Monster Hunter Wilds Falling Behind Its Predecessor in Sales Figures

The developer revealed that Monster Hunter Wilds has sold 10.7 million copies following its release on February 27. Although this seems substantial, the latest installment is losing ground by the earlier game from four years ago, Monster Hunter Rise, which sold approximately 150,000 more units in the last financial quarter.

Sales Comparison Between the Games

By June's close, the figures showed Monster Hunter Wilds reached roughly 10.5 million units. Now, the total stands at 10.7 million. Meanwhile, Monster Hunter Rise had reached 17.5 million at that time and currently sits at 17.8 million. It's well known that the series often have long sales tails. As an example, Rise sold 7.5 million copies in the initial half-year, but required two years and a multiplatform launch to reach the 12 million mark. Nevertheless, it's unusual for a previous game to perform better than a fresh title, particularly in the early post-release period.

Player Reactions and Common Complaints

Capcom did not comment on this anomaly in the earnings document. However, a brief review at various Monster Hunter communities provides insight into the preference for earlier games. Frequent complaints include:

• Expansive areas lacking reasons to explore
• Hunts considered too easy by veterans
• Weak endgame content
• Minimal challenge and advancement feeling
• Persistent technical problems for PC users

Post-Launch Support Comparison

Above all, infrequent post-release support stands out. Capcom maintained a steady flow of patches for Monster Hunter Rise following launch. When it hit 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 patches, including minor cosmetic additions or slightly tweaked existing hunts.

Admittedly, a portion of the earlier game's patches only included collaboration events, but Wilds has seen few collaborations. Rise included Mega Man, Okami, Street Fighter, and Monster Hunter Stories events in the initial months. Wilds has seen just a fighting game collaboration and a Final Fantasy XIV crossover.

It's been four months since Capcom added a new monster to Wilds, and just three new beasts have appeared post-release. Rise got three new monsters in month two and more following the PC launch. Capcom announced Rise's expansion, Sunbreak, in the autumn of 2021, and there's no indication of a Wilds expansion yet. The trend is evident.