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Monster Hunter Frontier stalking Japanese 360s

  • By Brendan Sinclair, Tor Thorsen, GameSpot
  • Posted Jan 26, 2010 12:48 am PT

Capcom's online action role-playing franchise will attempt to boost the Xbox's flagging Japanese fortunes this summer with a PC MMORPG port; new trailer inside.

When Capcom changed Monster Hunter Tri from a PlayStation 3 exclusive to a Wii exclusive, the stated reason for the change was the "high development cost of titles for PS3." Development for the Xbox 360 is apparently not quite as expensive, as Capcom today announced that it would be bringing the Monster Hunter series to Microsoft's console.

Monster Hunter Frontier was released for the PC in Japan in 2007.

Monster Hunter Frontier was released for the PC in Japan in 2007.

That said, Monster Hunter's debut on the 360 won't be an all-new game. Instead, Capcom is porting over a preexisting PC massively multiplayer online role-playing game, Monster Hunter Frontier. Released in 2007 in Japan for Windows, the title will launch on Xbox Live this summer in the island nation. According to gaming blog Kotaku, the game will have a ¥1,400 ($15) monthly fee on top of an Xbox Live Gold subscription and will enter closed beta testing in May.

Unfortunately, Capcom did not reveal any further information on the game other than its Japanese launch plans. Whether Monster Hunter Frontier will ever arrive on Western 360s is still unclear. Despite repeated entreaties, Capcom never exported the PC MMORPG outside of Asia.

After debuting on the PlayStation 2 in 2004, the Monster Hunter franchise has become a particularly profitable franchise for Capcom in Japan. After the series spawned a sequel on the PS2 and debuted on the PSP, the company said it was "growing into the flagship products of Capcom."

Newer installments have been similarly successful in Japan, where Monster Hunter Freedom Unite for the PSP racked up 3.5 million sales. Most recently, Monster Hunter Tri for the Wii topped the Japanese sales charts and managed to sell a million copies in its first month and change on shelves.

The series' debut on the Xbox 360 represents the latest in a long line of attempts from Microsoft to build the console's business in Japan. The system launched there in December of 2005 but started slowly. Microsoft targeted sales of 1 million Xbox 360s well within the system's first year on shelves, but managed to make that milestone only last April. The 360's start was so sluggish that Microsoft saw fit to "relaunch" the system, heavily promoting Japanese-developed role-playing games like Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon.

110 Comments

  • BloodyDucky

    Posted Jun 4, 2010 8:48 pm GMT

    And to set the Record straight it was on Kotaku, it says you get a free month of live for every month or sub you buy, but was miss quoted here on gamespot. Don't Believe me click the link it reads " Service will begin this summer. After getting the game, users pay ¥1,400 ($15) a month. This includes a one month Xbox LIVE Gold membership. And with yearly Gold memberships costing the equivalent of $58, a free month-by-month membership is a good deal."

  • BloodyDucky

    Posted Jun 4, 2010 8:43 pm GMT

    I don't think our money is good enough for capcom. Or they might actually try and sell a MH game here and not half ass it then say "well the market for our game isn't big enough in the US", all the while we would be happy with an outdated version that we have all voiced an interest in. But like I said I guess our western money isn't good enough for them.

  • AceisoJ

    Posted May 3, 2010 9:25 pm GMT

    Well, for a series that was original introduced by Sony, it's kinda frustrating to know that CAPCOM didn't even look back where they started. If its true that the monthly membership is not on top of the XBL Gold, then why didn't they make a PS3 version if it will be the same.

    MS is monopolyzing the game industry as per business perspective, understandable, so it should be CAPCOM who should be responsible. I have a PS3, PS2, PSP and a 360, but never mind CAPCOM, should know better how to keep a loyal fan.

    "Money is the ROOT cause of all evil"

  • JAIBOT

    Posted Jan 31, 2010 3:35 am GMT

    Its coming to Aus too!

  • psx115

    Posted Jan 30, 2010 5:10 pm GMT

    @Locutus_Picard
    Dude, so true. if games like dynasy warriors can continue to be published on the PS3 despite how crappy they are, then why do they continue to put off the full PS3 version? plus mhfu is awsome

  • xMaverick0x

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 4:56 pm GMT

    crap this is needed in USA as well in Europe!
    stupid capcom... when they will realize that western people also love MoH series!!

  • wahyudil

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 1:31 am GMT

    lucky you ... x box owner .... in japan ... teheee ...

  • Shinkada

    Posted Jan 28, 2010 12:18 am GMT

    @hotfiree I never thought I'd do this, but here I am defending the Wii. The discs have the same storage space as the PS2 so there's no reason they couldn't have made it at least as good as MH2.

    Capcom were the lazy ones here.

  • GaryFong

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 11:39 pm GMT

    just hope they can make it to offline mode and system link...and can be play more than 4 player.why they dint make it to psp??coz mh good to play everywhere.like old time...

  • hotfiree

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 10:20 pm GMT

    @Shinkada thats probably because of the lack of space on wii.
    Imagine how much they would fit onto a blu ray!

  • wraithbladeuk

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 4:23 pm GMT

    having to pay for XBL gold AND pay a monthly subscription? No thanks, Capcom, I think you have enough pennies now.
    I seriously doubt many western gamers are going to be happy to pay more in subscription fee's for this game than long-established MMO's like WoW. I would love a MH MMO that worked on a free-to-play scheme and played like Guild Wars (online hub towns with just your party visible when questing). I have to admit I havent looked, so if this is what the game is like already then shame on capcom as AreaNet have proven you can do this type of thing for free, and they aint exactly raking in the same kind of cash as Capcom.

  • White_Devil20

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 8:15 am GMT

    That aint the real trailer ... THIS IS ! The real trailer ...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryPmwcp8yMw
    Gamespot really should play that one !
    ( not taken from official site but if you wanna see it there ) http://www.mh-frontier.jp/

  • Locutus_Picard

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 6:52 am GMT

    You can say all you want but after playing the awesome MHFU, everything Frontier has to offer = Been there, done that.
    What I want to see is a true sequel for at least PS3, a TRUE step forward in the Monster Hunter franchise and not some Monster Hunter 2.5 on the Wii. But whatever, if Capcom does not develop for PS3 anymore, I am done with Monster Hunter. Capcom thinks they can get away with anything...the entire success of MH relies on its fans, if you do not keep them happy we'll just boycot the games untill the franchise bleeds to death.

  • Shinkada

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 5:12 am GMT

    MH3 was crap, and a butchery of the word 'sequel'. Frontier has >120 monsters, MH3 has about 30. Frontier has 10 weapon types, MH3 has 6. End of story.

    Frontier has received constant updates since its launch. This isn't the launch of an old game, it's the relaunch of an MMO which has been kept up to date. You have to pay MORE than 'regular retail' for WoW + all its expansions so I don't see why this wouldn't be regular retail.

    Also, this article is wrong. The monthly fee won't be 'on top' of the Xbox Live subscription fee, but will actually include the subscription; every month of Frontier time purchased will include a month of Live Gold time. So essentially you're only paying about $10 a month, which is less than most MMOs. Source is Kotaku on that one.

    Finally, to the people whining about the monthly? For one, games like Call of Duty don't charge a monthly because third parties, usually ISPs, host the servers themselves. They pay for the servers, and get free advertising.

    Also Japan has had to pay a monthly for MH since MH1. We should be thankful we've gotten away with it for this long, and since Frontier has massive hub towns it's only fair we pay a monthly.

  • CPTrandom1982

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 2:36 am GMT

    I'm really pissed of with this one! Why the monthly charge for a ported game? MW1 had dedicated servers and don't charge!!!! Love the monster hunter series but this is not on at all. Let me guess it will also retail at the same price of a normal release game as well!?!

  • BLuFAlc0n

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 1:49 am GMT

    ...I think Capcom's wasting their time on this port, just because MH3 on Wii is Super Special Awesome!, MH3 is definitely a TOP Contender for the Wii this year to become GoTY '10, wwhatever happens, the Wii might not be having a lot of major titles last year, but this year... it's going to be different.

  • coldsauce09

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 12:22 am GMT

    CAPCOM are the new rebels from japan! they love america!

  • fatooosh

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 11:41 pm GMT

    i wait week for this T-T WHERE new megaman legend ,breath of fire,
    god hand megaman x and more

  • hotfiree

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 10:43 pm GMT

    SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo pissed off.
    Capcom are a bunch of dogs , SONY's consoles put the franchise on the map, then they dog us by never giving us a ps3 version.
    I want a ps3 Monster hunter so bad - i have had MHFU for 1 month and already hit my 100th hour today. I would love ps3 because my fingers wouldnt hurt from the camera anymore.\
    God im pissed at capcom.

    Microsoft woulda paid big money when they saw what it done for wii in japan - cause everything > 360 there.
    Sony needs to hurry up and do something about this.

    GRRRRRR

  • White_Devil20

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 10:06 pm GMT

    sparkypants

    Posted Jan 27, 2010 2:37 am GMT

    Wow, from the looks of it Capcom failed on all counts. Sony gets no love from Capcom and the Monster Rancher series so all their fans are mad about that and Microsoft users have to PAY AN EXTRA FIFTEEN DOLLARS for a three year old PC port that everyone in Japan has already played. Not to mention,North America and the UK gain nothing from this. Is anyone happy about this decision? What are you thinking Capcom?

    - Its Monster Hunter Btw SmartGuy.

  • SDBusDriver1979

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 8:46 pm GMT

    Even though it doesn't affect anyone outside of Japan, I would of rather seen them just port Monster Hunter Tri instead to the 360 and PS3 with a little bit of polish to the graphics. Then by shear luck I might have some friends to play with. The games are boring by myself and there isn't anyone remotely close by who would have a PSP more less a copy of Monster Hunter Freedom.

  • Glade_Gnarr

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 7:53 pm GMT

    I never liked monster hunter that much, mostly because it played like an mmo hack and slash and I hate mmos. I never knew about this game, but it makes sense.

  • Jhoalot

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 7:10 pm GMT

    Sony should do something about this, they are losing a great fount of incomes.

  • sparkypants

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 6:37 pm GMT

    Wow, from the looks of it Capcom failed on all counts. Sony gets no love from Capcom and the Monster Rancher series so all their fans are mad about that and Microsoft users have to PAY AN EXTRA FIFTEEN DOLLARS for a three year old PC port that everyone in Japan has already played. Not to mention,North America and the UK gain nothing from this. Is anyone happy about this decision? What are you thinking Capcom?

  • chaoz-king

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 5:34 pm GMT

    Haha 15 bucks and LiVE. This will tank.
    BTW I do know you don't have to have live but 90% chance that if you want this game you do pay for live.

  • Guzthon

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 4:58 pm GMT

    No multiplatform? Hmm... only time will tell (at least Capcom will release another RPG game). "Now, Fire Breath series (please)".

  • schizoholic

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 4:34 pm GMT

    meluvulongtime8----

    If it is at all like ff11 then you will only have to have the free silver acct and pay capcom the 15 in order to play.

  • Jfisch93

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 4:28 pm GMT

    Dang Capcom Sony made Monster Hunter EXTREMELY popular over there and now you ditchin them like this? Screw you Capcom. Screw you.

  • HmongXiongBoy

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 3:42 pm GMT

    not exactly a good way to increase the popularity of the xbox 360, and having to pay an extra 15 dollars, not worth it, espically since it can be played on the pc

  • Darkages04

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 3:16 pm GMT

    Panzer dragoon would be great, oh the good old days on those games... do wonder if we will ever see those again tho.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 2:50 pm GMT

    I've read somewhere that the largest increase of the original Xbox sales in Japan came when SEGA released Panzer Dragoon Orta exclusively on the Xbox, I'm just saying Microsoft might want to consider bringing that game back just to help shell out another few tens-of-thousands of Xbox 360's like they did before. It probably wouldn't cost much to pay SEGA to do a quick touch up to this already finished game.

    Anyhow, if the Monster Hunter game is on PC I don't really see the Japanese having any reason to pick up an Xbox 360 to play this game, they can just play it on their PCs they probably already have. If Microsoft wants to strong arm sales, they need something the Japanese want that they can't get on the PC, Wii, and PS3. Plus, I doubt Capcom made this choice of exclusivity because MS paid them, I just think they defaulted there because development would be much quicker and cheaper than PS3 development, plus it's more technologically sound to have an MMO on a system with a HDD which the Wii doesn't even have.

    However, they may get a PS3 port out later, Capcom's all about reporting games late, it's been their strategy since all their senior staff walked out with Clover Studios. Besides, just look at Lost Planet or Dead Rising, those were exclusives and look how long that lasted.

  • WithoutGraceXII

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 2:32 pm GMT

    Pretty lame announcement, even if the game was coming to western markets.

  • MEGA--X posted Jan 26, 2010 2:32 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    MEGA--X

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 2:32 pm GMT (hide)

    to...360....
    CAPCOM I HATE YOU! I SWEAR TO GOD I HATE YOU! I JUST F!@#ING HATE YOU!
    why 360 not ps3? or why 360 & ps3? apparently you like MONEY more than fans
    you fail & you lost a fan >.>

  • DrinkDuff

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 2:20 pm GMT

    Once again, the 360 only gets left over scraps in the Japanese market... Oh well, it's better than nothing.

  • Ninjiz

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 2:12 pm GMT

    The Pass GIVES them one month of Xboxlive Gold anyway.....

  • HonorOfGod

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 1:58 pm GMT

    Why wont they just use silver? if not than at least make it like $4 bucks a month. Besides all this "what game could it be" had me thinking since yesterday if we were gonna see something from capcom that we have not seen in many years but oh well i guess i fell for gamesite hypeness again. I have no idea if a 07 game is a good thing to port since it has aged and there is so much more out there to play. I have always wanted to play a MH so maybe i will try a demo.

  • meluvulongtime8

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 1:52 pm GMT

    Wow, that was the big surprise? A port of a PC game from 2007. Then on top of having to pay for XBL Gold you have to pay your monthly fee of $15. Don't get how this is going to increase 360 sales

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 1:16 pm GMT

    I'll pass.Though MMO subscriptons should help Capcom out with revenues if they can get people to keep them.

  • Jhoalot

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 1:03 pm GMT

    "high development cost of titles for PS3." But is for logic that you make more profit on the ps3! Because there are more Ps3s in Japan.

  • sephirothsfan02

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 1:02 pm GMT

    It`s fair I guess since they won`t be getting FF XIV

  • Jhoalot

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 12:59 pm GMT

    What the hell happen with the equality Capcom? First xbox 360 exclusive content in lost planet 2. Then this! I love the monster hunter series!

  • magicalclick

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 12:55 pm GMT

    Looks good. So far the only MMO on X360 is FF. Hope this can spice things up a bit. It is strange that X360 has so many MMO in dev but, only FF is on the market.

  • grove12345

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 12:32 pm GMT

    omg when i read the announcment i laughed.
    this is so odd.
    im pretty sure this will hit the PS3.If not..im good b/c i have a PS3/360. But shame capcom for selling out in the first place to nintendo with MH3 since sony built your MH franchise.

    Well since its on 360 and kind of a big deal, im sure MS will respond better to US fans pleading for the game than Nintendo or Sony would. So im pretty sure since its on 360 it will make it to the states. But not for a while.

  • Chico_Azteca

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 12:32 pm GMT

    i don't get it.... they want to sell systems, ok

    they take a big franchise there, ok great idea
    but they take a PORT of a 3 year old PC game?
    and on top of that they add a fee for monthly gaming? come on.. if anything Japanese already played the hell out of that game on PC

  • TrueIori

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 12:24 pm GMT

    lol Crapcom strikes again lol.

  • sparkypants

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 12:19 pm GMT

    "the game will have a ¥1,400 ($15) monthly fee on top of an Xbox Live Gold subscription"

    WHAT THE HELL CAPCOM!
    What is that crap? Seriously I'm really getting disappointed in the way they are handling this series.

  • jl0pez

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 12:18 pm GMT

    So the big surprise was only for the japanese 360? And on top of that it's a game you have to continue paying for monthly? No thanks.

  • Velocity

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 12:12 pm GMT

    I was hoping for more then one game. Like maybe a fighting collection of Project Justice and CvS but I guess not. This won't make me go out and get a 360.

  • highwind017

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 12:02 pm GMT

    If this game does have a Monthly fee when it comes out in the us and uk... i wont be touching it.

  • White_Devil20

    Posted Jan 26, 2010 11:58 am GMT

    That aint the real trailer ... THIS IS ! The real trailer ...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryPmwcp8yMw
    Gamespot really should play that one !
    ( not taken from official site but if you wanna see it there ) http://www.mh-frontier.jp/

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