Monster Hunter Wilds Falling Behind The Previous Game in Sales Figures

Capcom has announced that Monster Hunter Wilds has sold 10.7 million copies since its launch on the 27th of February. Although this seems substantial, the new title is losing ground by the earlier game from four years ago, Monster Hunter Rise, which outperformed by around 150,000 copies in Capcom's previous fiscal quarter.

Sales Comparison Between the Two Titles

At the end of June, Capcom reported Monster Hunter Wilds had sold about 10.5 million copies. Currently, sales have reached 10.7 million. In contrast, Monster Hunter Rise achieved 17.5 million by the end of June and currently sits at 17.8 million. It's well known that the series often have long sales tails. As an example, Rise shipped 7.5 million units in its first six months, but needed two years plus releases on multiple platforms to reach the 12 million mark. Still, it's quite rare for a previous game to perform better than a fresh title, particularly in the early post-release period.

Player Reactions and Common Complaints

The company remained silent on the unusual trend in the earnings document. However, a quick look at various Monster Hunter communities provides insight into why players are sticking with older titles. Frequent complaints include:

• Large maps with no exploration incentives
• Hunts considered too easy by veterans
• Weak endgame content
• General lack of friction and progression
• Ongoing performance issues on PC

Post-Launch Support Comparison

Above all, infrequent post-release support is notable. The developer provided a regular update schedule for Monster Hunter Rise after its debut. By the time it reached 7.5 million sales in the fall of 2021, Rise had received six major patches that added fresh creatures, expanded difficulty settings, and regular missions. In the same timeframe, Wilds has had five updates, some of which only added cosmetics or minor adjustments to current content.

Admittedly, a portion of the earlier game's patches focused on crossover content, but Wilds hasn't had many of those. Rise featured Mega Man, Okami, Street Fighter, and Monster Hunter Stories events in the initial months. Wilds has seen just a Street Fighter event and a FFXIV partnership.

Four months have passed since Capcom added a new monster to Wilds, and only three fresh critters have appeared post-release. Rise got three new monsters in its second month and several more in subsequent title updates. The company revealed Rise's expansion, Sunbreak, in the autumn of 2021, and there's no indication of a Wilds expansion yet. The message is clear.