Nintendo Exclusive for Next Three Sonic Games

[Remy]

How deep exactly does this partnership go.

 

We're all talking about Sonic. But everybody is ignoring how Yakuza HD a series which does astonishingly well in Japan and considering how it gets no advertising at all doesn't do too badly in the west is now a Wii-U exclusive.

 

Where is the sense in that one? Why on earth is that one a Wii-U exclusive worldwide when at the very least it should be on the Japanese PSN since it'll sell bucket loads.

Because nintendo paid for it, clearly.

[Chooch]

Well didn't colors have an injection of Nintendo special sauce? considering the whole partnership thing I wouldn't be surprised if they sent some staff over to help with this as well.

I'm not really of the opinion that Colors was very Nintendo-y.

 

It was very colorful and the level themes were very imaginative (something Sega can do without Nintendo's help) but the Wisp powers are not even comparable to something like the Mario series' power ups and there aren't any particularly fun or engaging platforming sections.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Chooch

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

The Yakuza exclusive doesn't make sense. Yakuza fans will have a PlayStation, not a Nintendo console.

[Tani Coyote]

The Yakuza exclusive doesn't make sense. Yakuza fans will have a PlayStation, not a Nintendo console.

 

Sega had to have been bribed. It's the only logical explanation... give a person a fat enough lump sum and they'll happily do whatever you want. A company especially.

 

Part of me wonders if this is why SEGA Sammy stock has been roaring so much recently. Rumors of a large business deal can do a lot to stimulate investment, after all!

[Supaidaman]

Oh man, such a huge bomb. I surely wasn't expecting this kind of news. At one hand, this makes sense, since Sonic games at Nintendo platforms always makes huge loads of cash. But, it still seems a little weird, because we have 2 games (ignoring M&S) that will be exclusive.

 

Nintendo must have paid a lot of money for that. Also, I'm very excited to see how the game will be, exclusives usually are better games. Now I have two main reasons to buy a Wii U: this and Bayonetta 2.

How deep exactly does this partnership go.

 

We're all talking about Sonic. But everybody is ignoring how Yakuza HD a series which does astonishingly well in Japan and considering how it gets no advertising at all doesn't do too badly in the west is now a Wii-U exclusive.

 

Where is the sense in that one? Why on earth is that one a Wii-U exclusive worldwide when at the very least it should be on the Japanese PSN since it'll sell bucket loads.

I'm also confused by that, I always though that Yakuza was pretty much a PS franchise. Does this partnership means more games coming only to Wii U/3DS? This could be VERY interesting.

[SuperLink]

I don't think Nintendo gets all SEGA's 2013 games exclusive or anything like that. Remember the financial report said 7 games were coming to PS3.

 

Since Sonic and M&S are coming to Wii U and not PS3, that means PS3 is probably getting some games Wii U is not getting.

So everyone will have their exclusives, no worries.

[Remy]

How deep exactly does this partnership go.

 

We're all talking about Sonic. But everybody is ignoring how Yakuza HD a series which does astonishingly well in Japan and considering how it gets no advertising at all doesn't do too badly in the west is now a Wii-U exclusive.

 

Where is the sense in that one? Why on earth is that one a Wii-U exclusive worldwide when at the very least it should be on the Japanese PSN since it'll sell bucket loads.

Oh and getting back to this.... There's already a HD Yakuza collection in Japan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14k8ykxSjlo

 

 

I also really doubt Yakuza is going to be Wii U only forever. 

[Dummy Bear]

I don't think Nintendo gets all SEGA's 2013 games exclusive or anything like that. Remember the financial report said 7 games were coming to PS3.

 

Since Sonic and M&S are coming to Wii U and not PS3, that means PS3 is probably getting some games Wii U is not getting.

So everyone will have their exclusives, no worries.

So without Sonic and Yakuza, what exactly does that leave the PS3 with? I'm drawing a blank here...

[Scar]

Sonic being exclusively on Nintendo most likely will not bump sales of the console in any meaningful way. At the same time, being exclusively on Nintendo systems most definitely will NOT guarantee SEGA more sales than if they were multiplatform. In addition, the development costs associated with making a multiplatform game aren't that much more than those of a single platform game.

 

Lets put it this way, however many sales Sonic Lost World gains being on Wii U and 3DS alone, they could have about 2 Million extra sales, for comparatively little effort, with very little extra financing.

And SEGA aren't selling 15-20 Million units, where 2 Million units either way, would make hardly any difference (and even then an extra 2 Million, is still another ~$120Million revenue to toy around with).

Edited May 17, 2013 by Scar

[SuperLink]

So without Sonic and Yakuza, what exactly does that leave the PS3 with? I'm drawing a blank here...

Unannounced stuff, or maybe Miku.

[KrazyBean]

Well...this unannounced Wii U exclusive Sonic game better be the Mario and Sonic platformer we've always wanted =\

Edited May 17, 2013 by KrazyBean

[Blue Blood]

Honestly I think, from SEGA's point of view, it's a bizarre move. They're not in the best position financially, so I can't understand this unless Nintendo is taking care of a large part of finance.

 

Late reply, but there's your answer. SEGA is in bad way as far as money is concerned, and here's Nintendo providing them with a lifeline. They're taking care of publishing costs this side of the pond, and SEGA now only have to concern themselves with a single platform to develop for. In addition to that, with Nintendo publishing it's going to be getting the first party treatment in terms of promotion. It'll be all over Nintendo's sites, the eShop and wherever else they promote it. This is going to help SEGA out a lot.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if SEGA approached Nintendo about this basically cause they need the money.

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

Unannounced stuff, or maybe Miku.

 

...if it's Miku stuff it will be a Japan exclusive. Until Sega have the BALLS to release them to the freaking West. I will forgive Sega if they do this.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Ming Ming Suzy

[SuperLink]

...if it's Miku stuff it will be a Japan exclusive. Until Sega have the BALLS to release them to the freaking West. I will forgive Sega if they do this.

Well they did ask Facebook recently remember? Could be that one of the 7 games is a localisation of Project Diva.

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

Well they did ask Facebook recently remember? Could be that one of the 7 games is a localisation of Project Diva.

 

Yes I remember very well about that, but few months later still no announcement. They may have changed their minds. Until I hear an announcement, Miku remains a Japan exclusive.

[SuperLink]

Yes I remember very well about that, but few months later still no announcement. They may have changed their minds. Until I hear an announcement, Miku remains a Japan exclusive.

They may have changed their minds, but localisation arrangements, particularly for something SEGA doesn't own the IP of over here could take a long time to get sorted out.

[Badnik Mechanic]

There's also today's announcement that Sega is handing publishing duties of Sonic the Hedgehog over to Nintendo, like Sonic the Hedgehog still means something to the games player. It doesn't, it's a tired old mascot who jumped the shark when Sega painted him black and gave him a gun. This deal is Sega begrudgingly admitting it can no longer market and sell kids games, and its last hope in a world of Moshi Monsters and Angry Birds is Nintendo. And if Nintendo can't sell another company's mascot, well, Sega is now prioritising PC gaming anyway.

 

That is from an article on GamesIndustry.biz about the current state of the Wii-U.

 

I'll post more of it in the Wii-U topic, but in a nutshell. In the UK, a game sold less than 1000 units on the Wii-U, but it was enough to get to the number 1 spot.

[Carbo]

Sonic being exclusively on Nintendo most likely will not bump sales of the console in any meaningful way. At the same time, being exclusively on Nintendo systems most definitely will NOT guarantee SEGA more sales than if they were multiplatform. In addition, the development costs associated with making a multiplatform game aren't that much more than those of a single platform game.

 

Lets put it this way, however many sales Sonic Lost World gains being on Wii U and 3DS alone, they could have about 2 Million extra sales, for comparatively little effort, with very little extra financing.

And SEGA aren't selling 15-20 Million units, where 2 Million units either way, would make hardly any difference (and even then an extra 2 Million, is still another ~$120Million revenue to toy around with).

Today, NPD released a report showing that the Game's Industry has seen a decline as much as 25% with a drastic decline in software sales. The top selling console last month was Xbox 360, which sold ~130k, a shocking 44% decline from last month. The entire industry is facing a slow contraction. Current gen, as it is, is dying, and there's no telling what will happen in the next. Releasing a high budgeted effort on multiple current gen consoles is starting to mean even less than it once did.

Colors sold at least twice as much as Generations even though it was only on two platforms over three. The sales were significantly better. Every multiplatform Sonic game has historically done better on Nintendo, and Sonic Transformed is still on charts. The Wii U version specifically, no less.

Nintendo is and has always been a safe bet for Sonic no matter what context, it's the safe buck. Something Sega is in dire need as of now. A multiplatform game is no guarantee for a success, de Blob 2 and Epic Mickey 2 is the biggest proof of this. Both originally started their lives as Wii exclusives and sold respectably well until their sequels got released on almost all possible platforms, and bombed spectacularly, causing their studios to shut down.

Multiplatform and the success of such is a massive "maybe" and "possibly" at this point in time, and as much as people like to think otherwise, exclusives matter more than ever. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Sega going with the safest bet, and while I can see why people are disappointed with that, it's most likely not going to prevent the game from still doing great under the guise of being a big Sonic game on a base where a lot of fans are guaranteed to be at.

While Sonic will not spark console sales, plenty of Nintendo's own games will, and they will also presumably be out before that when the console has a potential to reach a new high.

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

They may have changed their minds, but localisation arrangements, particularly for something SEGA doesn't own the IP of over here could take a long time to get sorted out.

 

They could have changed their minds because the likes weren't enough. And what if the licensing all fails? Sorry for being quite negative here, but the news today in my point of view is putting my mind all over the place. But back to Sonic.

[SuperLink]

There's also today's announcement that Sega is handing publishing duties of Sonic the Hedgehog over to Nintendo, like Sonic the Hedgehog still means something to the games player. It doesn't, it's a tired old mascot who jumped the shark when Sega painted him black and gave him a gun. This deal is Sega begrudgingly admitting it can no longer market and sell kids games, and its last hope in a world of Moshi Monsters and Angry Birds is Nintendo. And if Nintendo can't sell another company's mascot, well, Sega is now prioritising PC gaming anyway.

 

That is from an article on GamesIndustry.biz about the current state of the Wii-U.

 

I'll post more of it in the Wii-U topic, but in a nutshell. In the UK, a game sold less than 1000 units on the Wii-U, but it was enough to get to the number 1 spot.

I know those sales are dire, but that entire article is awful.

 

One more publication that clings to the instance that the Sonic series needs to die, where have they been for the past few years?

 

I sincerely hope Lost World is a fantastic game with fantastic reception, if only because it would make obnoxious journalists like this finally shut up about him.

[Barry the Nomad]

Well they did ask Facebook recently remember? Could be that one of the 7 games is a localisation of Project Diva.

 

Remember, it is 7 SKUs, not 7 games. 

 

So, for Wii U, given that Nintendo is publishing the games in Europe, it could be: Sonic Lost World (2 SKU), Mario & Sonic (2 SKU), Mystery Game (3 SKU).

 

There are a variety of scenarios but none of them point to 7 games. 

[Soniman]

There's also today's announcement that Sega is handing publishing duties of Sonic the Hedgehog over to Nintendo, like Sonic the Hedgehog still means something to the games player. It doesn't, it's a tired old mascot who jumped the shark when Sega painted him black and gave him a gun. 

 

.....

 

Yeah, you go guys ahead and keep referencing games like Shadow the Hedgehog and 06 like they're still relevant and funny and ignore all the steady improvement the series had since then, doesn't make you look ignorant at all.

 

Then again, I suppose this is the norm at this point, so there's no real point in calling them out every time dumb statements like these are uttered.

[SuperLink]

Remember, it is 7 SKUs, not 7 games. 

 

So, for Wii U, given that Nintendo is publishing the games in Europe, it could be: Sonic Lost World (2 SKU), Mario & Sonic (2 SKU), Mystery Game (3 SKU).

 

There are a variety of scenarios but none of them point to 7 games. 

Oh yep my bad.

 

Still, my point is the same, if PS3 is getting 7 SKUs and so is the Wii U (some of Wii U's being Sonic games) then PS3 must be getting some SKUs that the Wii U isn't getting.

[Barry the Nomad]

Oh yep my bad.

 

Still, my point is the same, if PS3 is getting 7 SKUs and so is the Wii U (some of Wii U's being Sonic games) then PS3 must be getting some SKUs that the Wii U isn't getting.

 

Sakatsuku: Let's Make a Pro Soccer Club is one title for PS3, with a Japan only release.

 

There are going to be boxed games for PS3 and 360 within the next year, but we don't know what they are are they certainly aren't Sonic. 

[Badnik Mechanic]

.....

 

Yeah, you go guys ahead and keep referencing games like Shadow the Hedgehog and 06 like they're still relevant and funny and ignore all the steady improvement the series had since then, doesn't make you look ignorant at all.

 

Then again, I suppose this is the norm at this point, so there's no real point in calling them out every time dumb statements like these are uttered.

Don't miss the main point of this.

A game released in the UK was able to get to the number 1 position because it sold less than 1000 units on the Wii-U.

Against every other game on the system. Less than 1000 was enough to get to the number 1 spot.

And Sega just announced it's main bread winner is exclusive for the next 3 games. Does nobody else see the serious problem/risk that sega is taking with this decision?

Full article is here, it's also in the Wii-U topic, but the entire reason/justification for this was Sonic games sell well on nintendo systems. yet... less than 1000 units in the first week... gets you number 1.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-17-nintendo-wii-u-death-by-apathy