Vortex Gaming

· The base game price of Monster Hunter Wilds has been reduced by nearly 50% with the release of the Gold Edition.
· Typically, prices are lowered when game sales are sluggish, so releasing a more expensive package at this time is an unusual move.
· This signifies a permanent price adjustment, not just a temporary sale.

· The base game price of Monster Hunter Wilds has been reduced from $70 to $40, and in Japan, from ¥9,900 to ¥4,990.
· This action was taken 17 months after its release, and Capcom acknowledged that sales did not meet expectations.
· The existing Deluxe Edition, Premium Deluxe Edition, and Cosmetic DLC Pack have been discontinued. Instead, a Gold Edition including the base game and all cosmetic DLCs, a Collection consisting of 10 cosmetic DLC packs, and an additional cosmetic DLC pack have been released.
· Existing edition purchasers will not be disadvantaged, and the Gold Edition offers significant cost savings.

· Monster Hunter Wilds sold 8 million copies in just 3 days after its release, setting a new record for Capcom's fastest-selling game.
· This success was largely attributed to Capcom's strong reputation, the popularity of the Monster Hunter IP, and pre-order influence from previous successful titles, rather than the game's inherent quality.
· However, post-launch PC performance issues on Steam and low ratings (18% positive) led to a sharp drop in sales. Even six months after release, sales barely exceeded one million copies, with only 400,000 units sold in a specific quarter.

· After the performance improvement patch released in January 2026, gameplay stabilized, and Steam ratings rose to 70%.
· Initially, there was a bug where purchasing DLC improved game performance.
· Despite these improvements, subsequent sales were negligible compared to the initial launch figures, suggesting that many players were disappointed and left the game.

· The Monster Hunter World: Iceborne expansion sold 16 million copies, and the base Monster Hunter World sold 22.1 million copies.
· Monster Hunter Rise and Sunbreak also recorded sales of 18.6 million and 11.3 million copies, respectively.
· Capcom has employed a strategy of selling expansion packs almost like new games, leading to high conversion rates (over 60%).
· The current price reduction for Monster Hunter Wilds is analyzed as a calculated strategy by Capcom to lay the groundwork for future expansion pack sales.

· While expansion pack sales rates in typical games range from 10-20%, the Monster Hunter series significantly exceeds this figure.
· For Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, approximately 70% of base game purchasers bought the expansion.
· This demonstrates the success of Capcom's strategy: selling the base game at a lower price to acquire potential customers and then selling expansions with a high conversion rate.

· Early purchasers who bought Monster Hunter Wilds at full price and endured performance issues are expressing dissatisfaction as they receive no compensation from this price reduction and new edition release.
· Some are demanding the issuance of coupons for the new expansion, 'Ascension'.
· The price reduction itself isn't the issue; criticism stems from the fact that the game's fundamental problems, such as a lack of end-game content and repetitive farming elements, remain unresolved while only the price has been lowered.

· Early in the game's release, the lack of end-game content and repetitive farming elements drew significant player complaints.
· Furthermore, there was confusion during game balance adjustments, such as the separation of attack and defense skills and the introduction of the title system.
· Artificial difficulty increases, like abnormally inflating monster HP, diminished the game's enjoyment.
· While these issues are expected to be improved with the release of the expansion, a negative perception of the game currently persists.

· If you have already purchased the base game of Monster Hunter Wilds, repurchasing the Gold Edition is inefficient.
· Capcom is selling the existing cosmetic DLCs separately as collection products for these users.
· Therefore, it is more reasonable for existing purchasers to buy only the cosmetic DLC collections they need separately.

· The expansion pack 'Ascension' for Monster Hunter Wilds is expected to be released after 2027, with the exact price and release date yet to be determined.
· Capcom is employing a strategy to expand the potential user base through the price reduction and new edition release of Monster Hunter Wilds, aiming to generate a positive response upon the release of 'Ascension'.
· This demonstrates Capcom's seasoned business acumen, proven by the past success of the Monster Hunter series.

· Despite its initial launch issues, attention is focused on whether Monster Hunter Wilds can achieve a resurgence through Capcom's continuous efforts and the 'Ascension' expansion pack.
· The community hopes that the expansion will resolve the game's fundamental problems and provide a more complete experience.
· The future of the Monster Hunter series will be determined by Capcom's future actions and the success of 'Ascension'.