The location-based game Monster Hunter Now announced a commendable achievement of surpassing 20 million USD in global revenue by the end of September 2023. This impressive feat has been achieved within the same month of its release. The game's success places it amid other location-based giants in Japan, such as Pokémon GO and Dragon Quest Walk.
Released officially on September 14th, 2023, by Niantic—the well-known publisher behind Pokémon GO—Monster Hunter Now uses the revered Monster Hunter IP owned by CAPCOM. According to data from Sensor Tower, by the end of its launch month, the game had achieved an enviable start with worldwide revenue exceeding 20 million USD. A breakdown of market-specific revenue shares showed Japan leading the chart with 67.3%, followed by the United States at 10.1%.
Ranking Trend - Monster Hunter Now, via Sensor Tower
In the Japanese App Store, Monster Hunter Now solidified its dominance by maintaining the top position in free download rankings for the majority of September. It also started at 18th in the top revenue rankings but swiftly climbed to the top spot by September 24th. This surge coincided with the in-game event Diablos Invasion! and the final day of Tokyo Game Show 2023, which likely contributed to the heightened player engagement.
Revenue Comparison in 14 days, via Sensor Tower
Location-based mobile gaming remains a beloved genre in Japan. Pokémon GO, launched in July 2016, and Dragon Quest Walk, released in September 2019, have continued to garner consistent support from players. Amid this, Nobunaga's Ambition: Shutsujin by KOEI TECMO GAMES was introduced in August 2023, adding to the intensifying competition. Sensor Tower's data for a two-week revenue comparison post-release shows Dragon Quest Walk reigning supreme with over 40 million USD in earnings.
These four titles, all using popular IPs, underline the prevailing popularity of Dragon Quest in Japan. Interestingly, during the same period, Monster Hunter Now achieved over 12 million USD in revenue, even surpassing Pokémon GO.
Revenue Comparison from Sep.1 to 30, via Sensor Tower
By September 2023, Monster Hunter Now showcased remarkable momentum, as reflected in Sensor Tower's revenue comparison data. With the game earning more than 14 million USD, it was hot on the heels of Pokémon GO. The reigning champion, Dragon Quest Walk, capitalized on its 4th-anniversary event to boost its earnings significantly.
Considering the short period since its launch, Monster Hunter Now has undeniably seen rapid monetization. Meanwhile, stalwarts like Pokémon GO and Dragon Quest Walk, which have been in the market for over four years, continue to receive unwavering support. Collectively, these four location-based titles raked in over $65 million in September 2023, underlining the synergy of strong IPs and the allure of location-based gaming mechanics among Japanese mobile gamers.
It should be noted that Sensor Tower's revenue predictions come from both the App Store and Google Play, representing the total consumer spend. The data does not include third-party Android market figures and only counts initial downloads from either the App Store or Google Play. Duplicate downloads by the same account on different devices or the same device are not included in the count.
Source: Sensor Tower