PlayStation 5 console and peripheral prices have negatively affected Monster Hunter Wilds‘ commercial performance, says Capcom president Haruhiro Tsujimoto.
In a newly published interview with Nikkei Gaming (via ResetEra), Tsujimoto spoke about how, despite Monster Hunter Wilds‘ near immediate commercial success, it didn’t meet Capcom’s internal goals. The interview, while just released, dates back to May 2025.
Monster Hunter Wilds, the successor to 2018’s Monster Hunter: World, was first released on Feb. 28, 2025, and within its first hour on digital game retailer Steam, it welcomed nearly 1 million players. The action RPG sold a staggering 8 million units in just 72 hours, a stat that propelled it to the top of Capcom’s list of fastest-selling releases. Wilds has also spotlighted collaborative content from other prominent franchises, including Final Fantasy and Street Fighter.
By March, Wilds surpassed 10 million units sold. Since then, suboptimal reviews citing a lack of content and performance issues have sunk the game’s aggregated Steam rating.
Based on initial figures, Tsujimoto named the Sony PlayStation 5 as the game’s primary platform. However, when accounting for costly peripherals, subscription-based offerings like PlayStation Plus, and recently raised console prices, he says Monster Hunter Wilds has become cost-prohibitive.
” … we also found that the “PS5 barrier” is unexpectedly large. The console costs about 80,000 yen in Japanese yen. When you factor in the cost of software and monthly subscriptions, it comes to about 100,000 yen at the time of purchase. This is not an amount that can be easily reached, especially for younger generations. This situation is not limited to Japan, but is similar overseas as well.
“Our next challenge is to overcome these obstacles and get Monster Hunter Wilds to as many people as possible. Sales will begin in the future, so we are currently formulating a strategy to take advantage of these opportunities to boost sales throughout the year.
“The Nintendo Switch 2 was released in June 2025 at a price of 49,980 yen (tax included), and the response was better than we had expected. While prices vary by country, this reaffirmed the high level of cost-consciousness among ordinary consumers.”
At the time of writing, ¥80,000 is about $538, while ¥100,000 converts to around $673. With a $70 “new normal” for AAA titles, many penny-pinching players are turning back to Monster Hunter: World, likely because of fewer technical concerns, replayability, and its comparatively modest price tag.
Ultimately, Tsujimoto believes rising prices and budget-conscious consumers are to blame for waning appeal.
“One of the key points in this case is price. “Monster Hunter: World,” which has been on the market for about seven years, is currently selling for $9.90. In comparison, “Monster Hunter Wilds” is priced at $70. How many users will buy it at that price range?
“Furthermore, since the main platform is the PlayStation 5 (PS), we had to take that into account to determine whether we could achieve an initial sales figure of 10 million units. In that regard, we used the data we had accumulated up to that point to develop marketing that would reach the target user demographic.”
Tsujimoto also acknowledged the success of Nintendo’s Switch 2 handheld. “The Nintendo Switch 2 was released in June 2025 at a price of ¥49,980, and the response was better than we expected,” he said. “While prices vary by country, this reaffirms the high level of cost-consciousness among ordinary consumers.”
He lamented the global economy’s impact on young people around the world. “This is not an amount that can be easily reached, especially for younger generations. This situation is not limited to Japan, but is similar overseas as well.”
Capcom’s current task? Increase accessibility. The brand is “currently formulating a strategy” to “boost sales” of Monster Hunter Wilds. Based on Tsujimoto’s Nintendo praise, a Switch 2 version of Wilds seems like a no-brainer — once the assorted performance issues are hammered out, that is.
Monster Hunter Wilds is currently available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
Follow us on MSN for more content you love.
A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
Leave a Reply