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Capcom Ships More Than 3 Million Copies Of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Worldwide
With the release of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate in the west last week, Capcom has tracked down some new shipment numbers for the series. While Capcom is known for Street Fighter, Resident Evil, and Mega Man in North America, Monster Hunter can't be overlooked as a key part of the publisher's portfolio.
More than 3 million copies of Monster Hunter 4G have been shipped worldwide (including the "Ultimate" version released in North America and Europe last week). This includes digital purchases and download cards. In addition, shipments of the original version of Monster Hunter 4 total 4.1 million units.
The series has moved more than 32 million units since its inception in 2004, with releases on a variety of platforms from different manufacturers. Our review of the latest installment, Tim Turi lauds the latest entry's improved accessibilty.
"Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate makes big strides to ease new players into its intimidating, decade-old gameplay formula," he writes. You can read the entire review here.
Note: The headline originally didn't include the word "ultimate," which draws a distinction between the original release of Monster Hunter 4 (exclusively in Japan), and the updated version called Monster Hunter 4G in Japan and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate in the west.
[Source: Capcom]
Our Take
While no doubt successful here in the west, Monster Hunter is a surefire hit each and every time in Japan. This series is one of a few that is a potent reminder that cultural differences and varied preferences are still at play despite global connectivity.
For my own part, I've tried many times to get into the Monster Hunter series and have failed (though I enjoy the genre). Freedom Wars, Soul Sacrifice, and other titles that ape Monster Hunter's concepts have delighted me, and maybe this is the Monster Hunter that finally clicks for me. It says a lot about the series that I want to keep trying with it.
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