Summary
While Capcom is home to several popular video game franchises,Monster Hunterhas been one of its staple series since the first game debuted in 2004. According to the official website, it’s one of the “premier franchises” in the video game industry. It’s no surprise that this is one of the reasons thatMonster Hunterhas become so successful for Capcom, second only to itsbest-selling seriesResident Evil.
Over the years,Monster Hunterhas released a staggering 63 titles across multiple different platforms. Though the series consists primarily of ARPGs, Capcom could consider breaching its usual formula to cater to a different audience. If the developers were to combine a few cozy elements with theMonster Huntername, it would have a good chance of yielding successful results.
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Monster Hunter Could Appeal to a Wider Audience
With excitement building around theupcomingMonster Hunter Now, it seems that Capcom is already beginning to think outside the box. It’s been stated that Niantic’s spinoff will be similar toPokemon GO, which means people will attempt to battle creatures on their mobile devices. However, while this could turn out to be a step in the right direction, this isn’t a feature that guarantees a wider audience.
The lore of theMonster Hunteruniverse is deep and the wide variety of monsters that exist in the franchise is fascinatingly vast. For example,Monster Hunter World: Icebornehas 94 monsters whileMonster Hunter Generations Ultimatehas 93. Though it’s true that many of theMonster Huntermonsters can be fearsome, there are plenty that people find to be cute and may want to collect or interact with in a friendlier environment.
One adorable species that may come to mind are the iconic Felynes, better known by their job title: Palicoes.Palicoes have made an appearance in everyMonster Huntergameand are so popular that they were also included in the 2020 live-action film. As such, it would make sense if these beloved cat-like creatures were the headliners for a cozyMonster Huntertitle. Of course, there are plenty of cute creatures Capcom could put in a game of this type, such as the fluffy Palumu species or the chubby and slow-moving Dodogama.
Additionally, althoughMonster Hunter Risehas a fast-paced environment, a slower speed may work better for a game that is meant to emphasize relaxation. Perhaps it could borrow elements ofAnimal Crossingto curate a game that focuses on customization and social simulation. However, maintaining aspects of combat could help differentiate it from other cozy games, similar to howStardew Valleylets players engage in battlewhen dealing with enemy NPCs.
TheMonster Huntergames can be grind-intensive, but they are also known for being friendly to players of every skill level. IfCapcom wanted to expand theMonster Hunterfranchiseand try its hand at publishing a cozy title, it would probably be well-received by the “comfort-gaming” community for these reasons. Though there’s often overlap between different categories of gamers, it’s likely there are some who haven’t played aMonster Huntergame before. It’s possible people could be incentivized to get into the series if it’s marketed in a different genre.
Capcom hasn’t announced any official plansfor a cozy-centric game, but it’s possible that the idea is already being examined. The formula for the mainstream games is still working, but that doesn’t mean the company can’t experiment. The developer has already mentioned in interviews that it is hoping to increase the popularity of the games in the Western markets and recognizes that there is room for growth. Perhaps a cozyMonster Huntergame is exactly what it needs.
