Yesterday, Tencent-owned studio TiMi introduced that they’d be collaborating with Japanese firm Capcom to supply a cellular recreation based mostly on their widespread “Monster Hunter” franchise. It’s not the primary time Tencent has labored alongside Capcom, though they’ve confronted difficulties bringing the franchise abroad to China up to now. Nonetheless, now they look like taking part in to their strengths in cellular gaming and are banking on a licensing freeze in China being lifted to permit the sport to be launched.
The sport appears prone to be a world launch, with TiMi dealing with Chinese language growth and licensing, while Capcom handles Asia and worldwide launch. The announcement reads, “TiMi Studio Group (TiMi) and Capcom Co., Ltd. (Capcom) are becoming a member of forces on a brand new cellular recreation for the long-lasting Monster Hunter sequence. The in-development recreation will reproduce the looking actions that outline the Monster Hunter sequence, and supply gamers a brand new recreation expertise distinctive for cellular gadgets and telephones.”
Betting it on MH
Tencent has confronted monetary difficulties attributable to ongoing market issues in China. A licensing freeze and rules which can be opaque, tough to handle and predict, have stymied the extremely massive gaming business within the nation. Nonetheless, Tencent seems to be banking closely on Monster Hunter being a significant licence that they’ll convey to the nation. It could be an enormous threat for different causes as effectively, as Monster Hunter World was beforehand pulled from sale in China lower than per week after itemizing in 2018, which got here as a significant blow to Tencent.
The Monster Hunter franchise has additionally confronted additional issue exterior of video games, with the Monster Hunter film being pulled from theatres. Nonetheless, Monster Hunter On-line, an MMORPG for PC in China ran efficiently from 2013 to 2019, so it’s unlikely the model is seen as poisonous by both Tencent or the Chinese language public as a complete.
Tencent are possible aiming to revitalise their enterprise and trying to the long run. Though their enlargement abroad can be part of this, capitalising on an current, devoted Chinese language cellular gaming viewers is a brilliant transfer. The Chinese language cellular gaming market is forecast to say no for the primary time in years, however pulling out totally possible isn’t an choice. Thus, Tencent are banking on collaborating with a identified model and making an enormous splash with a excessive profile launch like Monster Hunter.
