Monster Hunter Wilds Faces Ongoing Sales Challenges as Anniversary Approaches
As Monster Hunter Wilds nears its one-year anniversary, Capcom's latest fiscal results reveal a mixed picture for the highly anticipated title. While the company overall celebrates record-breaking performance, the game's sales trajectory has failed to meet expectations, lagging behind even older entries in the franchise.
Initial Success Followed by Rapid Decline
Upon its launch in February 2025, Monster Hunter Wilds enjoyed a spectacular debut, selling eight million copies within just three days and earning the distinction of Capcom's fastest-selling game ever. Critical reception was largely positive, setting high hopes for long-term success. However, this momentum proved short-lived as players quickly voiced concerns over limited endgame content and subpar PC performance, leading to a sharp slowdown in sales.
Capcom's Fiscal Highlights Mask Underlying Issues
Capcom's third-quarter financial report for the 2026 fiscal year, covering October to December 2025, paints a broadly optimistic portrait. Revenue and profit have increased across the board, with the company achieving a new record for total games sold in a nine-month period. This success is largely attributed to the enduring popularity of Street Fighter 6 and the Resident Evil series, which are benefiting from heightened interest ahead of the upcoming Resident Evil Requiem release in February.
Despite these overall gains, Monster Hunter Wilds has struggled to maintain its early sales pace. Capcom notes that the game's lifetime sales have now surpassed 11 million units worldwide, placing it as the company's eighth best-selling title ever, just behind the Resident Evil 4 remake. Yet, a closer examination of recent quarterly figures reveals a more concerning trend.
Comparative Sales Data Highlights Discrepancy
From October to December 2025, Monster Hunter Wilds sold 991,000 new copies. In stark contrast, the older Monster Hunter Rise, which will celebrate its fifth anniversary in March 2026, outperformed it with 1,096,000 copies sold during the same period. Additionally, Rise's Sunbreak expansion moved an impressive 1,031,000 units, further widening the gap.
While Wilds did see some improvement in the latter half of the year—selling 637,000 copies from April to September 2025, compared to 643,000 for Rise in the same timeframe—it remains clear that the newer title has failed to capture sustained consumer interest. Rise not only maintained a sales advantage but also experienced a more significant boost in the crucial holiday shopping season.
Factors Contributing to Sales Struggles
Several elements may explain Wilds' underperformance. The game is available on a more limited range of platforms, restricted to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, whereas Rise enjoys broader accessibility across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Pricing has also been a factor, with Wilds typically retailing at £64.99, though it saw substantial discounts during Black Friday sales, dropping to around £19 on Amazon.
Capcom previously cited the high cost of the PlayStation 5 as a potential barrier to sales, but Sony's console saw stronger sales in 2025 compared to the previous year, especially following aggressive Christmas discounts. Technical issues, particularly concerning PC performance linked to DLC problems, have further tarnished the game's reputation, though Capcom has released several content updates to address player feedback.
Future Prospects and Industry Context
As Monster Hunter Wilds approaches its first anniversary, the question remains whether Capcom can revitalise its sales through continued updates and technical fixes. The company's overall financial health remains robust, driven by other flagship titles, but the underperformance of such a major release highlights the challenges of maintaining momentum in a competitive market. With ongoing support and potential platform expansions, there may yet be opportunities for Wilds to reclaim its initial promise, but for now, it stands as a cautionary tale in the fast-paced world of video game publishing.
