Joystiq

Mega Man and Monster Hunter bundled up for PSP

JC Fletcher — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST

It might be shortsighted to buy UMD-based PSP games so close to the launch of the PlayStation Vita, but these new deals from Capcom may still tempt you, especially if you're budget-conscious enough to wait on the Vita anyway. The publisher has bundled some of its most popular PSP games into $14.99 "dual packs," one containing Mega Man Maverick Hunter X and Mega Man Powered Up, and another containing Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and Freedom 2.

You'll have to brave entering a GameStop for these, as they're exclusive to that retailer. Well, we suppose you could "brave" its website from the relative safety of your home, too.

Mega Man and Monster Hunter bundled up for PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom's store slashes PSP game prices for limited time

Randy Nelson — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 01:20:00 EST

Remember the PSP? With all of the PS Vita news lately, we wouldn't blame you if Sony's current handheld had dropped off your radar. Well, Capcom's giving PSP owners a reason to charge up their systems again, dropping the prices on a portion of its UMD-based titles (little discs, seriously!) while supplies last.

Starting at $10 and maxing out at $20, the list includes: Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, Power Stone Collection, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max and seven more. Capcom says the quantities of some titles are "extremely limited," so hit that source link fast if you're at all interested in this deal. You'll find the full list with prices after the jump.

Continue reading Capcom's store slashes PSP game prices for limited time

Capcom's store slashes PSP game prices for limited time originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 01:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and other Capcom PSP games on sale

David Hinkle — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 00:15:00 EST

Capcom is discounting select PSP UMD games via its online store, including Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law and Capcom Puzzle World. If you're a PSP Go owner, uh ... yeah.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and other Capcom PSP games on sale originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monster Hunter Freedom Unite DLC coming to an end

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:11:00 EST

Since its release, Capcom has diligently updated Monster Hunter Freedom Unite with free DLC; unfortunately, the free updates come to an end this week, with the release of five additional missions. Promising to be "some of the most epic quests" in the game so far, these four-player missions can be downloaded for free from the in-game DLC menu. The final missions will be available on April 2nd.

If you're still playing the game, and have AdHocParty installed on your PS3, you may want to participate in a Play With Capcom session this Friday. For more details, visit the Capcom-Unity blog.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite DLC coming to an end originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony throwing an adhocParty in North America this month

JC Fletcher — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST

North American PS3 and PSP owners will no longer have to go through a complicated process to access adhocParty, the once Japan-only application that lets local adHoc PSP games be played online. SCEA just announced that the PS3 app will be available in North America this month! The application works with "select online multiplayer games" for PSP, using the PS3's internet connection. It is currently unknown whether it will support the same list of games available in Japan, but Sony specifically named Gran Turismo and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite as compatible.

We're hoping that, some time in the next year, Sony will enhance its platforms even more with a new technology called the "space bar." It could really work wonders for adhocParty on PSPgo.

Sony throwing an adhocParty in North America this month originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bionic Commando, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite 'underperform' in the west

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST

While Capcom may have reported strong numbers for its first quarter ending June 30, that doesn't mean that everything is rosy. The report mentioned that Bionic Commando and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite failed to perform in the west and, digging a little deeper into Capcom's documents, we've uncovered some more specific details. Bionic Commando, which Capcom released with western audiences in mind, only managed to sell 550,000 copies since its debut in May. Capcom, unsurprisingly, believes the title "underperformed."

Meanwhile, PSP title Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, which has been very successful in Japan, has "performed weakly" in western markets, though it sold 600,000 copies worldwide (not bad for a game that released over a year ago in Japan). The documents don't specify how many copies were sold in western markets, though it's clear the company is disappointed. It's also important to note that Freedom Unite's US release was on June 23, only a week prior to the end of Capcom's first quarter.

Bionic Commando, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite 'underperform' in the west originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Download free Monster Hunter Freedom Unite quests at Comic-Con

Randy Nelson — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST

Capcom is issuing a call to all PSP-owning monster hunters, revealing that, if they bring their system and copy of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite to next week's San Diego Comic-Con, they'll be able to download eight free quests for the game. The company cautions those planning to do so that only six quests will fit on a memory stick (no file sizes are given), so you'd best bring a second MS Duo along just to be safe.

Four of the eight quests are said to be geared toward beginner-level players; the other eight are intended for Monster Hunter vets. Capcom has remarked that these freebies will serve as a taste of what's to come from the game's upcoming DLC, which will hit the PS Store every Friday through the end of 2009. (DLC quests for the game first became available earlier this month.)

Download free Monster Hunter Freedom Unite quests at Comic-Con originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monster Hunter Freedom Unite does monsterously well in Japan

Randy Nelson — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:00:00 EST

Japanese PSP owners are united in their love of Capcom's latest Monster Hunter installment. According to figures released today, Freedom Unite -- which just launched here in the US -- has sold a total of 3.5 million copies in Japan since its release there in March. Capcom notes that this includes 1 million in sales of the game's "The Best" budget line version.

The Monster Hunter franchise is not nearly as huge in the States, but that's something that could change once Sony finally releases its adhocParty app for PS3 here. It enables groups of PSP users to play online with full voice chat, which kinda makes coordinating to bring down the beasts a whole lot easier -- and fun.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite does monsterously well in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Weekly Monster Hunter DLC begins today

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:45:00 EST

Just like its Japanese counterpart, the English language version of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite will feature weekly downloadable content. Best of all, it'll be free! Expect updates every Friday for the next few months. The first content update, available today, is a new "Epic Hunting Quest" called "The Triumvirate of the Sands." This quest will feature the monsters Daimyo Hermitaur, Tigrex, Plesioth, and will take place in the desert (hence the "Sands" part, you see?). Survive and you'll be able to net 12300z.

In order to download the DLC, all you need to do is boot up the game in your PSP and click Download from the start menu. No need to log on to the PlayStation Network or download anything from the PlayStation Store. Not bad, huh?

Weekly Monster Hunter DLC begins today originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Monster Hunter PSP bundle hitting Europe

Majed Athab — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:45:00 EST

In two weeks time, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite will make its way to North America and Europe. For Europe at least, the release of this new Monster Hunter title will be marked with a special PSP bundle. Arriving day-and-date with the regular software, the bundle will include a copy of the game, a silver PSP-3000, a Monster Hunter-branded carrying pouch, screen wipe and a branded skin cover.

Expect to see this bundle on June 26 -- the official European release date. As for North America, the game will arrive three days earlier on June 23, although no special bundle has been mentioned.

New Monster Hunter PSP bundle hitting Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAL undergoing Monster Hunter Freedom Unite trials this Thursday

David Hinkle — Mon, 25 May 2009 13:30:00 EST

Hey, fellow hunters in the PAL territory! Know that a demo of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite will be available to test your skills later this week. Capcom has a lot of high hopes for the franchise, and has taken great care in introducing the game to the West. With a demo hitting Europe on May 28, you'll finally get to see what all of the fuss is about. The demo landed on our shores Thursday, and we'd tell you all about it, but then that would ruin the surprise.

PAL undergoing Monster Hunter Freedom Unite trials this Thursday originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 May 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSN Thursday: Monsters invade the PS3 and PSP

Jem Alexander — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:45:00 EST

There's plenty of content for you to grab from the US store today, including four demos, two PS1 games and the usual lot of DLC. inFamous and the LittleBigPlanet Monsters pack should probably be at the top of your shopping list this week. If you're a PSP fan, you can take advantage of the just-released Monster Hunter Freedom Unite demo, too.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:

(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Continue reading PSN Thursday: Monsters invade the PS3 and PSP

PSN Thursday: Monsters invade the PS3 and PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 May 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom begins teaching English players how to play Monster Hunter

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:40:00 EST

Are you a Monster Hunter n00b? Don't worry if you are -- Capcom understands that the franchise hasn't been too big outside of Japan. However, things are going to be different this time around. Capcom is trying to recreate the astronomical success Monster Hunter Freedom Unite found in Japan by launching one of its biggest promotions to date. We've already seen viral videos -- what's next?

This tutorial is but the first in a series of videos designed to teach Monster Hunter basics to the masses. Capcom is promising a massive adventure that "delivers over 500 hours of gameplay" through "over 400 missions." Does that pique your interest?

Capcom begins teaching English players how to play Monster Hunter originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 May 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Viral vid warns of Japanese monster outbreak spreading to the West

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:30:00 EST

The monsters are coming. Capcom released this viral video not too long ago, and we have to admit it's very cool. This documentary-style video captures the terrifying hunt of four Japanese civilians. They must work together in order to take down these beasts -- but alas, it looks as though the monster infection is spreading beyond Japan.

Does this sound familiar? It should. Capcom is trying to recreate the success of this PSP game for the Western audience. So long as Capcom continues this edgy marketing, it may actually succeed.

You do know what game we're talking about, right?

Viral vid warns of Japanese monster outbreak spreading to the West originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 May 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Big franchises boost Capcom's net sales 10%

JC Fletcher — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:18:00 EST

Capcom's financial report for fiscal year 2008 reveals that the company seems to have found a way to protect itself against the recession: sequels. Net sales for FY 2008 came to 91.8 million yen, up 10.6% from 2007, an increase that Capcom attributes to its massive franchise releases.

Following the sales numbers, Capcom names the games that drove the growth. It refers to Resident Evil 5 as a "mega hit with the first shipment of over four million copies worldwide." According to the report, this game and Street Fighter IV "served as the sales growth engine overseas."

In Japan, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite continued to sell throughout FY 2008, in high enough numbers that both MHFU and its lower-price re-release get separate mentions in the document. If it does well in North America, it could appear on a third year's financial report!

Big franchises boost Capcom's net sales 10% originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 May 2009 09:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fate/unlimited codes also download-only in Europe, but Capcom isn't giving up on UMD

JC Fletcher — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:25:00 EST

Just like in North America, Capcom will release the PSP fighting game Fate/unlimited codes in Europe as a download. But that doesn't mean the publisher is abandoning UMD. The Capcom Europe rep who confirmed the European release of the game to MCV also said, "We certainly do not intend to stop supporting UMD." The representative went on to say, "Certainly for us PSP is very important - more so with Monster Hunter coming - than maybe any other publisher." Of course, Capcom may have to end up dropping UMD if Sony does.

It's no surprise that Capcom would be hesitant to do anything to downplay the upcoming release of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, including speak ill of its format. It was the best-selling game in Japan last year, and thus is probably pretty important to Capcom.

Fate/unlimited codes also download-only in Europe, but Capcom isn't giving up on UMD originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Europe to receive Monster Hunter Freedom Unite PSP bundle

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:30:00 EST

Outspoken SCEE president David Reeves told CAPTIVATE audiences (including Eurogamer) that the upcoming Monster Hunter Freedom Unite would "spearhead the PSP resurgence of 2009." Big words, but considering the success of the game in Japan, it's not unwarranted.

To support Capcom's efforts in marketing the game to Western audiences, SCEE is planning a new PSP bundle featuring Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. While unlikely, we're hoping it'll be as awesome as the Japan-only special edition seen above.

Europe to receive Monster Hunter Freedom Unite PSP bundle originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monster Hunter Freedom Unite demo coming this June

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:30:00 EST

Click to see full box art.

Ready to go Monster Hunt-ing? An English language demo of the upcoming Monster Hunter Freedom Unite will be ready in June. The demo, which will be available on the PlayStation Store this June, will feature multiple missions that can be played alone, or with friends through Ad-Hoc multiplayer. The demo will begin with a higher level character, skilled with major weapon types, so you'll be able to get a taste of what the game is like when you're not a total n00b.

Monster Hunter is one of Japan's largest franchises, and has revived the PSP scene in Japan. We're not sure if Capcom will be able to recreate that success here in the States, but they're certainly going to try.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite demo coming this June originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom UK setting up Monster Hunter drop-in center this Summer

Jem Alexander — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:00:00 EST

Capcom said that it would be giving Monster Hunter a massive marketing push in the west and, from the email we just received, it seems it wasn't lying. The UK branch is planning on opening up a Monster Hunter drop-in center this Summer in central London. The building will facilitate the playing of Monster Hunter Portable Unite in teams -- the way it's meant to be played.

One of the reasons the series has been so poorly adopted in the west is that we tend to play either alone or online. In Japan it's far more common to play together in the same room -- particularly with handhelds. The details have yet to be finalized but it looks as though an entire three story building will be made available throughout the month of July for gamers to drop by and play with other Monster Hunter players, enjoy free "sweets and fizzy pop" and charge up their PSPs.

The Monster Hunter den will be open until "at least 8 p.m." each evening, after which the games can continue down at the pub. Sounds like an ingenious (if costly) marketing ploy to us. We'll keep you informed of the details once they're finalized.

Capcom UK setting up Monster Hunter drop-in center this Summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom promises big push for Monster Hunter series for Western audiences

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:15:00 EST

Capcom isn't content with the five gazillion dollars of money it's made with the Monster Hunter series in Japan so far. No, the company is looking to make American gamers follow suit by turning the multiplayer RPG to the gaming equivalent of crack cocaine. Speaking to MCV, Capcom's Ryozo Tsujimoto admitted there has been a serious lack of marketing for the Monster Hunter games. This will be rectified for the upcoming PSP release, dubbed Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. "This time we're taking things far more seriously in terms of the promotion," Tsujimoto said. "The first step is to actually get the game noticed. No one here knows what the game is so we just need to spread the name of Monster Hunter."

A lengthy new trailer (seen after the break) may be the first step in a long campaign to raise awareness with the English speaking community. If Capcom can get the buzz flowing around Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, we may see an even bigger push for the Wii-exclusive Monster Hunter 3.

Continue reading Capcom promises big push for Monster Hunter series for Western audiences

Capcom promises big push for Monster Hunter series for Western audiences originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monster Seller: 3 million copies of Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G shipped in Japan

JC Fletcher — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:25:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PSP

Capcom has shipped more than 3 million copies of Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G for the PSP in Japan, Capcom announced today. The game has been released in three editions: the original release, the hardware bundle, and a "The Best" reissue.

It's a massive success story for Capcom -- Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G couldn't have cost much to make, being based on Monster Hunter Portable 2nd, which is itself based on the PS2 Monster Hunter 2, and yet it was the best-selling game in Japan last year. It was also the only PlayStation title to sell over two million copies in Japan in 2008. The company has more big numbers to look forward to when it releases the game in North America as Monster Hunter Freedom Unite.

Monster Seller: 3 million copies of Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G shipped in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TGS 08: Capcom announces US-bound Monster Hunter Freedom Unite

Majed Athab — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PSP, TGS

What's the game that's got Japanese gamers all in a frenzy? It's Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G -- the title that's sold over two million copies on the PSP this year in Japan. Fortunately the Japanese are not being selfish and won't be keeping the multiplayer action title to themselves -- it's coming stateside in Spring 2009 and will be renamed Monster Hunter Freedom Unite.

While Freedom Unite isn't physically at the show, Capcom has another Monster Hunter title at TGS. That would be Monster Hunter 3 (Tri) for the Wii and it has been drawing huge crowds leaving people with hour long waits ... and it's only the first day. An "industry only" day. Just wait until the public comes in on the weekend. We wonder if the success that was founded in Japan will follow across the Pacific? Monster Hunter Freedom games haven't exactly been picked up by Western gamers in the past.

TGS 08: Capcom announces US-bound Monster Hunter Freedom Unite originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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