Several major Japanese publishers are getting in on the PC gaming scene like never before. Whether it’s Sega with Persona 4 Golden, Square Enix releasing the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on Steam without even announcing console ports, or one of many other examples, it’s becoming increasingly clear to Japan that there is a thirst for more content. Capcom’s the latest to comment on the craze. During its most recent quarterly financial call, Capcom has not only praised sales of Monster Hunter Rise but commented directly on the PC performance of their games, noting that the gap between console and PC sales is shrinking at a steady clip.
An Emerging Market
The conference call’s Q&A section drives home just how hard analysts and investors are known to grill big publishers in the Land of the Rising Sun. The questions are blunt, and Capcom’s answers are suitably decisive. “While demand for PC versions of games did not exceed that for console versions in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021,” the pertinent Capcom reply reads, “We feel that the gap between the two is shrinking.”
Taken word-for-word, this hardly sounds article-worthy; look past the droll tone, however, and you can see the latest noteworthy contributor to the trend of Japanese gaming giants finally opening their library doors to a massive market that’s been underfed for decades.
The Q&A segment contains numerous other points of interest, including Capcom asserting that a predicted COVID-related decline in games sales won’t affect them much as many of our titles target core game players.” This doubling-down on flashy new hits in core franchises like Resident Evil and Monster Hunter, as well as less mainstream gems like Great Ace Attorney, is a happy reminder that Capcom has no intention of shying away from big-budget blasts on either console or PC, unlike certain other Japanese companies.
Monster Hunter for All
Capcom was mum on details regarding the sales performance of Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, preferring not to discuss the matter until the game has had more time on the market. But fans needn’t worry just yet — “initial sales have been favorable.”
As Capcom continues Japan’s push for traditionally console-focused titles emerging on PC, it is the gaming world at large that prospers. Hardware-based rivalries aside, the more options we have for games like Devil May Cry V, the better.
