Japanese gaming giant Capcom has been experiencing a steady ascension in recent years, powered by a resurgence of its IPs, both old and new, and the Monster Hunter series has been a stalwart of that progress. It can be argued that since the 2018 release of Monster Hunter World, the franchise has gone from strength to strength, firmly establishing itself as a blockbuster release on everyone’s gaming calendar with every new iteration.
Much of that credit can be laid at the feet of longtime series producer, Ryozo Tsujimoto, who has been leading the team since 2007. The legend himself was in town for Gamescom Asia 2023, which was a perfect opportunity for us at Geek Culture to pick his brain about just what makes Monster Hunter such an apex predator in the gaming space.
Having worked on the series for so long, it is evident that Tsujimoto is still full of drive and passion when it comes to delivering awesome experiences for fans. This, according to him, is also why the team has been so successful over the years.
“Monster Hunter releases a constant stream of games every couple of years. One of the key components for it being still so popular after all these years is the love that the development team has for the franchise and everybody constantly wanting to put out new content and new games throughout all of these years,” the producer shared.
“Rather than kind of looking outwards or towards other similar games for inspiration, what the Monster Hunter team does is really looks at Monster Hunter as a genre itself. And think about how they want to evolve the game and where the next direction should go.”
The act of hunting down gigantic monsters and towering threats certainly forms the bulk of the fun, but it is also how the series has brought together a social and multiplayer experience that helps it endure the test of time while fending off the competition in gaming to stay relevant. As Tsujimoto said, “one of the best parts of experiencing the game is having all the hunters come together and take down one monster,” and when it’s a global community, that is “what makes the game great.”
He was also keen to emphasise that it’s not a competition per se when players get together to hunt, but rather a sequence that requires teamwork and collaboration, where “the playing field is level for all players so that everybody can join” in the fun. It doesn’t matter how fast or how well you did during the hunt, so even for newcomers, there is always progression to be had.
Of course, the player is only one half of the equation, with the monsters themselves playing a huge part in the ensuing fun. When asked about the way in which the team prepares for a new title when it comes to the selection of monsters to hunt, the producer touched on several factors.
The first is the “monster’s popularity,” and perhaps the most important of all, “the balance of the entire game” if a beast is brought back into the fold.
“Does it make sense for that monster to come back at this time? And also, does this monster fit within the general theme and scheme of the game? And also is there a good balance of the types of monsters that appear in the game? There’s so many monsters to choose from; if we brought back everything that was popular then it would not be great for the balance.”
That same kind of judiciousness also applies when choosing the main monster that represents any specific Monster Hunter game in the series. It has to be “reflecting the general world view of the actual title at the time, the ecology, and also certain parts and callbacks of the story.”
With the series celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024, it was interesting to hear from Tsujimoto reflecting on the continued success. From gathering feedback from hardcore fans who have been there from the start, developing for different platforms and experiences with various specs and requirements, and heeding lessons from other Capcom titles, the past 16 years have been quite a journey for the producer.
Yet, the hunt continues for the team and Tsujimoto. As busy as the man is, he still manages to find time to enjoy the games that he has helped build for a fervent fan base, sharing that he is currently on Hunter Rank 92 on the mobile spin-off Monster Hunter Now. Needless to say, he is leading by example, and if the rest of the team behind the games are as passionate as he is, no wonder the franchise continues to sit at the top of the food chain.
Jake is a full-time trophy hunter and achievement gatherer on consoles, and part-time Steam Sale victim. He has a thing for Batman and awesome statues, and running out of space for both. Send help.
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Edwin Teo
