Summary
The firstHunter × Huntergame to reach Western shores is on its way later in 2024, and fans should be looking forward to it.Hunter × Hunter: Nen × Impactrecently picked up an overseas publisher in Arc System Works America alongside the announcement ofH×Hregular Biscuit Krueger joining the cast, and it is set to launch on PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch later this year. When remains up in the air, but with 2024 half over, the wait forHunter × Hunter: Nen Impact’s remaining fighters and features should be brief.
Nen × Impactis a 3v3 2D fighting game by Eighting, the fighting game powerhouse responsible forBloody Roar,Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3,Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom,DNF Duel, and plenty more. Its roster might start low despite that pedigree, with the current implication beingsixteenHunter × Hunterfighters at launch, but hands-on impressions so far make this sound like a worthy successor to Eighting’sVs. Capcomtitles. However, the game has been having some trouble selling that, and it will need to figure out a better approach before it’s out.
Hunter × Hunter: Nen × Impact Needs To Advertise Itself More
Bushiroad Games, the main publisher ofHunter × Hunter: Nen × Impact, has a rather unfortunate policy when it comes to funding console games. According to a Bushiroad financial presentation held in August 2023, the publisher intends to invest one hundred million yen, which is approximately $650,000 USD, in each of its console titles for the ongoing fiscal year. For reference, theaverage contemporary AA PS5 gamecan get tens of millions of dollars worth of budget to keep a moderately large team in business for several years, and then market their work. This doesn’t mean anything good forNen × Impact.
Hunter × Hunter: Nen × Impact Lacks Strong Marketing
While unconfirmed, thisH×Hgame’s early previews and advertising scream “low budget.” SeeingNen × Impact’s gameplay for the first time typically puts people off with its empty backgrounds and rough models, especially compared to thegorgeousDragon BallandNarutogamesBandai Namco tends to publish. What’s worse is that its advertising has been mostly done by inviting top players to try the game, hosting limited-placement demo kiosks, and directly posting news and trailers on social media. Arc System Works America could help, but even its job is just localizing and releasing the game. WhenNen × Impactfinally announces which remaining month in 2024 it launches, it could be in trouble, and not just from within.
Launching In 2024 Is Risky For Hunter × Hunter: Nen × Impact
With a likely EVO 2024 trailer taking July out of the question,Hunter × Hunter: Nen × Impactonly has five months left to launch without a delay, and those months are full of landmines. The largest and most obvious one isDragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s mid-October release, which has a casual shonen demographic that likely overlaps withHunter × Hunter’s own. Even if they play totally differently, the competitive focus and lack of the traditional Shonen Jump flair inNen × Impactmeans it could lose a lot of players to thiswish-grantingDragon Ballgameif they release too close together.
Even In Its Own Genre, Nen × Impact Isn’t Safe
However, that’s only the visible landmine. Depending on how announcements shake out,Nen × Impactcould end up sharing a month withMarvel Vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, which hosts the3v3 tag fighter superstarMarvel Vs. Capcom 2. At-home playtesting for theLeague of Legendsfighter,2XKO, running nearH×H’s release also risks paralleling the time a May 2016Overwatchbeta smotheredBattlebornby launching on the same day.Hunter × Hunter: Nen × Impactis in a rough spot, but playing smart and making some noise could still win it the day.
