS. Sword Art Online (Bandai Namco, 03/15/17) – 38,653 (New)
- [NSW] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Limited Edition Included) (Nintendo, 03/03/17) – 32,115 (262,977)
- [PS4] Accel World VS. Sword Art Online (Bandai Namco, 03/15/17) – 32,016 (New)
- [PS4] Ghost Recon: Wildlands (Ubisoft, 03/09/17) – 26,628 (116,419)
- [PS4] Horizon: Zero Dawn (SIE, 03/02/17) – 18,096 (169,385)
- [PS4] Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix (Square Enix, 03/09/17) – 16,161 (78,931)
- [NSW] 1-2-Switch (Nintendo, 03/03/17) – 15,456 (115,737)
- [PS4] NieR: Automata (Square Enix, 02/23/17) – 12,242 (269,310)
- [Wii U] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo, 03/03/17) – 11,308 (73,392)
- [3DS] Pokemon Sun / Pokemon Moon (Nintendo, 11/18/16) – 10,128 (3,211,045)
- [PS4] YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World (Limited Edition Included) (5pb., 03/15/17) – 9,629 (New)
- [3DS] Future Card Buddy Fight: Mezase! Buddy Champion! (FuRyu, 03/15/17) – 9,349 (New)
- [PSV] YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World (Limited Edition Included) (5pb., 03/15/17) – 8,858 (New)
- [PS4] Grand Theft Auto V (Low Price Version) (Take-Two, 10/08/15) – 6,012 (303,506)
- [3DS] Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3 Professional (Square Enix, 02/09/17) – 5,751 (178,604)
- [3DS] Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS (Nintendo, 12/01/16) – 5,646 (995,522)
- [NSW] Super Bomberman R (Konami, 03/03/17) – 5,583 (50,756)
- [PS4] Super Robot Wars V (Limited Edition Included) (Bandai Namco, 02/23/17) – 4,680 (126,486)
[source 4gamer.net, via gematsu.com]
Comments 25
Will be interesting to see what happens to Monster Hunter now. If they're going to upgrade the assets to Switch then it'll be interesting to see whether they put it on PS4 as well.
@get2sammyb didn't the monster hunter series start out as a ps2/psp exclusive series?
@darkswabber It did, yeah. I think the first one was on PS2 and then it blew up on PSP.
I know Nintendo's had a hand in it of late, but I firmly believe one of the reasons it's remained on 3DS is because Capcom doesn't want to update the graphics. It basically hasn't changed much since those original PS2/PSP days. So it's going to be fascinating to see how it tackles the jump to the Switch, and whether it'll put the series on the PS4 as well for worldwide sales.
Obviously I understand Monster Hunter is a handheld series first and foremost, but I think if they truly want to break the Western market, they need to be on PS4 at some point.
@get2sammyb since the switch is a handheld console I could see the series continueing on the switch and if the reason behind it not being on home consoles (aside from 3) is lazyness than there probably is a moderate change of the series coming back to playstation especially since the switch is a HD console. (One update in textures, models and graphics and they're set for the next 3 nintendo and sony consoles)
@get2sammyb Or...maybe....get this....
Its still on 3DS because it sells? You know. Money. The one thing Capcom wants.
PLus they confirmed the engine is running on Switch already so...just like Fire Emblem, which historically sold better on handhelds and is jumping to Switch next year, it's probably landing on Switch.
SD assets aren't why it isn't coming to PS4. Money is.
@BLP_Software There's going to come a point where the 3DS is outdated, and if they're bringing it to the Switch they're going to have to update the assets.
@get2sammyb luckily playstation has toukidon (did I write that right?) which might not be as popular but still is a great alternative.
@get2sammyb Yeah. They will. And I expect Capcom will stick to where the 3DS, Monster Hunter success making userbase is going to go.
Plus, why would they establish such success with that install base, to bring it over to a system with a different install base that hasn't played MH, when the system will be 4+ years old? It'll be replaced in less than that time, so they'd have to start again with another set of hardware and another new userbase soon after.
Which is why I think they'll do the logical thing: Take it to Switch as the 3DS is fazed out, as that install base grows with its longer shelf life ahead of it, with users who had MH on 3DS.
Also, MH in HD right? That's your argument for it coming to PS4?
Why hasn't it happened yet?
I could see them making one for Switch shouldn't be too hard after all there was one on the Wii U.
I believe Capcom has already said that the games that use the current graphic engine are done, meaning that a new and improved one is already on the way. Now whether that's on a Sony or Nintendo system or both, who knows besides Capcom. All I know is that I'm covered. I have the PS4, Wii U, & "New" 3DS; and at some point within the year, I'll buy the Switch.
All I know, is that the MH series on the 3DS is one of my current favorite series on all consoles. There's a learning curve that you must get over first but once you do, the series gives back sooooo much.
@BLP_Software Wasn't Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate just an updated port of a Wii game, which kinda supports my point about Capcom sticking with the out-dated assets?
There was clearly a moneyhat from Nintendo in place around that period, and it served Capcom well because it's been able to essentially use the PSP assets through into 2017.
Here's what Capcom said in a press release when Monster Hunter 3 was first announced for Nintendo platforms:
'Due to high development cost of titles for PS3, we have decided to switch the platform to which we release our Monster Hunster 3 title,' Capcom managing corporate officer Katsuhiko Ichii said.
https://web.archive.org/web/20081028212918/http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2007/10/10/afx4204151.html
So, I'll go back to my original point: they're going to have to update the assets when they transition to Switch. And unless Nintendo moneyhats them again, then I believe they'll try to leverage the PS4's global audience as well.
@get2sammyb Do you know what they do if a global audience doesn't receive something well? They drop it.
Did MH do well on PS2? I think it did. Did it do as well as it did on 3DS? Different times, hard to say. Maybe the PS4 is the place for it.
At the end of the day, do I care? No. If it takes one more thing from Nintendo then awesome. Does me a favour and kicks the Switch back where it belongs.
But while I'm ot the biggest fan of the company or system right now, you say the PS4 has a global audience. And Switch doesn't? I mean sure, its not as big, and I doubt it ever will hit where the PS4 is at now, but I expect it to be a decent audience.
It depends on what Capcom wants to do. Personally I say they should give Nintendo the finger and take it to where the industry is going for the better.
PS3 received "Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD" in Japan, but it was never localized. 3rd P or Portable 3rd was a FANTASTIC MH title, far better than the 3 'series' in my opinion.
I'd love to see a modern MH game on a modern console, but my hopes are low. Even if they were to release a all new Monster Hunter, I bet it would be more similar to the newer releases rather than the classics.
@BLP_Software "But while I'm not the biggest fan of the company or system right now, you say the PS4 has a global audience. And Switch doesn't? I mean sure, its not as big, and I doubt it ever will hit where the PS4 is at now, but I expect it to be a decent audience."
Well, that's the point, isn't it? Here's what Capcom Chairman of the Board Kenzo Tsujimoto said about Monster Hunter last year:
"By the year 2020, Capcom is predicting that the PlayStation 4 will sell around 100 million consoles with Microsoft’s Xbox One estimated around 40-50 million.
"When speaking of sales in the West for Monster Hunter G, he explained that the handhelds represent only 10% of the dedicated videogame market in the West to explain the low sales figures for Monster Hunter G. In Japan, the game has done well mostly because handhelds reign supreme in the land of the Rising Sun.
"Tsujimoto essentially said that Capcom needs to take advantage of where most users are playing on."
http://wccftech.com/capcom-monster-hunter-growth-west/
My perspective is that if they're going to have to update the assets to take advantage of the Switch and they want to grow the brand outside of Japan then they'll put the next Monster Hunter on PS4 and Switch.
The biggest market for the game is always going to be handhelds in Japan, but if they're making HD assets at last, they'd be absolutely insane not to port it to the PS4. Unless, of course, there's a moneyhat in place.
@get2sammyb Well lets hope that Sony moneyhats it harder. If they are the ones to take everything third parties can offer away from Nintendo then awesome. That makes me a lot happier.
However, taking away my current desire to resell my unit and tell Nintendo where to shove it, Capcom would be insane to release it ONLY on PS4 as well. For obvious reasons.
This is where I think, unfortunately, the Switch HAS to see a release. In the relative East, it's a handheld. In the relative West, it's a home console. For one, it's a portable MH game that you can put on your TV if you want it. For the other, it's a MH game you can also take anywhere, if you want it.
I think I've made which I prefer abundantly clear over the past two weeks. While I enjoy the hardware and did have fun with what little there is to enjoy, I don't think Switch is going to do well. Which is a bit of a shame as I'd end up Sony only again, but you guys seem to manage so I'll hit that backlog.
@BLP_Software Sony couldn't moneyhat it because it would be prohibitively expensive. As I said in my previous post, the primary market for this franchise will always be on handhelds in Japan, and Sony doesn't have the right hardware out to make that work.
I think we're on the same page. Monster Hunter will definitely come to the Switch. All I'm trying to say is that given what Capcom's said about the West, then it makes sense for them to put whatever that game is on the PS4 as well because they're going to have to update the assets anyway.
Guess word got out PS3 was ending, that's the only reason I can see for PS3 sales tripling as there isn't a single PS3 game in the top 20 list. 2,200 may not be a lot for a week but it's a last Gen 10 year old console with no games.
@rjejr Yeah, definitely the factor for that increase.
@get2sammyb
I think Nintendo will moneyhat them for sure, and I'm not going to b*tch about it if it happens either because Sony and MS do this plenty.
I expect an HD MonHun title will come to the PS4. That platform is explosively popular in the West, and now that they know the franchise can do reasonably well over here, it makes sense for it to come to PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo could pay for exclusivity, but they'd probably have to pony up a lot of cash.
@BLP_Software It seems that Toukiden sells good enough to release it in Europe on the console. So why should MH stay a handheld game. I will never understand plus a huge userbase on the PS4.
A PS4 Monster Hunter title would be fantastic. Though I still love the 3DS titles, I'd always prefer better graphics.
At this point, I'd be willing to accept a MH game on the PS4 with 3DS graphics.
Switch sales keep falling. Will PS4 be back on top next week?
@darkswabber @get2sammyb
Laziness may be a factor. I remember reading an article on Pokemon where they said that the Switch was "too powerful" to put a main series Pokemon game onto.
Also a handful of other Japanese developers that use handheld limitations as an excuse.
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