This week, Capcom and Nintendo revealed the release date for Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin. The game will hit both PC and Switch on July 9, and the world was a little bit shaken by the fact that this game isn’t going to be a Switch exclusive. The fact that it might be was more of an assumption, particularly given the Switch exclusivity of Monster Hunter Rise. However, Capcom is taking this game to a wider market, even though the original was purely for Nintendo DS. I think that they have insider information on why this game will do well on PC, and it’s going to see even more fans come to the series than there ever have been.
Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin isn’t a traditional Monster Hunter game. It’s a direct sequel to a story-focused entry that’s more of a niche entry in the overall franchise than anything else. However, that niche entry has a cult following, and Capcom knows this. In the Japanese market, where handheld games sell far better, Capcom probably saw a massive surge in players for this release. Coupled with the increased interest in Monster Hunter thanks to World’s release on PC, I think that Capcom is coming for the PC market.
Capcom definitely has data on how well their games are played on PC. I think it’s that knowledge that’s the main driver behind bringing this game to that market. I think the other part of this is the fact that this is a story-focused game. It’s an entry that you wouldn’t expect to see in the franchise, and there are far more players on PC who are willing to try a story-focused game like this. JRPGs are particularly prevalent on PC, and this would be a welcome addition since it’s already part of a franchise that’s well known.
Ultimately, this game has a fan base that is invested in it. However, Capcom is trying to push that fan base to be even larger. With this move to PC for the game, they’ll capitalise on the fans from Monster Hunter Rise as well as brand new players on PC. This will only serve to help the game sell better.