I recall a time when the Monster Hunter franchise was primarily accessible through the 3DS eShop. Those days, however, have faded into the past. The eShop is now a relic, while Monster Hunter Wilds has emerged as a juggernaut, attracting over 400,000 players daily on Steam, as reported by Steam Charts and SteamDB.
Sales Surge and Market Impact
To illustrate the magnitude of this success, Circana’s executive director, Mat Piscatella, recently shared insights on social media, revealing that Monster Hunter Wilds was February’s top-selling game across all platforms. Notably, more than half of its total sales originated from Steam. This impressive launch performance doubles that of Monster Hunter Rise during its tenure as a Switch exclusive, marking Wilds as the best-selling game of 2025 thus far.
This phenomenon not only underscores the global appeal of the franchise but also highlights Capcom’s strategic pivot towards the PC market. Nearly four years ago, Capcom’s COO articulated a vision where half of their sales would derive from PC by 2023. The enthusiasm from Monster Hunter fans has certainly validated this ambition.
Capcom’s Strategic Shift
Capcom’s 2024 integrated report specifically acknowledged their commitment to PC gaming, confirming that the PC version now accounts for nearly 50% of their software sales. Despite this achievement, the report also indicated that there remains significant potential for further growth. With a multiplatform strategy in place and Capcom revisiting titles like the original Monster Hunter Stories, one can’t help but speculate whether the era of console exclusivity for Monster Hunter is behind us.
Monster Hunter has evolved into one of Capcom’s flagship franchises and stands as one of the most significant titles on PC. This ascent occurs even amidst reports of performance issues, bugs, and crashes that have led to a mixed user rating on Steam. Yet, the game’s overall quality has not gone unnoticed; Lincoln Carpenter described it as “an action game in a class without contenders.” As ongoing patches are released, drivers are updated, and hardware capabilities improve, any critiques aimed at Monster Hunter Wilds are unlikely to hinder its momentum.
For those eager to join the ranks of the hundreds of thousands of hunters already engaged in this thrilling adventure, PC Gamer offers a comprehensive guide to multiplayer hunts. Monster Hunter Wilds is readily available on Steam.
