Capcom has made some interesting statements about Monster Hunter Wilds and its status in Japan.
Capcom’s President and COO Haruhiro Tsujimoto made this statement in an interview with Nikkei (translated by ResetERA’s DriftingSpirit):
However, we also found that the “PS5 barrier” is unexpectedly large. The console costs about 80,000 yen in Japanese yen. When you factor in the cost of software and monthly subscriptions, it comes to about 100,000 yen at the time of purchase.
This is not an amount that can be easily reached, especially for younger generations. This situation is not limited to Japan, but is similar overseas as well.
The “PlayStation 5 Barrier” Has Been Up In Japan For Some Time
Sony has been raising prices for the PlayStation 5 in Japan throughout its lifetime. Most recently, Sony announced a price increase to ¥79,980. If you convert that to USD, it’s equivalent to $ 550. However, what Japanese gamers actually experienced is the equivalent of the PS5 now costing $ 800.
This led to the return of console rentals business in the country. Apparently, that business is booming for the rental companies. It’s clear that Capcom doesn’t feel a benefit.
Capcom Is Looking For New “Opportunities”
Haruhiro then had this to say:
Our next challenge is to overcome these obstacles and get Monster Hunter Wilds to as many people as possible. Sales will begin in the future, so we are currently formulating a strategy to take advantage of these opportunities to boost sales throughout the year.
The Nintendo Switch 2 was released in June 2025 at a price of 49,980 yen (tax included), and the response was better than we had expected. While prices vary by country, this reaffirmed the high level of cost-consciousness among ordinary consumers.
Haruhiro did not say that they were planning to bring Monster Hunter Wilds to the Switch 2 here. But there’s no nuance to what he’s saying, translated or not.
Will MonHun Switch To The Switch 2?
Monster Hunter Wilds producer Ryozo Tsujimoto already said they needed to study the Switch 2 hardware before bringing their game to the platform. Its possible that they have already decided to bring the game over there, in one form or another.
It is well known that Monster Hunter Wilds is particularly complex to bring to the Switch 2. Capcom will likely make a special version just for Switch 2 if that’s the only way they can make it work.
On the other hand, there are huge technical questions with Switch 2. Many gamers won’t be satisfied if 3rd parties do the bare minimum. The key issue here is not the Switch 2’s power compared to other platforms. It’s making use of its unique capabilities, and some of that comes from Nvidia’s technology.
We can see Capcom trying, even forcing, to make Monster Hunter Wilds work on the Switch 2. And if they can make it so that they can have crossplay with other platforms, they’ll force that too.
Ultimately, the business is pretty strong for Switch 2 in Japan. The upside is for Japanese developers, not just Capcom, to make their games work on what could be that country’s big console for the next five years.
