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Nintendo says that the launch of Monster Hunter 4 could be the moment the Japanese smash hit franchise finally cracks the West.
Monster Hunter is regularly amongst Japan’s best-selling games, shifting millions of units with each new release. But has yet to catch on in the same way in Europe and the US.
For Monster Hunter we really feel now is the time when we can really open the title up to a Western audience," said Nintendo UK’s head of consumer marketing James Honeywell.
"The developers have listened to existing players and given them more of what they want, but also ensuring that this new instalment is the most open to newcomers. With an extensive tutorial to help people get to grips with hunting, and multiplayer online functionality making it easier to bring down the really big monsters, we hope we can take this out to a wider audience and give it the success it deserves."
The Japanese blockbuster launches in the UK next Friday on what is gearing up to be one of the busiest release days in Nintendo’s history.
Not only is the firm launching Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate – it is also releasing its two New 3DS consoles, as well as the 3DS remake of the N64 classic The Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask.
"Majora’s Mask is a title that fans have been asking for a long time so it has an instant base. Beyond this we really want to make sure we introduce it to a whole new audience," adds Honeywell.
