Capcom President Haruhiro Tsujimoto has pointed to the hefty price tag of the PS5 as a primary culprit behind the slowing sales momentum of the studio's latest title, Monster Hunter Wilds.

Launched this February, Monster Hunter Wilds initially sprinted to 8 million units in just three days, cementing its place as the fastest-selling title in Capcom’s history. However, the latest Q2 earnings report paints a grimmer picture. According to Capcom’s financial filings, the game shifted a measly 477,000 additional units throughout the second quarter, bringing the total to 10.58 million. When weighed against the 28.5 million lifetime sales of the predecessor, Monster Hunter World, the cooling off period looks rather precipitous.

Tsujimoto argues that the combined cost of the console, the game software, and the mandatory subscription fee creates a significant barrier to entry, particularly for younger demographics. In an interview published on the 1st with Japanese outlet Nikkei Gaming, Tsujimoto noted that the PS5 serves as a core platform for Monster Hunter Wilds. Tsujimoto stated, "With the hardware priced at 80,000 yen (approx. 750,000 KRW) in Japan, and when you factor in the game software and monthly subscription fees, the initial investment hits roughly 100,000 yen (940,000 KRW). For the younger generation, that is hardly pocket change. This holds true not just in Japan, but across global markets as well."

During the interview, Tsujimoto labelled this high cost of entry as the 'PS5 barrier' and drew a comparison to the success of the Nintendo Switch 2. The logic here is that a more accessible price point reaffirms how sensitive consumers are to upfront costs. While Tsujimoto remained tight-lipped regarding a potential port to the Nintendo Switch 2, industry analysts suggest that the game's current struggles with performance on existing platforms would make such a transition a technical nightmare.

Gamers, however, have been left scratching their heads at these remarks. The PS5 has been on the market since 2020 and has shifted over 80 million units globally; suggesting it is a 'barrier' to entry seems a bit rich considering its widespread adoption. The PS4, which eventually reached 117 million units sold, is within striking distance. When Monster Hunter World launched in 2018, the PS4 had been available since 2013, meaning the disparity in console penetration between the two titles is not as drastic as Tsujimoto implies.

Furthermore, many players argue that with the shift toward PC as the primary platform, the real issue throttling sales is the ongoing optimisation disaster. Monster Hunter Wilds has been pilloried since launch for its poor technical state. Recent user reviews on Steam are 'Mostly Negative' (30% positive), with the lion's share of complaints centering on lack of content and, predictably, optimisation. Critics argue that blaming console prices is a convenient scapegoat for the fact that players are flocking back to better-optimised, cheaper legacy titles.

While Capcom has not officially disclosed the platform-specific breakdown for Monster Hunter Wilds, market research firms suggest that of the total sales, approximately 6.2 million units were moved on Steam, compared to 3 million on PS5.