At a Capcom event in Tokyo over the weekend, the company announced a Monster Hunter spin-off starring the game’s cats (or airu as they’re called).

Details are scant, but the game’s called “Mon Han Nikki Poka Poka Airu Mura”. It’s for the PSP, and it’s not a shooting game.

Luckily, Capcom’s supplied me with a list of what they’re planning on giving away or offering at their store on the weekend of PAX. That should make my attack strategy planning a bit easier.

The first 250 people to hit up their booth on Friday and Saturday score passes to a Resident Evil 5 PC launch party. At said party, Capcom will be giving away:

—Customized TriCell ID badges (meh)
—RE5 snow globes of dubious snowiness (I thought the game took place in quasi-Saharan Africa?)
—Majini makeovers (I’m not sure if that means they make you look like one or they let one go to work on your face.)

The booth, meanwhile, will have tons of stuff from the Capcom Store that you can pay real money for—like the Street Fighter Femme Fatale sticks Fahey blogged. I might seriously consider forking money over to them, having seen the giant-sized Poogie plush from Monster Hunter. Hopefully, though, some of what’s at the store might be part of the giveaways Capcom plans to do throughout the day, so I’ll just keep checking back. If my swag bag doesn’t fill up, that is.

Oh—and they’ll have games, too:

RE5 PC, Spyborgs, Fate/Unlimited Codes, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, Lost Planet 2, Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, and more!

See you on the floor, Kotakuites. Like last year, I’m pulling a Plebian act, so you’ll probably have an easier time spotting me than Fahey or Totilo.

Capcom @ PAX: SWAG, RE 5 Party, Demos, and Exclusive Merchandise [Capcom Blog]

The below image reads:

Dear Customer

You are presently banned for using modded data to connect online. The ban will be left at 22:49 on 12/12/9999. The next time you violate the terms of use, you will never again be able to connect.

The year 9999 might be a long time, but it’s not “never”. Never is a long time. 9999? A blink in the space-time continuum.

『モンスターハンター３』で改造データを使うと9999年まで接続禁止になるらしい [オレ的ゲーム速報＠刃] [Pic]

The Monster Hunter series on the PSP has been one of the real success stories—not just for the PSP, but Capcom. The game was originally schedule for the PS3, but later announced for the Nintendo Wii. With the Nintendo Wii being the most popular console in Japan, Capcom shipped one million copies of the game.

Yet, after moving half a million copies in its first week, indications are that sales are way down to the tune of 130,000 copies sticking retailers with unsold copies of the game. Some retailers like Bic Camera have knocked the price down to ¥2,980 (AUD$37) from ¥6,600 (AUD$82) for new copies as part of a special sale. Capcom has already shipped these games. If sales are lower than targeted, retailers are getting screwed.

Don’t get us wrong, Monster Hunter 3 selling half a million copies in its first week on sale is impressive. That’s the biggest third party Wii debut in Japan. Selling 130,000 copies in a week is also impressive.

However, when a million copies of a game are shipped, and there is a significant drop off in its second week, one can’t help but think the game isn’t living up to retail expectations. But those are only sales expectations, and sales expectations smells pectations. Monster Hunter 3 is doing great!

2週目は約13.8万本。 [忍之閻魔帳] [Pic]

Monster Hunter does monster business. PC game Hunter Blade is trying to cash in — or at least ski in Monster Hunter’s wake.

Above is a recent trailer for the game. Players slay large prehistoric-looking monsters. So original!

When asked about this title, Capcom reportedly replied, “This title is not licensed by us and has no connection to our company.”

中国の『Hunter Blade 猪刀』は本当に『モンスターハンター』のパクリなのか？ [オレ的ゲーム速報＠刃]

Capcom’s last ad campaign features a trio of Japanese celebs playing Monster Hunter. One of them has played MH games a bunch. Another, not so much.

Starring in the ad are model Anna Ishibashi, Japanese Academy Award nominated actor Satoshi Tsumabuki, and comedian Satoshi Inoue.

Ishibashi has logged a mere three hours with the Monster Hunter franchise, Tsumabuki has clocked in at 374 total hours, while funny man Inoue has spent a whopping 4,904 hours (204 days!) with the series. And that’s nothing to laugh about.

Known as Monster Hunter Freedom Unite in the West, the game has shipped over 3.5 million copies, making it the first PSP title to hit that mark. The title originally went on sale in October 2008.

[Pic]

On August 1, Wii title Monster Hunter 3 (-tri) will whip Japan into a frenzy when it hits retailers. The game was originally planned for the PS3, but announced as a Wii title.

Out this spring in Japan, God Eaters also offers goodies like character creation and the ability to customise and make weapons (sound familiar?), and like MH, this PSP titles has four player co-op. Just be glad they didn’t call it God Eater Hunters.

Or maybe, shame they didn’t!

That shot above is just a sample. For the whole thing, hit the image below.