Sega says expectations for 'definitive edition' could be behind disappointing launch sales

Sega pointed to consumer expectations for a “definitive edition” as one potential reason for lower-than-expected sales of some of its recent games.

as found Game BusinessYesterday, Sonic the Hedgehog and Persona revealed their results for the past few months during a second-quarter financial briefing Q&A with shareholders. conversation (via Automata) sees Sega address the thought process behind why sales of its new premium and free-to-play games failed to meet expectations, despite generally positive reviews from critics and fans.

Sega said a number of factors could have contributed to the disappointing returns, including competition from other releases in the same genre, as well as launch price. The game's publisher also said players may refrain from buying games at launch in anticipation of eventually being able to purchase “definitive editions” of those same games.

Final releases, which typically include re-releases of video games with relatively minor visual upgrades and additional content, have become a popular strategy used by publishers over the past decade. Sega is no stranger to this idea either, especially when it comes to Atlus, the developer of Persona and Shin Megami Tensei.

The studio has a history of pushing for re-releases of games like Persona 4 and Persona 5, which have received critical acclaim golden and royal Version a few years after its original release. There's also Shin Megami Tensei V, which was originally released in 2021 and is coming to more platforms in 2024 along with the Revengeance version. Atlus' latest work, Metaphor: ReFantasiareleased late last year for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S.

Sega didn't name any specific game or franchise when pointing out its final version theory. The company also seems generally reluctant to pin blame directly on any one factor.

“While we are unable to pinpoint the exact reason (for lower-than-expected sales), we believe the problem also lies with our marketing, which failed to adequately convey the appeal of our games to users,” a Sega spokesman told investors.

It's unclear whether Metaphor: ReFantazio or any other Sega series will receive a final or equivalent re-release in the future. For now, fans are eagerly awaiting any news Atlus might share Persona 6. one Persona 3 Remakesubtitled “Reload” and launched early last year, Persona 4 Resurgence set to Give its sequel the same treatment Sometime in the near future. Sega is also continuing Introduce new content for Sonic Racing: Crossover Worldslaunching in September.

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Michael Cripe is a freelance writer for IGN. He is known for his work on websites such as The Pitch, The Escapist and OnlySP. Be sure to follow him on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).