Why Monster Hunter Tri is Seeing Disappointing Sales

Monster Hunter Tri came out in Japan on August 1st. It was the third main title in the hugely popular action-RPG series. Monster Hunter Tri drew huge crowds the first day it launched and managed to become one of the best-selling games in Japan during 2009 almost instantly.

However, Capcom expected the game to perform better. The developer and publisher shipped 1 million copies to Japanese retailers. The game only sold half as much in its first week and dropped significantly in the second. Hundreds of thousands of Monster Hunter Tri copies remain on store shelves from its initial shipment. In fact, many retailers are heavily discounting the game in order to get rid of the excess stock.

Although it may be one of the best-selling games in Japan this year, Monster Hunter Tri is not selling as well as expected. So what led to the disappointing sales?

Part of the problem for the disappointing sales of Monster Hunter Tri is that it was released on the Nintendo Wii. The first two main titles were only on the Playstation 2. Not to mention that the handheld versions were for the PSP. Monster Hunter Tri was originally announced for the Playstation 3. As such, many consumers purchased that particular system in anticipation of the game. However, Capcom decided to make Monster Hunter Tri a Nintendo Wii exclusive title, which cut off a majority of their fan base on the Playstation platforms.

While the Monster Hunter series is still popular on the Playstation 2 and Nintendo Wii, it really strives on the PSP. This is because it really fits into the Japanese culture. For one, the portability makes the game accessible to those who spend a majority of the day away from home. Furthermore, the handheld games allow players to connect their PSP in close proximity, which makes for an addicting multiplayer experience for up to four players.

The PSP versions do lack one thing from the home console versions: online gameplay. At the same time, having the ability to connect to others far away also took away some sales for Monster Hunter Tri on the Nintendo Wii. This is because players need to pay a monthly fee in order to play it online. This scares away plenty of potential consumers, especially the younger ones who don't have money to spend on a subscription fee.

While Monster Hunter Tri is still a huge hit on the Nintendo Wii, it is also a disappointment in many ways. At the end of the day, however, Capcom will still make plenty of money from the latest entry in the Monster Hunter series.