https://www.polygon.com/2017/11/1/16586152/monster-hunter-world-changes-accessibility

Monster Hunter is a smash hit franchise, having sold millions of copies over its lifespan — 40 million to be exact — to devoted fans.

But most of those devoted fans are in Japan, and stewards of the franchise hope that Monster Hunter: World will be the true breakout hit to bring Western audiences to the action role-playing game. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate laid a solid framework for future success, as it was the first Monster Hunter title to sell one million units in North America and Europe. But that only happened in 2016, nearly 12 years after the first game’s release on PlayStation 2.