Capcom's Monster Hunter Rise: From Resident Evil 6 Low to Golden Era Success

Capcom's recent string of successes, from the record-breaking Monster Hunter: Rise to the ever-popular Resident Evil franchise, paints a picture of unwavering triumph. However, this wasn't always the case. Less than a decade ago, a series of critical and commercial failures left Capcom struggling for survival, grappling with a lost identity and a dwindling audience.

The company faced a significant identity crisis. Resident Evil, the pioneer of survival horror, lost its edge after Resident Evil 4. Similarly, Street Fighter faltered after the poorly-received Street Fighter 5. The situation looked dire for Capcom and its beloved franchises.

But a turnaround was on the horizon. A strategic shift in game development, coupled with a powerful new game engine, revitalized these iconic series. This sparked years of critical acclaim and financial success, propelling Capcom back to the forefront of the gaming industry.

Resident Evil's Lost Path

2016 was a challenging year. Umbrella Corps, an online co-op shooter, was met with harsh criticism from both critics and fans. Street Fighter 5 also disappointed long-time fans, falling short of the brilliance of its predecessor, Street Fighter 4. Even the return of Frank West in Dead Rising 4 couldn't prevent it from becoming the series' final new entry.

This marked the nadir of a string of underwhelming years for Capcom, dating back to 2010. Mainline Resident Evil games received increasingly negative reviews, despite strong sales. Street Fighter struggled, and key franchises like Devil May Cry were largely absent. Meanwhile, Monster Hunter, while hugely popular in Japan, struggled to gain significant traction internationally.

This contrasts sharply with Capcom's current success. Since 2017, the company has consistently delivered hit after hit, including Monster Hunter: World, Devil May Cry 5, Street Fighter 6, and several critically acclaimed remakes and reboots. Capcom's recent track record suggests an almost unblemished success rate.

This resurgence wasn't solely a matter of learning from past mistakes; it required a complete overhaul of Capcom's strategy, from target audiences to the technology employed.

Capcom, founded in 1979 as a manufacturer of electronic game machines, rose to prominence in the 80s and 90s with 2D titles like Street Fighter and Mega Man. Its successful transition to 3D gaming, spearheaded by Resident Evil, solidified its position. Between 2000 and 2010, Capcom successfully modernized many of its flagship franchises, culminating in the creation of one of the greatest games of all time: Resident Evil 4.

Resident Evil 4 (2005), lauded for its innovative blend of horror and action, significantly altered the course of the franchise. While rooted in horror, its Hollywood-style action sequences shifted the series' balance. This balance, however, was lost in subsequent installments.

Resident Evil 5 (2009), featuring scenes like Chris Redfield punching a boulder and a car chase sequence, prioritized action over horror. This identity crisis was apparent to both players and developers, including Resident Evil 4 remake director Yasuhiro Ampo, a veteran of the franchise since 1996.

"Throughout the Resident Evil series, we set different goals for each game," Ampo explains. "But this time, many of us felt a disconnect between what fans wanted and what we were creating."

This confusion led to games like Resident Evil 6 (2012), which attempted to cater to both action and horror fans simultaneously, resulting in a disjointed experience that satisfied neither. Online fan discontent grew as developers experimented with online co-op spin-offs.

This wasn't limited to Resident Evil. Following the success of Street Fighter 4, its sequel, Street Fighter 5 (2016), was criticized for its lack of single-player content and poor online functionality. Fans pointed to a lack of polish and confusing game balance.

Other key franchises also struggled. Devil May Cry's diminishing returns led Capcom to outsource DmC: Devil May Cry (2013) to Ninja Theory. Despite gaining cult status, the game's reception was mixed, and the series was subsequently shelved.

This period, from the early to mid-2010s, saw Capcom's key franchises falter, new titles fail to connect with audiences, and a general lack of focus. A change was clearly needed.

Street Fighter 5: A Turning Point

By the mid-2010s, Capcom initiated several strategic changes. Addressing the issues plaguing Street Fighter 5, the company brought in director Takayuki Nakayama and producer Shuhei Matsumoto.

While unable to alter the game's fundamental direction, Nakayama focused on fixing pressing issues, laying the groundwork for Street Fighter 6. "We couldn't make major changes," Nakayama admits. "We had to proceed in the existing direction, which limited our options."

The decision not to abandon Street Fighter 5 entirely stemmed from a desire to learn from its mistakes and apply those lessons to the sequel. Matsumoto explains, "It wasn't about ending Street Fighter 5 and focusing solely on Street Fighter 6. We used Street Fighter 5's development as a learning process, applying what worked to Street Fighter 6."

Street Fighter 5 became a testing ground for new ideas, resulting in improvements to netcode, character balance, and the introduction of new mechanics. The focus shifted towards rediscovering the fun, addressing the frustration many players experienced.

"Fighting games should be fun," Matsumoto says. "In Street Fighter 5, we felt there wasn't a clear path to that level of enjoyment."

Rather than simply lowering the difficulty, Street Fighter 6 expanded tools for new players while retaining elements appreciated by veteran players. By using Street Fighter 5 as a learning experience, Street Fighter 6 (2023) became one of the franchise's most acclaimed entries.

Monster Hunter's Global Domination

Around the time of Street Fighter 5's launch, Capcom underwent an internal reorganization, introducing the RE Engine to replace the aging MT Framework. This wasn't just a technological upgrade; it signaled a commitment to creating games for a global audience.

"Several factors converged," says Hideaki Itsuno, known for his work on Devil May Cry. "The engine change and a clear goal to make games for the global market."

Capcom's previous attempts to target the Western market, with titles like Umbrella Corps and the Lost Planet series, had been unsuccessful. The company realized it needed to create games with broader appeal.

"We focused on making good games that would resonate worldwide," Itsuno emphasizes.

Monster Hunter exemplifies this global strategy. While possessing a dedicated Western fanbase, it was significantly more popular in Japan. This was partly due to the success of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on the PSP, a handheld platform more prevalent in Japan.

Ryozo Tsujimoto, the series' executive producer, explains, "Handheld consoles made multiplayer easy without internet access, allowing players to easily play with friends."

This led to a cycle where Monster Hunter's success in Japan resulted in Japan-focused content, further reinforcing its image as a Japan-only brand.

Monster Hunter: World (2018), released simultaneously worldwide on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, marked a turning point. It offered a AAA console experience with enhanced graphics and larger-scale gameplay.

"Calling it Monster Hunter: World was a nod to our desire to appeal to a worldwide audience," Tsujimoto says.

Monster Hunter: World avoided region-exclusive content, and the team conducted global playtests to refine the game's design. This led to changes like displaying damage numbers, making the game more accessible. The result was unprecedented success, with Monster Hunter: World and Monster Hunter Rise (2022) each selling over 20 million copies.

"We analyzed where players got stuck, gathered feedback, and used that knowledge to improve Monster Hunter Rise," Tsujimoto explains.

Resident Evil 7: A Return to Horror

For Resident Evil, Capcom needed to decide between action and survival horror. Executive producer Jun Takeuchi decided to prioritize survival horror.

Yasuhiro Ampo recalls, "Takeuchi set the direction to return to the series' roots, emphasizing survival elements."

Resident Evil 7 (2017), announced at E3 2016, marked this shift, adopting a first-person perspective and focusing on creating a truly terrifying experience. This return to survival horror proved successful.

"Takeuchi made it clear that being scary was critical," Ampo says. "Resident Evil 7 would prioritize survival, and from there, we'd experiment with new things."

While maintaining the first-person perspective for mainline titles, Capcom also released third-person remakes, starting with Resident Evil 2. This decision was driven by fan demand and the success of fan-made projects.

"People really wanted this," Ampo reveals. "So, producer Hirabayashi decided to do it."

The Resident Evil 2 remake, a blend of horror, action, and puzzles, was a major success, becoming the second best-selling Resident Evil game. This was followed by a remake of Resident Evil 3 and, despite initial hesitation, a remake of Resident Evil 4.

"Resident Evil 4 was beloved," Ampo admits. "We were hesitant, worried about potential backlash."

The Resident Evil 4 remake maintained the action while enhancing the survival horror elements, resulting in another critical and commercial success.

Simultaneously, Hideaki Itsuno, director of Devil May Cry, sought to revitalize the action genre, creating a more challenging and stylish experience with Devil May Cry 5 (2019), leveraging the capabilities of the RE Engine.

The Catalyst for Change

Itsuno felt that action games had become too easy, lacking the challenge he desired. The RE Engine, with its photorealistic capabilities and rapid development tools, allowed him to create a visually stunning and intensely stylish game.

"Devil May Cry is about being cool," Itsuno says. "I incorporated everything I considered cool into the game."

Ampo describes the RE Engine as "a less stressful development environment that allowed us to work faster. We could ask for tools internally and get them fixed quickly."

This rapid iteration process proved crucial for Itsuno's vision. The combination of rapid development and high-fidelity graphics allowed him to elevate Devil May Cry 5's style to new heights.

A New Golden Age

Since 2017, Capcom has consistently delivered high-quality games. Its focus on creating globally appealing games, utilizing the advanced RE Engine, has resulted in unprecedented success. The company seamlessly transitions between different genres, maintaining the unique identities of its franchises while expanding their reach.

This success is not accidental; it's a result of a strategic shift that prioritized global appeal without compromising the core elements of each franchise. Capcom's transformation serves as a lesson for other studios struggling to maintain consistency and identity.

When asked about this new golden age, Capcom's directors expressed excitement and a commitment to continuing this success. Nakayama stated, "It's an exciting time to be at Capcom. We can focus on what's fun." Tsujimoto added, "Capcom is in a golden era, and we'll do everything to make it last."