Summer of Sonic 2013

[Tani Coyote]

So...of 1,000 people - only 200 didn't show up.

800 people DID show up though.

Which is much more than half.

 

I'm pretty sure that worked out just fine for them - the more likely reason? They've nothing at this time to promote.

 

No no, there were 1000 tickets for sale but Mr. Webber told us there were about 800 people attending. So 200 tickets remained ready for sale right up until the doors opened, and this took place over the span of several months, whereas Summer of Sonic sold out in minutes.

 

Though I think you're onto something; 2012 likely did poorly because they only had Transformed really, with the Wreck It Ralph stuff as a bonus. Which is why I presume if there is a Sonic Boom this year, we will find out the date whenever they announce the next game.

 

Still say they should go the ultimate trolling route and say you have to attend SoS or Sonic Boom to find out about the next game. If SEGA's divisions work together they could always try and set the same date for both...

[bmn]

Really to me, this highlights that expanding the size of the event should be considered. I presume the event is financed through renting out a place as a startup cost, and then the cost is covered by selling tickets. So I can see why expansion of the event has been hampered; logically the initial lump sum needs to be acquired first before one can sell the tickets.

 

Though it is something I'd definitely consider; the quick selling out of tickets indicates a huge demand and limited supply; expansion of supply could thus still be financially viable.

 

Though this is why it surprises me SoS doesn't have some sort of partnership where one can pay far more than a regular ticket and get a pass that way; the funds could then be used to increase the size of the actual event.

 

But anyway I'm rambling, and just saddened at how infeasible it would be for me to go.

 

 

Afraid to say I'm pretty sure the two events are completely unrelated.  External funding for SB would come from SEGA of America, while SoS gets support from SEGA of Europe, two totally different divisions.  Plus I'm under the impression only SoS is predominantly arranged by fans rather than official SEGA staff.

 

 

This is indeed the major difference. Summer of Sonic's a home brewed operation pretty much within the domain of fans, being all bottom up barring some official trimmings. Whereas Sonic Boom's at the whim of the actual corporation and so, while it has more financial backing, has a serious drawback in that they view it as an investment and not something to do for fun.

 

Which is why I wish there was some address all us Americans could spam so as to let SEGA know we still want another event. Even if they have to shrink it, it would be nice to have.

 

Though Sonic Boom is dealt a huge blow by the fact American fans are far more dispersed than British fans, who are in a much smaller, crowded area. Never mind per capita Britain prefers Sonic.

 

Though there is hope for Sonic Boom either way given that SEGA's branches have some involvement in both, but due to the different ways both are structured, I wouldn't count on it.

 

But we can pray for Sonic Boom at least!

 

Basically, Sonic Boom is an event organised and run by Sega of America in its entirety, while Summer of Sonic is a collaboration between Sega of Europe and what we call the community team (some of the staff at various fansites currently led by TSS, and assorted others). The working relationship between the two sides is an interesting one, I think. While Sega does have ultimate control over the event, and can and does veto a lot of what we want to do, they're very accommodating and for the most part trust the community to plan an event that will entertain its visitors. This, primarily, is why SoS and SB are similar on paper, but in reality have very different feels.

 

Summer of Sonic is financed, for the most part, by Sega at their own expense. The community team pay their own expenses (in some cases, we use community-run funds like the TSS site fund to help staff if they wouldn't be able to make it normally - I've had to use it once ), and on occasion the community finances things that Sega's budget won't cover but we really want at the event. For example, our side paid for the Archie group's flights and hotels in 2011. Really, for all sides (and this includes Sonic Boom as well - Sega only saw $15 per ticket for that event, and that's before taking out the cost of a drink and chili dog), it's a labour of love that we get little for besides the amazing experience.

 

Tickets have always been free, which is pretty much why they go in minutes these days. The reason? The extra complexity (legal issues, taxation, etc) of charging for tickets - SoS is complicated enough as it is... Will it happen in the future? Maybe.

[Tani Coyote]

Tickets have always been free, which is pretty much why they go in minutes these days. The reason? The extra complexity (legal issues, taxation, etc) of charging for tickets - SoS is complicated enough as it is... Will it happen in the future? Maybe.

 

Ah, that explains everything! I was under the impression they were sold... but I guess you just put your name and whatever info in. It is saddening that you actually have to be ready to click as soon as the tickets open though.

 

I can see why SoS hasn't tried to sell tickets however, for the points you mention. It would definitely help pay for the event, but the extra headaches on top of it all are kind of undesirable. On the other hand, it would cut into the demand some, which is good if the event's flooded as is. But I can presume the team knows its options best and chooses accordingly. I was under the assumption that it was funded through donations from the organisers with SEGA providing some on the side, but it sounds like the situation is reversed; I guess it makes sense in retrospect why the actual site doesn't have a donation feature now.

 

That Summer of Sonic is financed entirely by SEGA Europe, if nothing else, gives me hope that an event that DOES recoup its costs (Sonic Boom) somewhat definitely has a shot of happening again.

[MamboCat]

I was gonna say I was under the impression the SoS tickets were free. Also I seem to remember seeing photos of people queuing to go in to older events, and the ticket only got you in straight away. Having said that, I wasn't sure if last year the tickets carried a price. I just knew they were gone in minutes.

Edited April 16, 2013 by MamboCat

[Jix Hedgehog]

Yeah, they're two separate events, I was just hoping for Boom news since both events were announced at the same time last year.

 

As for tickets .. seems like if it's free it'll sell out within an hour (Boom '11 + SoS) compared to whether you have to pay (Boom '12).. and it didn't help that Boom was held during SDCC where you could either take a day trip to San Diego or fork out $120+ for an overnight hotel room (if you were lucky). But as I've told Aaron on more than 1 occasion, I'm more than happy to pay to attend .. plus it doesn't hurt to have an all you can eat buffet added to the ticket price

 

If Boom is going to happen this year, it probably won't be during SDCC (notice would be too late) which is a shame because Boom was the icing on the cake during my 3 day Comic-Con trip

[Gabz Girl]

From what I remember of the last one's recap, it sounded like the one in Brighton was perfect. It was said the center they held it in looked as if it was made for the event... as I recall the official site said they'd try and go to Brighton again.

 

I see that. But the reason why I hope it's in London instead is not only because of Brighton being far away, but also because I've never been there before. At least I'm familiar with the city of London and its transport, but I haven't the faintest idea on how to get around Brighton!

 

Mind you though, if the venue is bigger in Brighton and accommodates more people than the others did, then I suppose it'll have to be there. There's another worry I have though, and it's tickets. I seriously hope I can get tickets, knowing how quickly they disappear.

[JezMM]

I see that. But the reason why I hope it's in London instead is not only because of Brighton being far away, but also because I've never been there before. At least I'm familiar with the city of London and its transport, but I haven't the faintest idea on how to get around Brighton!

 

Mind you though, if the venue is bigger in Brighton and accommodates more people than the others did, then I suppose it'll have to be there. There's another worry I have though, and it's tickets. I seriously hope I can get tickets, knowing how quickly they disappear.

 

 

Brighton was pretty simple, it's just a regular ole town really.  Also, following the main high street down from the station takes you directly to the seafront, which is a pretty good reference point for finding your way around!

[Abominal SnowTaz]

First was in Los Angeles, second was in San Diego during Comic Con week. I had a real blast and would love if SEGA held another one.

 

The first Boom was announced in May and tickets were randomly given out (it was possible to get in as a guest but wasn't guaranteed), whereas the second was announced in February and you had to pay a small fee for a ticket.

 

Unfortunately, the second sold 800/1000 tickets, so I'm scared they might not hold one; my father's in business and he says that's a rather poor turnout. However, I can only presume SEGA made a profit off it all by the extra enthusiasm for its new titles and the merchandising operations they had there.

 

So based on the trend, we can expect an announcement of Sonic Boom late this month or sometime next (likely bundled with a game I'm presuming, given Sonic Boom's fully official status), though I'm still anxious...

 

Part of me wonders what inbox all us American fans would have to spam to make sure SEGA holds one.

Well hopefully they do hold one this year so I can make up for missing SoS so many damn times over these years I've heard about it.  I might also give Comic con a go too...

 

Correction: IF Comic Con and SB are going to be in the same place again.

Edited April 17, 2013 by Abominal Taz

[Kevin]

Brighton was pretty simple, it's just a regular ole town really.  Also, following the main high street down from the station takes you directly to the seafront, which is a pretty good reference point for finding your way around!

In addition to this, a great way to familiarize yourself with Brighton is to visit the day before and do some sightseeing. That's what I did last year and was meeting a friend there anyway, so it worked out great. Of course, nothing has been said about this year's SoS being held in Brighton again anyway, so we'll have to wait and see.

 

Hopefully Summer of Sonic 2013 will be either June, July or August, but I say possibly mid July or mid August.

 

If it's held mid-August, that would be perfect for me! BronyCon + SoS + Auto Assembly (Transformers fan convention in the UK for those wondering) as part of my trip would be amazing! <3

 

Edited April 17, 2013 by Kevin

[Tani Coyote]

Well hopefully they do hold one this year so I can make up for missing SoS so many damn times over these years I've heard about it.  I might also give Comic con a go too...

 

Correction: IF Comic Con and SB are going to be in the same place again.

 

They won't be. They announced SB on Hedgehog Day last year specifically to enable people to get hotels ahead of the Comic Con rush. My guess is they'll go for Los Angeles or San Francisco.

 

Given that SoS is closer to the fans, I'm keeping my hopes that it's naturally able to tease at its next event sooner; Sonic Boom doesn't have its own website either. I think the day SoS is formally announced will also be the day they announce Sonic Boom on the SEGA blog.

 

I see that. But the reason why I hope it's in London instead is not only because of Brighton being far away,

 

Isn't Brighton just a short distance from London, though? As I recall it's more or less to the south of London, and there's not much land between London and the Channel...

[Jix Hedgehog]

Well, SEGA will have some kind of presence @ SDCC, they've had "arcades" set up outside the Con 2 years in a row and a playable demo booth near the Archie comics stand.. so being one of the 20,000 people out of the 300,000+ to sign up and battle for tickets and getting them is still pretty awesome

[Swiss]

IIRC, the main reason for SoS being held in Brighton last year was because of the London Olympics making everything more difficult (hotels, venue prices etc.) so I'm certain it'll be in London this year. I could be wrong of course!

[bmn]

London is about 3 times as expensive as Brighton to run an event like SoS, I'll say that at least...

[Lady Soniko]

So are you guys holding it later this year?

[- Eternal Paradox -]

I've been interested in going for a while now, but given that it's usually held miles away from where I am, I've never really been able to go.

 

If it was happening at the Birmingham NEC, I'd snap those tickets up in a second.

[Crash]

Reading about the tickets going so fast is really getting my hopes down. I will pay to go. I'm serious. It means that much to me. If only the tickets did cost money, then I'd win this one.

[Abominal SnowTaz]

They won't be. They announced SB on Hedgehog Day last year specifically to enable people to get hotels ahead of the Comic Con rush. My guess is they'll go for Los Angeles or San Francisco.

 

Given that SoS is closer to the fans, I'm keeping my hopes that it's naturally able to tease at its next event sooner; Sonic Boom doesn't have its own website either. I think the day SoS is formally announced will also be the day they announce Sonic Boom on the SEGA blog.

Ah. I guess I'll make Comic con a fall-back then.

[TitanWarlord93]

Ever since the first convention back in 2008 I've always wanted to go, but couldn't do to low income and other commitments. When it will get announced (hopefully soon) and if it's the sort of thing that makes me have no trouble in getting there, I will go there. 

 

I'll just say that it's possible for me to attend this year's event and this will be my first one so I'll be looking forward to see all you other great fans there

[DarkRula]

Summer of Sonic.

Heard of it, never been, not really known much about it.

2013 is really the first time I've fully paid attention to it. And what I'm getting from this is that it is a MCM without the branding of the MCM and fully about Sonic the Hedgehog.

In that case, I'm game, depending on where it's held and when it is.

 

Also, do the tickets really go as fast as a spin dash?

[Tani Coyote]

IIRC, the main reason for SoS being held in Brighton last year was because of the London Olympics making everything more difficult (hotels, venue prices etc.) so I'm certain it'll be in London this year. I could be wrong of course!

 

As I recall on the 2012 recap it was said that Brighton seemed to be made for the event, which sounds like they're going to try and hold it there again. It's a slightly bit more of a distance but it's not too far away to my knowledge...

 

London is about 3 times as expensive as Brighton to run an event like SoS, I'll say that at least...

 

Annnd that is why Brighton will win out. Close enough to London, handled the event even better than London from what I read, annnd a heckuva a lot cheaper. Different location is a minor inconvenience but ultimately allows more money to be spent elsewhere.

 

Reading about the tickets going so fast is really getting my hopes down. I will pay to go. I'm serious. It means that much to me. If only the tickets did cost money, then I'd win this one.

 

Hahaha, I know that feeling! I'd definitely be willing to fork over a ton of money if it guaranteed me a ticket. I'm the guy who would literally buy a hotel in Britain (and to my knowledge just about everywhere in Europe is astronomically expensive), then fork over more than a few USD for a coveted SoS ticket.

 

...then I'd fly back home and try to go to Sonic Boom, like those two folks did last year. I can't allow myself to be outfanned!

 

Also, do the tickets really go as fast as a spin dash?

 

That's horrible.

[TitansCreed]

Remember that the venue also changed for SoS 12 due to an issue with the building, and thanks to some quick work from the team, we managed to use the secondary venue in Brighton (same place that Rezzed was being held!)

 

For those asking about distance from London - Brighton. It's about a 2 hour train journey, not entirely that complicated to do either if planned in advance.

 

As always, I'm looking forward to another SoS, whether I can make this one, mostly due to financial reasons, is another question. But I imagine everyone should be super excited for another SoS, as I think it sees more worldwide travellers than Boom does. 

[Badnik Mechanic]

 

For those asking about distance from London - Brighton. It's about a 2 hour train journey, not entirely that complicated to do either if planned in advance.

 

45 min... depending on the stops.

 

Though don't take this as confirmation of the location, only saying that since I took the train from London to Brighton and was quite suprised at how fast it was even though it wasn't an express service.

 

Now you wanna go from Hull To London, even on a direct service with the odd stop or two... you're looking at about a 2 hour train journey.

[TitansCreed]

45 min... depending on the stops.

 

Though don't take this as confirmation of the location, only saying that since I took the train from London to Brighton and was quite suprised at how fast it was even though it wasn't an express service.

 

Now you wanna go from Hull To London, even on a direct service with the odd stop or two... you're looking at about a 2 hour train journey.

 

Interesting.

 

Takes me 2 hours from Portsmouth to London. And about an hour for Portsmouth to Brighton. By train anyway. But, as they say, all roads lead to Londinium.

[Tani Coyote]

45 minutes sounds more reasonable to me, given that the A23 is a 53 mile (85 km if my estimation is right) road, and 45 minutes would be a reasonable time to traverse that by car. Slower mass transit travel makes sense though given the inherent issues of mass transit. 

 

Given that the United Kingdom only has 519 cars per 1,000 people, however, I can see how there are a lot of folks who'd be dependent on going by train or the like and thus have a huge deterrent to going.

[kimplix]

London is about 3 times as expensive as Brighton to run an event like SoS, I'll say that at least...

 

But at least give it at least a chance again. Last year was a hassel to get to with the tickets and if I did have one or two, It would be impossible to get there due to it being a long way to go (it's way further than London as I know so far) and I don't want to waste Alot of money just because of a long distance :\