Previous Monster Hunter titles' impact on hardware sales near launch in Japan, weekly retail sales estimates from Famitsu
[PS4] Monster Hunter: World (Capcom) {2018.01.26} (¥8.980)
WEEK -7 {04.12.2017 - 10.12.2017}
PlayStation 4 - 79.242 / 5.654.958 (+151%) (release of the limited edition PS4 Pro MH World bundle)
WEEK -6 {11.12.2017 - 17.12.2017}
PlayStation 4 - 73.142 / 5.728.100 (-8%)
WEEK -5 {18.12.2017 - 24.12.2017}
PlayStation 4 - 70.581 / 5.798.681 (-4%)
WEEK -4 {25.12.2017 - 31.12.2017}
PlayStation 4 - 58.182 / 5.856.863 (-18%)
WEEK -3 {01.01.2018 - 07.01.2018}
PlayStation 4 - 103.607 / 5.960.470 (+78%)
WEEK -2 {08.01.2018 - 14.01.2018}
PlayStation 4 - 41.188 / 6.001.658 (-60%)
WEEK -1 {15.01.2018 - 21.01.2018}
PlayStation 4 - 44.910 / 6.046.568 (+9%)
WEEK +1 {22.01.2018 - 28.01.2018}
PlayStation 4 - 140.432 / 6.187.000 (+213%)
Monster Hunter: World - 1.350.412 / NEW (game was selling out leading to big digital share, total launch sales were around 2m)
WEEK +2 {29.01.2018 - 04.02.2018}
PlayStation 4 - 109.286 / 6.296.286 (-22%)
Monster Hunter: World - 223.274 / 1.573.686 (-83%)
WEEK +3 {05.02.2018 - 11.02.2018}
PlayStation 4 - 70.172 / 6.366.458 (-36%)
Monster Hunter: World - 114.740 / 1.688.426 (-49%)
WEEK +4 {12.02.2018 - 18.02.2018}
PlayStation 4 - 48.391 / 6.414.849 (-31%)
Monster Hunter: World - 85.762 / 1.774.188 (-25%)
WEEK +5 {19.02.2018 - 25.02.2018}
PlayStation 4 - 36.193 / 6.451.042 (-25%)
Monster Hunter: World - 54.915 / 1.829.103 (-36%)
WEEK +6 {26.02.2018 - 04.03.2018}
PlayStation 4 - 26.843 / 6.477.885 (-26%)
Monster Hunter: World - 38.504 / 1.867.607 (-30%)
WEEK +7 {05.03.2018 - 11.03.2018}
PlayStation 4 - 27.323 / 6.505.208 (+2%)
Monster Hunter: World - 24.351 / 1.891.958 (-37%)
Total PS4 hardware sales during the 7 weeks before launch (including the full Christmas/New Year shopping season and bundle release)
-> 470.852 (avg 67.265)
Total PS4 hardware sales during the 7 weeks since launch
-> 458.640 (avg 65.520)
Monster Hunter: World's launch was basically as strong as the preceding holiday season for PS4 hardware sales. In the end World shipped 3.2 million units on PS4, 34% of the console's current install base.
[3DS] Monster Hunter 4 (Capcom) {2013.09.14} (¥5.990)
WEEK -7 {22.07.2013 - 28.07.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 55.719 / 11.906.380 (+6%)
WEEK -6 {29.07.2013 - 04.08.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 61.896 / 11.968.276 (+11%)
WEEK -5 {05.08.2013 - 11.08.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 57.837 / 12.026.113 (-7%)
WEEK -4 {12.08.2013 - 18.08.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 71.731 / 12.097.844 (+24%) (Obon Festival holiday)
WEEK -3 {19.08.2013 - 25.08.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 52.141 / 12.149.985 (-27%)
WEEK -2 {26.08.2013 - 01.09.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 59.392 / 12.209.377 (+14%)
WEEK -1 {02.09.2013 - 08.09.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 78.300 / 12.287.677 (+32%)
WEEK +1 {09.09.2013 - 15.09.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 298.354 / 12.586.031 (+281%)
Monster Hunter 4 - 1.875.115 / NEW (same story, game was sold out and digital sales went pretty high for a 3DS game, a couple 100ks)
WEEK +2 {16.09.2013 - 22.09.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 173.544 / 12.759.575 (-42%)
Monster Hunter 4 - 432.286 / 2.307.401 (-77%)
WEEK +3 {23.09.2013 - 29.09.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 139.808 / 12.899.383 (-19%)
Monster Hunter 4 - 234.713 / 2.542.114 (-46%)
WEEK +4 {30.09.2013 - 06.10.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 117.739 / 13.017.122 (-16%)
Monster Hunter 4 - 164.593 / 2.706.707 (-30%)
WEEK +5 {07.10.2013 - 13.10.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 242.780 / 13.259.902 (+106%) (release of Pokémon X/Y)
Monster Hunter 4 - 111.230 / 2.817.937 (-32%)
WEEK +6 {14.10.2013 - 20.10.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 164.115 / 13.424.017 (-32%)
Monster Hunter 4 - 97.336 / 2.915.273 (-12%)
WEEK +7 {21.10.2013 - 27.10.2013}
Nintendo 3DS - 117.010 / 13.541.027 (-29%)
Monster Hunter 4 - 60.206 / 2.975.479 (-38%)
Total 3DS hardware sales during the 7 weeks before launch (including Obon Festival holiday)
-> 437.016 (avg 62.431)
Total 3DS hardware sales during the 7 weeks since launch (including Pokémon X/Y launch)
-> 1.253.350 (avg 179.050)
Monster Hunter 4's launch provided a bigger boost to hardware sales than Pokémon X/Y's did, despite MH4 being a lower seller itself and the fact that X/Y was the first main Pokémon game to hit the 3DS while Monster Hunter already had 3 Ultimate two years earlier which became a multimillion-seller. In the end MH4 shipped 4.1 million units on 3DS, 16% of the handheld's final install base (note: MH4 Ultimate released a year later shipped 2.9m additional units).
This took longer than I expected, I might do Freedom Unite and Freedom 3 later.
Last edited by HereWeGo - on 15 January 2021
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