With the Coming of Monster Hunter Tri very soon, I have come to a sense of realization why Capcom has decided to release the game on the Wii and not Playstation 3. These are of course, my personal opinions and I could be totally wrong from what Capcom was and is thinking about. I just wanted to share my thoughts simply for fun and curiosity. Also, the Monster Hunter communnity of Capcom is one of the greatest forum experience I have ever had period and I simply wanted to contribute to it somehow and in this case, by utilizing the blog! ^_^

    Many Monster Hunter players were excited when Capcom announced the arrival of a next generation title of their hit franchise on the Playstation 3. Veterans and even newcomers were surprised when capcom decided to build the brand new game, Monster Hunter Tri, not on the expected console Playstation 3 but the Nintendo Wii. Many Sony fans and console owners were displeased with Capcom's decision but pushing aside the illogical fanboyism, most were dissapointed in the notion that Capcom's move will limit the next generation Monster Hunter game graphically, technically and innovatively.

    For gamers in the West where xbox has a strong presence, it is realistically more effective to release the game on the more powerful console with better graphics and HDD capability but the main problem is that the Monster Hunter is not as popular in the west. Then why has Capcom, even in terms of marketing in Japan, not released the game on the PS3 at least?

   The more I play the PSP Monster Hunter games, I see why capcom chose Wii as the system to release the title. The Wii is very affordable, widely distributed in both US and Japan, and have characteristics of a PSP when developing for Monster Hunter series for Capcom in the sense of console affordability, developing and marketing methods and technology such as utilization of the memory stick. This way Capcom can continue to produce games at their familiarity, budget standards of past MH games, technologically and utilize a similar (although unknown currently how they will do this for Tri) expansion methods (MH1 MHG, MHP2, MHP2g etc). We have to remember that Capcom made this decision based on how popular the Monster Hunter franchise is in Japan and what will work for it in the future.

   Simply put, Capcom is using the tried and true method. Not because they are thinking "why fix something that isn't broken" but rather pushing the game's presence into the western market safely, but also with innovations and enhancements for the fans and veterans of the Monster Hunter franchise (enhanced gameplay such as swimming and of course, better graphics! ^_^). So what does this mean in other words? I am definitely feeling Capcom's effort to push the title into the western market. As a game production company (or any company at that) it is imperitive to make profit in order to produce even more games or push existing franchises (and more importantly, feed your family lol). By stablizing and Wiihancing.......sorry I am terrible at jokes...*ehem!* anyways....and enhancing their hit franchise in Japan, Capcom is simultaneously releasing Monster Hunter onto the US on the Wii which also happens to have the highest demographics as far as owners go.

   Of course, With Wii console sales numbers and Capcom's tactics (not my thoughts but their actual tactics which I really don't know), we will never know if the wonderful franchise that we all known as Mosnter Hunter will take off here. However one thing I am sure of is that the existing fan base here will be happy and capcom will definitely make a presence here never done before. Nintendo has really made a difference in the gaming market, good or bad this generation with the realese of the Wii and the DS. I have never seen such wide demographics of gamers from young to old and male and female in my lifetime of gaming and I can safely say I have been gaming for quite a long time. heck I have gotten my gf who hates (yes hates) video games into playing Wii Fit and now she has progressed to Luminus and patapon as well (she also holds record of 6.24 sec on the 100 meteos challenge -_-;;;).

   If I have any kind of advice or complaints for Capcom is that they really need to start advertising this game in a very different manner. We all know as monster Hunter gamers that the "prestigeous" reviewers here in the US really don't seem to be able to beat Yian ku...i mean seem to understand and realize the game's potential. Why have so many Japanese embraced this title? And why have some 200,000 or so US gamers love this game? Excitement. Yes the Monster Hunter game is exciting. The music, the monster designs, armor, and most of all, being able to hunt together with your friends. In Japan these types of advertisements have really sparked interest in many players. In contrast I can only remember well...really nothing special being advertised here in the US. the Western PSP owners had to "find out for themselves" how great this game was and I commemorate these gamers for having the patience to do so. It may seem very unimaginitive of me, but we need to get the gamer's here excited about this game somehow. How? I guess that is up to Capcom.

   I am not trying to advocate Capcom in any way or saying they are doing the right or even wrong things with the Monster Hunter marketing. I simply as a gamer, have a good feeling about where the franchise will be going in the future. Perhaps it will make no difference at all as far as expanding the franchise but has this stopped us  core gamers from playing this adrenaline rush game? I guess if we have to worry about anything is losing the fan base in Japan in which case, we will also not see great results in the future of Monster Hunter franchise.

   I like games, I have fun, I am a Happygamer ^_^