[News] Capcom wants PC to be its main platform for games in the future

[SliCeR]

Capcom's COO says the company wants to make PC its main platform for games, according to a translated report from Japanese outlet Nikkei, and reiterated by Bloomberg reporter Takashi Mochizuki. Capcom also aims to have 50% of its sales on PC and 50% on consoles by 2022 or 2023. Chief operating officer Haruhiro Tsujimoto made the comments to Nikkei at this week's Tokyo Game Show. Capcom also announced this week that Monster Hunter Rise, previously a Nintendo Switch exclusive, will come to PC in January 2022. While some of Capcom's games have come to PC after console releases, like Monster Hunter World taking an extra eight months in 2018, many of its recent releases like Resident Evil Village and Devil May Cry 5 have arrived on all platforms simultaneously. Record-setting sales numbers potentially play a role in Capcom's decision to increase focus on PC. The Resident Evil series became Capcom's first to surpass 100 million lifetime sales. According to Capcom's investor relations portal, Monster Hunter World has sold 17.3 million units, Resident Evil 7 has sold 9.8 million units, and Monster Hunter World: Iceborne has sold 8.2 million units. Those are cross-platform numbers, but PC sales certainly played a big role—leaked data earlier this year suggested World sold better on PC in the west than on PlayStation.Capcom's most recent financial report, from July 2021, showed the publisher achieved sales figures of ¥95.3 billion ($859.6 million)—a year-on-year increase of 16.8%. Capcom's arcade sales suffered during the pandemic, dropping 18.4% (to $183 million) and operating income dropping 87.7% (to $1.4 million). Capcom's videogame division made up for it, though, raising net sales up 25.6% (to $691.3 million) and operating income up 53.1% (to 340.2 million).