Highlights
- Monster Hunter, one of Capcom's premier franchises, has had immense success, only second to Resident Evil.
- Capcom could attract a wider audience by incorporating cozy elements into the Monster Hunter series.
- A cozy Monster Hunter game with cute creatures, customization, and social simulation could be well-received by the comfort-gaming community.
While Capcom is home to several popular video game franchises, Monster Hunter has 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 that Monster Hunter has become so successful for Capcom, second only to its best-selling series Resident Evil.
Over the years, Monster Hunter has 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 the Monster Hunter name, it would have a good chance of yielding successful results.
Monster Hunter Could Appeal to a Wider Audience
With excitement building around the upcoming Monster 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 to Pokemon 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 the Monster Hunter universe is deep and the wide variety of monsters that exist in the franchise is fascinatingly vast. For example, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne has 94 monsters while Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate has 93. Though it's true that many of the Monster Hunter monsters 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 every Monster Hunter game and 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 cozy Monster Hunter title. 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, although Monster Hunter Rise has a fast-paced environment, a slower speed may work better for a game that is meant to emphasize relaxation. Perhaps it could borrow elements of Animal Crossing to 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 how Stardew Valley lets players engage in battle when dealing with enemy NPCs.
The Monster Hunter games can be grind-intensive, but they are also known for being friendly to players of every skill level. If Capcom wanted to expand the Monster Hunter franchise and 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 a Monster Hunter game 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 plans for 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 cozy Monster Hunter game is exactly what it needs.