Capcom Financial Results Show Monster Hunter Wilds Post-Launch Sales Cratering: Outsold by Older Catalog Titles

Capcom’s latest financial report for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 (ending September 30, 2025) has delivered a stark assessment of the post-launch performance of Monster Hunter Wilds, the company’s marquee AAA video game release of the year. While the title achieved a record-breaking launch, selling over 10 million units in its first month, the momentum has all but vanished, resulting in a dramatic slowdown that has caught the attention of industry analysts and stock market investors.

The core issue highlighted by the financial data is the precipitous decline in subsequent quarterly sales. In the second quarter alone, Monster Hunter Wilds sold only an additional 160,000 units. This figure is not only significantly lower than the 477,000 units sold in the first quarter (Q1) but is now being outsold by multiple older Capcom catalog titles.

This sharp drop-off suggests a significant disconnect between the initial launch hype and the game’s long-term consumer retention and market staying power, a critical factor for any modern “live service” or content-driven RPG.

The Alarming Sales Comparison with Older Titles

The true scale of the sales stagnation is revealed when comparing Monster Hunter Wilds’ performance against older, discounted games in Capcom’s portfolio during the same three-month period (Q2 FY26):

• Monster Hunter Rise (a four-year-old title initially an exclusive to the Nintendo Switch) sold 254,000 units, significantly outperforming the newest mainline entry.
• Devil May Cry 5 doubled the new Monster Hunter’s sales, reaching 352,000 copies.
• Even the Devil May Cry HD Collection matched Wilds’ total, selling 160,000 units.

Over the first half of the fiscal year, Monster Hunter Wilds’ total sales of 637,000 copies (post-launch month) were slightly surpassed by Monster Hunter Rise at 643,000 sales. This is an unprecedented scenario for a flagship, multi-platform release to be so quickly overtaken by its predecessor in recurring quarterly sales, signaling a major challenge for the franchise’s future. This sales trajectory is a clear warning sign for the video game industry regarding the long-term viability of an initial hype wave without robust post-launch support.

Causes of the Steep Decline: Performance, End-Game, and Market Factors

The consensus among gaming news outlets and market commentators points to a confluence of factors contributing to the swift drop in sales momentum for Monster Hunter Wilds. These issues have created negative sentiment that directly impacts crucial high CPC keywords like “Monster Hunter Wilds Performance Fix” and “Best RPG on PC”.

Technical and Content Shortcomings

The most cited reasons for the poor post-launch retention and sales decline center on the game’s technical state and content pipeline:

• Poor PC Optimization: Despite the PC platform being a massive sales driver, particularly for a title following the success of Monster Hunter: World, the PC version of Wilds has been plagued by significant performance issues, including stuttering and high CPU usage. Capcom has acknowledged this, promising “CPU and GPU related optimizations” in a major patch slated for December.
• Lackluster End-Game Content: Many veteran players and professional streamers have criticized the game’s launch content for being light on true end-game activities compared to previous entries. This deficiency in high-level challenges and long-term progression has led to a quick burnout among the dedicated player base, who typically spend hundreds of hours in a Monster Hunter title.
• Slow Content Rollout: The spaced-out release of new monsters and features, contrasted with the initial rapid pace of the launch, has failed to sustain the necessary hype and player engagement required for a modern live-service style game. The absence of a confirmed date for a major expansion like Iceborne or Sunbreak further contributes to the waiting game for many lapsed players.

Corporate and Market Commentary

Capcom leadership itself has provided commentary on the unexpected sales hit. Capcom President Haruhiro Tsujimoto suggested that the high cost of the PlayStation 5 console could be limiting access for younger audiences, a claim that has been met with skepticism given the multi-platform release and the more pronounced issues on the PC platform.

Meanwhile, the success of the company’s back catalog—with titles like Resident Evil Village and Street Fighter 6 driving catalog sales to a record 22.85 million units—underscores the problem. While Capcom’s overall financial results for the first half of the fiscal year remain robust due to these strong catalog sales, the underperformance of their latest tentpole game remains a primary concern for the company’s future revenue projections and investor confidence.

Future Outlook: The Expansion as a Necessary Lifeline

The immediate future of Monster Hunter Wilds and its ability to recover its sales trajectory is heavily reliant on two key developments: the successful and comprehensive implementation of the performance fixes promised for winter, and the inevitable announcement and subsequent release of a massive expansion. This is the traditional strategy in the Monster Hunter business model, where an expansion often doubles the size of the game and catalyzes a significant second surge in sales.

For the gaming community, the focus remains on whether Capcom can successfully rebuild the goodwill lost due to the unpolished launch, especially on PC. For investors and the high-value gaming market, the decline in recurring sales of a major new IP release is a significant metric that will dictate future Capcom stock performance and the overall outlook for the company’s Digital Contents division.

The takeaway is clear: while a record-breaking launch provides an excellent start, sustained success in the fiercely competitive video game industry requires relentless post-launch support and a product optimized for all advertised platforms.

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