Monster Hunter 3 Debut Triples Wii Sales in Japan

[Keane Ng]

Monster Hunter 3 Debut Triples Wii Sales in Japan

Capcom's Monster Hunter 3 once again proved its dominance in Japan by selling roughly 500,000 copies in a single day, singlehandedly tripling sales of the Wii.

In case you doubted the power of the phenomenon that is Monster Hunter in Japan, here's your incontrovertible proof: Monster Hunter 3 on the Wii has sold over 500,000 copies in one day. Yes, these games might not be more than a niche thing here in the West, but in Japan, killing monsters and slicing them up to make weapons and armor is one of the biggest things since having to catch 'em all.

Not only did Monster Hunter 3 push 520,000 copies on its debut, it sent sales of Wii consoles into the stratosphere, pushing sales up nearly 300 percent from 23,995 last week to 95, 357 this week.

The game accomplished another feat by knocking off Dragon Quest IX, one of the other biggest releases in Japan this year, off the top spot on the sales charts. Can Monster Hunter match Dragon Quest's record-breaking 2.5 million copies sold in a week? I'm going to say no considering Dragon Quest's wider appeal and series history, but you never know.

So yeah, Japanese people are absolutely gaga over Monster Hunter. Not that they shouldn't be - they're fantastic games once you get a handle on them. Luckily enough, you will get a chance to do so early next year when Capcom releases [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/93603-Monster-Hunter-3-Coming-to-the-West-in-2010] the game in the West.

[Via GI.biz [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/wii-sales-increase-three-fold-as-monster-hunter-tri-tops-japanese-chart]]

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[Rodger]

Being bundled with a black wii certainly couldn't have hurt either. Seriously, that thing is sexy and better be heading to the west alongside MH3. Or before then.

 

[Monocle Man]

Aww, I was hoping Monster Hunter 3 would be for the PS3, with it always being on a Sony console and all.

The main reason I don't have any Monster Hunter game myself is the lack of friends who I would visit/would visit me solely to beat up some dragons (this is the case for the PSP games) and I didn't have one of those PS2 network adapters (the PS2 games) and the multiplayer is supposedly the best part of it. Having it on something with good online options is a necessity in a region without many gamers.

I played it at a friends house once, it seemed like it would be enjoyable if I could get used to the controls (what game uses the right joystick for combat instead of camera control?).
The fact that he let me play with his character against the big and very mean dragons didn't do much good, either.

Oh well, I suppose I can pick up one of the PSP games when that ad-hoc party-thing that allows me to play with distant players with the help of the PS3 comes up.

This certainly makes the Wii look more attractive to me.

 

[smithy1234]

This looks like quite the game, I wish it was here right now instead of next year

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

And in other news, Bobby Kotick is the devil!

Yeah this had to sell like crack in a whorehouse to be honest. I'm pissed this is coming out 2010 though, couldn't have killed them to muscle it into 2009. Ah well, it just makes 2010 look sweeter.

 

[Echolocating]

I don't get excited about video games very much anymore (if at all, lately), but for some reason this one ignites that child-like excitement. Definitely getting this one.

I watched the trailers for this game and the art direction and animation look top-notch. The creatures look and move like they have weight and size. I just hope they don't have unnecessary waggle motions to control the game... or at least give players a choice to use the classic controller.

 

[Quadtrix]

I'm glad this is coming to the Wii, but I wonder how much it takes advantage of the Wii's controls? I still think of the Wii as the type of console that needs exclusives that take full advantage of the system.

 

[CakeEater]

Being bundled with a black wii certainly couldn't have hurt either. Seriously, that thing is sexy and better be heading to the west alongside MH3. Or before then.

Just my thought

 

[Magnatek]

This better come out in the States!!! Seriously, I liked the first one for PS2, and it looks like the Wii would be perfect for this game, as long as it's still keeps the same concept.

[small]On a side note, I also can't wait for Dragon Quest IX, either.[/small]

 

[DRADIS C0ntact]

I won't be picking it up when it comes to the states. Mainly because I just sold my Wii. I'll wait until they release one on the PS3. Besides, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite has enough content in it to keep me busy for a long time.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Being bundled with a black wii certainly couldn't have hurt either. Seriously, that thing is sexy and better be heading to the west alongside MH3. Or before then.

Makes me want to trade in the boring white for something new and matte.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

I won't be picking it up when it comes to the states. Mainly because I just sold my Wii. I'll wait until they release one on the PS3. Besides, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite has enough content in it to keep me busy for a long time.

It's highly doubtful that they are going to release it on the PS3. It was originally coming to the console, but moved away from it due to 'high development costs'.

This better come out in the States!!! Seriously, I liked the first one for PS2, and it looks like the Wii would be perfect for this game, as long as it's still keeps the same concept.

[small]On a side note, I also can't wait for Dragon Quest IX, either.[/small]

Been slated for U.S. and EU release in 2010.

I'm glad this is coming to the Wii, but I wonder how much it takes advantage of the Wii's controls? I still think of the Wii as the type of console that needs exclusives that take full advantage of the system.

I don't think there is motion control, it uses classic controller, Wii Remote and Nunchuck, and I think the GameCube controller.

Being bundled with a black wii certainly couldn't have hurt either. Seriously, that thing is sexy and better be heading to the west alongside MH3. Or before then.

Makes me want to trade in the boring white for something new and matte.

I bought a black vinyl skin for mine last year. It looks nice, the difference between that and the black Wii is that the skin has white borders at the front as it can't cover the entire console completely.

 

[Menthos21]

I don't think there is motion control, it uses classic controller, Wii Remote and Nunchuck, and I think the GameCube controller.

The controls do use motion and they are crazy complicated - check the link below for details:

[link]http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/media.cfm?artid=14565&MedTID=4[/link]

 

[AlexTheBucket2112]

lucky Japanese. They get everything first... I sound like a child. I cannot wait for this game.

 

[KDR_11k]

Aww, I was hoping Monster Hunter 3 would be for the PS3, with it always being on a Sony console and all.

It was at first but when the PS3 failed to sell as much as the Wii Capcom axed the PS3 version and went with the Wii instead.

I just hope they don't have unnecessary waggle motions to control the game... or at least give players a choice to use the classic controller.

They don't require waggle (official statement: The game is played for a long time and waggle would hurt) and Nintendo even redesigned the classic controller just for MH3, there's a bundled pack of MH3 and the CC Pro.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

I don't think there is motion control, it uses classic controller, Wii Remote and Nunchuck, and I think the GameCube controller.

The controls do use motion and they are crazy complicated - check the link below for details:

[link]http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/media.cfm?artid=14565&MedTID=4[/link]

Hmmm...feck that for a laugh, I'll stick with classic controller pro. And...

[hr]Welcome To The Escapist![hr]

Stick an avatar up so we can put a face to the name, and I hope we cross paths again.

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Great job! Now release Monster Hunter for the xbox and ps3!

If you will excuse me, I'm off to attempt to defeat Akantor using a giant chicken drumstick.

 

[DRADIS C0ntact]

It's highly doubtful that they are going to release it on the PS3. It was originally coming to the console, but moved away from it due to 'high development costs'.

It doesn't bother me if they never release Monster Hunter 3 on the PS3, but I'm sure they'll eventually release a MH game on the PS3. These games have been exclusive to Sony consoles up until now. Monster Hunter 4 maybe? I like the MH games a lot, but there isn't any other game on the Wii that I find interesting. I can't justify owning a Wii solely for one game, so I'll wait.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

It's highly doubtful that they are going to release it on the PS3. It was originally coming to the console, but moved away from it due to 'high development costs'.

It doesn't bother me if they never release Monster Hunter 3 on the PS3, but I'm sure they'll eventually release a MH game on the PS3. These games have been exclusive to Sony consoles up until now. Monster Hunter 4 maybe? I like the MH games a lot, but there isn't any other game on the Wii that I find interesting. I can't justify owning a Wii solely for one game, so I'll wait.

Cool, good luck with that.

I will say though that Monster Hunter has only been around after this game for two generations. 'Up until now' doesn't really count, as the trend seems to show that they go for whichever console has the most sales, which happens to be the one with the cheapest development cost, rather than real console loyalty.

Hopefully I'm wrong though, let's see how it pans out, as development costs might drop for the console. And yes, owning a console for a single game isn't the smartest choice to make.

 

[Pendragon9]

Man, the Japanese must love their Monster hunter.

I remember when the PSP version came out, and they went nuts!