Sega Says Sonic Audience Is Clearly On Nintendo Platforms, Not Xbox Or PlayStation

[Mr Loopone]

I don't think Sega will stop making Sonic games on non-Nintendo systems, personally it probably means on retail that Sonic games sold more on Nintendo systems and more downloads on PSN/XBLA and PC [since it seems to be confidental how much of a game has been downloaded]. Well Nintendo systems have more platformers and are geared up towards a younger audience, while Sony is a mixture between younger audiences [Ratchet, LittleBigPlanet, Sly Cooper, Crash historically] and older audiences [God of War, Gran Turismo, Killzone, Uncharted], Microsoft do have games for younger audiences [Minecraft being one of them] but their image is older audiences [Halo, COD and FIFA by association, Gears of War, Forza and formerly Project Gotham Racing]. It's not to say that the games are younger or older audiences only. GT, Forza and FIFA have low ratings (PEGI 3, ESRB E) but they are enjoyed by older players. Then again GTA is an 18/M and there are plenty of people lower than that age rating who played the game.

 

As for the higher Sonic fanbase on the Nintendo systems pretty much started with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, Sonic Mega Collection and Sonic Advance that to some people were their first Sonic games. They got high reviews at the time and some Nintendo fans who didn't like Sega until the 3rd party announcement decided to stop putting down Sonic and decided to try the series. A majority of the original fanbase who grew up with the classics moved on to either different types of genres (FPS/Strategy/GTA) or too busy to play games like their childhood due to life issues so that means a different fanbase based on younger players who either discover the series via other methods or already a Nintendo fan who wanted a platformer that is a bit different than Mario or Donkey Kong.

 

There does seem to be more Sonic games on Nintendo systems however there are some other theories regarding sales. Like why did Unleashed on the Wii sold more than the 360/PS3 version? 1) Dimps made that version and people at the time praised Dimps due to Sonic Rush while bashing Sonic Team that was reflected on the previews/reviews. 2) There were probably more Wiis sold than 360s and especially the PS3 at the time due to the cost of the system. Same reason with Colours and All-Stars Racing, there were more DS and Wii consoles sold at the time than any other console except the PS2 that was on the decline. All-Stars Racing Transformed on the Wii U in the US might have been due to that it was a launch title with no Mario Kart game and wanted a similar type of game [was it the only racer out at the time?], plus the fact that it came out before the other versions. In Europe, the PS3/360 versions were the first to be released.

 

It's not to say that Sonic is now a Nintendo only series. Like Sonic Generations, sure it was sold more on the 3DS (probably due to no Wii version otherwise it would offset the sales somewhat and it was an early 3DS game like Sonic Lost World is now for the Wii U) but also had a different type of fanbase bought the game for the 360/PS3/PC. Probably some of the original fanbase who moved on and realised that there was a new Sonic game starring the Sonic that they remembered [Classic Sonic] and bought to relive their memories with their children to play if it was for a family. Plus the fact that there are probably more people who bought it for PC but is not counted due to either downloaded from Steam or pirated.

 

Oh, how well did the Mega Drive Ultimate Collection do on the 360 in the UK? Well considering that the 360 is currently the most popular system and the UK has always been more Sega bound than Nintendo bound (excluding handhelds and the Wii), plus the game made into the Classics range.

 

It's not to say that Sega will never make a Sonic game on the Xbone/PS4/PC, they probably will make a downloadable title or two in the future considering that the new consoles are PC based that Sega themselves had previous experience e.g. mid/late 90s Saturn/Dreamcast ports, anything on the Xbox. Since publishers who aren't a 1st party company, Rockstar/2K, Activision, EA, Ubisoft, Warner Bros. have moved on to just downloadables or decreased retail to just the big games like Konami. AFAIK, there are probably some DLC left for All-Stars Racing Transformed unless that ship has sailed. Well unless Sega and Nintendo have really close business deals that is. Also I also think that the Wii U version of Sonic Lost World will be a fairly low seller compared to Generations due to the smaller fanbase of the Wii U. Probably lucky getting more than 500,000 at the current rate with about 15-20k outside of NA.

Edited September 24, 2013 by Yawackhary

[NiGHTS]

Completely ignoring the general consensus on the game's quality, I honestly do not recall Sonic and the Black Knight selling well at all.

http://www.vgchartz.com/game/24881/sonic-and-the-black-knight/

 

Pretty much...give it take, it soled a million copies. For a game that god...seriously pour reviews? Thats not a bad number for Sonic games... out sold alot of other games like riders ect.

[SuperLink]

I don't think vgchartz is all that reliable.

 

But if that's anywhere near truth I'm pretty surprised. 1mil for a crappy spinoff like that is really good.

[Tani Coyote]

Nintendo is the largest audience, this is true. It's not that SEGA doesn't care about non-Nintendo gamers, so much as their games aren't blockbusters (one million copies is their usual sale mark if memory serves... and when you compare how the FPS genre sell, yeah, SEGA doesn't have jack on them) and they need to cut costs accordingly. Just look at how Lost World is doing so much with the Wii U's capabilities; since they're only developing for two systems they're able to spend a lot more time optimising the games for such systems.

To put it in perspective, fans being upset at SEGA for this move is about the same as getting mad at SEGA America for not holding Sonic Boom in a rural town in Alaska. An inherent part of business is that when consumer demand is not enough for an area, you tend to cut it loose; it's referred to as an opportunity cost because those customers are lost, but it saves money in other areas.

Hopefully as the costs of game design go down naturally over time, SEGA will be able to go multi-platform again. But from a financial perspective what they're doing makes perfect sense. My apologies for those without a Nintendo console though.

Edited September 24, 2013 by Ogilvie Maurice

[Blitz 'n Burst]

Although I don't agree with the notion that they don't exist on these platforms, there's no denying there are far more Sonic fans on Nintendo platforms. Sonic simply fits in far more with Nintendo's image than he does with Sony or Microssoft's. Yeah, Sony has plenty of IPs like Ratchet and Clank, Sly Cooper, LBP or Crash Bandicoot (though the latter seems to have died, sadly) their main audience is still the hardcore gamers.

 

I just don't see why you have to take Sonic off of these platforms altogether, especially since the Wii U has made it so that they can actually be multiplatform again.

[Tani Coyote]

I just don't see why you have to take Sonic off of these platforms altogether, especially since the Wii U has made it so that they can actually be multiplatform again.

Though costs are likely a factor since it saves them fees on having to port stuff and reconfigure the game to work on another console, I think Nintendo probably gave them a good deal of money for some exclusives. Nintendo needs more titles for its system, SEGA's not always in the best financial shape... it's a perfect deal, really.

Microsoft and Sony presumably could always feel free to pay SEGA for an exclusive as well.

[NiGHTS]

Though costs are likely a factor since it saves them fees on having to port stuff and reconfigure the game to work on another console, I think Nintendo probably gave them a good deal of money for some exclusives. Nintendo needs more titles for its system, SEGA's not always in the best financial shape... it's a perfect deal, really.

Microsoft and Sony presumably could always feel free to pay SEGA for an exclusive as well.

 

I agree, for a BUSINESS standpoint? Its perfect. Sega will get money out of it in the end. When they go multiform? Their risking if the game will tank or not? Unleashed for PS3 did not do well at all, and I heard in an interview porting it was more money then how much it made overall. Sonic Free Riders I think the name of that game for Xbox kenect? It suffered poorly and they lost alot of money. Nintendo, I don't recall a game ever suffering sales, so SEGA sees them as a company that will make Sonic rise. I also believed him included in games like Smash Brothers and the Olympic games, helped Nintendo fans see how cool Sonic is. Even to the younger audience that they have.

[Jet Prower]

Though costs are likely a factor since it saves them fees on having to port stuff and reconfigure the game to work on another console, I think Nintendo probably gave them a good deal of money for some exclusives. Nintendo needs more titles for its system, SEGA's not always in the best financial shape... it's a perfect deal, really.

Microsoft and Sony presumably could always feel free to pay SEGA for an exclusive as well.

 

Which is how I see all this. It is likely about the money. They basically need each other at the moment. Sega I'm sure could use the money, and Nintendo needs exclusives to drive people to get a WiiU during the coming months. The sonic game here, along with some of the other games they have coming out the next two or three months are all pushes to drive console sales. If it costs a little bit to keep Sega with them, then those are acceptable expenses in their eyes if it will bring more sales in the future to their console.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

I'm not really surprised and I don't blame them for trying to go where their audience is bigger, but at the same time, as far as exclusivity goes, I'd rather it not be permanent and give Xbox/PS fans their fix of Sonic.

[Tani Coyote]

The best news is that Nintendo consoles are generally the cheapest of the three, so they're something one can consider acquiring a year or two after a 360/PS3. By which point the Sonic game likely will have fallen in price and be a bargain.

Though this ultimately reinforces my belief we should set up a Lost World booth at the next Sonic Revolution for those without a Wii U...

[Jet Prower]

That the easy way isn't always the right way. They had plenty of possibilities to try developing Sonic into something more than just your standard protagonist during the Sonic Unleashed years. What failed them? Backtracking and nostalgia, of course. Especially from militant Genesis Era fans, who've basically gone all Napoleon these days and eliminated all obstacles there is and still shows up rudely unsatisfied with the series.

 

Monkey say monkey do. That's what SEGA's up to now.

 

Well, just hope they start not trying to let themselves be controlled by those genesis only fans. The series has evolved away from that ,and it would be best if it did so faster. The last few games that have lacked on story and replayability really do need to be kicked up a bit if they don't want to keep stuck in a sameness thing or something like that. There just needs to be more now. While the classics are good, they aren't really like the holy grail that all games just be exactly like either.

[Uraraka]

I agree. I mean, Nintendo technically has the most Games. If you have a GameCube, GBA,3ds, and the Wii U, you can have almost every game except sonic '06 and rivals. ( I may be missing one or two, but anyways...) So why wouldn't it be?

   I also think Sonic fits best into the group that Nintendo generally advertises to...kids. He fits in better with Mario and Pokemon than with call of duty and soul caliber.

[SuperLink]

If they were only listening to "Genesis-only fans", we wouldn't be getting Lost World at all. Visually, maybe it's similar in some ways to the old days, but gameplay wise it's the biggest departure of gameplay Sonic's ever had.

 

For once Sonic Team are doing something not because fans told them to do it but because it's a good idea from a game design perspective, and I'm proud of them for it.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

If they were listening to hardcore Genesis fans we'd have:

-no new characters, meaning no Deadly Six or Orbot and Cubot

-no 3D

-no story

-no Wisps

-no voice actors

-and all sorts of things that would be stirring the wasps nest for me to list.

 

So yeah, this direction we're getting into wouldn't be possible were that the case.

[Rinzler]

Aaron is basically restating what's been obvious for a couple of years. This current trend of mascot platformers doing best on Nintendo systems seems to be occurring with a few other games like Rayman, though LBP and R&C are exceptions.

 

This probably means that the games will have Nintendo platforms as the lead, and will be ported to the more powerful systems via download.

[ChikaBoing]

They are wrong. The best selling Sonic game still was Sonic Heroes on PS2. The overall audience that feels nostalgic for Sonic, and kids, on a higher install base, is still bigger than the Nintendo Sonic fanbase.

 

With the Wii U failing, it would be stupid to resort to it exclusvely - whatever the system with the highest install base will be, Sonic should be released there.

[NiGHTS]

They are wrong. The best selling Sonic game still was Sonic Heroes on PS2. The overall audience that feels nostalgic for Sonic, and kids, on a higher install base, is still bigger than the Nintendo Sonic fanbase.

 

With the Wii U failing, it would be stupid to resort to it exclusvely - whatever the system with the highest install base will be, Sonic should be released there.

 

Honestly? With the next two systems coming out? How do you know they will all succeed? Maybe they will all suffer low sales for the first year. They are 200 plus dollars more then the Wii U. If I remember, the PS3 took two years to really catch up. Regardless this isn't about what system is better. Even with the install base higher for PS3 then Wii U, Sonic Transformed did better on Wii U then the others so...

[Tornado]

"Sonic games sell best on Nintendo systems. More on this information as it develops." - Video Game News, 2/11/02.

 

 

Though:

 

 

 

Let's not forget that the first two games sold the best on the Nintendo console, its not really out of the question for another Nintendo exclusive. It ultimately depends on how Sega feels.

 

I'd really have to see some evidence that the Gamecube version of Heroes outsold the PS2 version.

[Indigo Rush]

I'm not sure hardcore Genesis fans actually exist, based off of ...

 

If they were listening to hardcore Genesis fans we'd have:

-no new characters, meaning no Deadly Six or Orbot and Cubot

-no 3D

-no story

-no Wisps

-no voice actors

-and all sorts of things that would be stirring the wasps nest for me to list.

 

So yeah, this direction we're getting into wouldn't be possible were that the case.

 

... that list. I think the 'actual' Genesis fans (of which I consider myself to be one of, to a point), the key element they want back are the same basic physics and mechanics from the original games. The whole Sonic 4 complaint fiasco was a mixture of misunderstanding and misplaced criticisms (people focusing solely on rolling downhill and not giving equal enough attention to level design and flow).

 

But CSS's main point is true - Sonic games, despite making many call backs to the Genesis era, are not pandering 'exclusively' to those fans. If I'm not mistaken, many of the so-called Genesis fans also complained about the insane amount of rehashing in Sonic 4 Episode 1. 

 

I think Sonic games are kind of in the midst of finding out the balance between nostalgic throwbacks and general series staples. If these old badniks only appeared in Sonic 4 and Generations, that would be the case, but keep in mind that the old robots have also made appearances in Sonic Colors. Even if you take things back to the Adventure games, there were still animal-themed robots in addition to the more humanoid mechs. 

 

What SEGA is trying to do with Sonic, I believe, is establish a sense of consistency that it hasn't been able to enjoy for a very long time. One of those points is the branding and style of robots that Sonic defeats throughout the levels. If we can compare Sonic to Mario for the umpteenth time, consider how for every new enemy that shows up in a Mario game, at least 2 or 3 returning ones appear as well. Perhaps what SEGA wants is to have their own "Goomba" and "Koopa Troopa," and the like; a series of enemies that are instantly recognizable and consistent with previous games, as well as adding a series of new ones as well.

 

I would think that Egg Pawns (with their little thematic differences, of course), Spinas, Motobugs, Buzzbombers, Orbinauts (also themed differently depending on the level), Kiki/Coconuts, Choppers, Caterkillers and a few others are perfectly welcome as recurring enemies, as long as they introduce a series of new robots as well, or at least make some variations here and there. And you know, Lost World has been doing this. Admittedly, it's not as much, but there are still new badniks here and there. A few more would be nice, I agree, but maybe first they want to bring back the old guys first en masse to start things off. 

 

Look back to Sonic Adventure and after. After that game was Adventure 2, and Eggman used the exact same baddies as the last game, which wasn't easily noticeable because the rest of the game was filled with those bipedal GUN mechs and floating Beetles. Sonic Heroes had a bunch of Egg Pawns and, well, a turtle robot I think. Shadow the Hedgehog had aliens, GUN mechs and Egg Pawns. Sonic 2006 had no colorful or creative enemy designs whatsoever ('cept that little crab walker thing, I thought that was kind of neat), and after that was Unleashed, which was a combination of beefed up Egg Pawns, a walking fan and that one spinning enemy from Sonic Adventure. It wasn't until Sonic Colors that we saw those creative animal-like designs again, and I really think that if we maintain a balance between the old and the new, it could be the best possible outcome for the future of the franchises' enemy cast.

 

I think you could take the same argument and apply it to the level themes. Green Hill variations as a starting Zone are totally fine by me, and the token Casino level is great, but they should also keep trying out new locations and stretching their imaginations on top of that; which they have been. As silly as it looks, a candy-themed level is a great example. Same for the honeycomb level and even something as simple as the cave in Windy Hill Zone 3.

 

A combination of old and new is what we need to establish consistency, not a heavy lean towards one and the other.

 

 

 

 

...

 

 

....

 

 

...and that is why Sonic is clearly meant for Nintendo platforms.  Good gravy how did I get this far off topic...

 

 

EDIT: Okay seriously, did I have a stroke or something, I swear one of you lot were talking about badniks. O_O

Edited September 24, 2013 by Indigo Rush

[Ferno]

I'd really have to see some evidence that the Gamecube version of Heroes outsold the PS2 version.

Same here, I've always thought it was the PS2 version that got the highest sales, so this thread kinda threw me off and I had to double take for a second.

[Zavok the SpinningSilver]

Just Sonic game for nintendo = cheap. So Aaron thinks that Sonic on the Nintendo sell more easily.

 

For me, this is bad news. I am the owner of Nintendo 3DS, PS3. And I'm not buy Nintendo WiiU. Bad.

 

I feel your pain man. I'm the same as you, except that I also have a 360 and intend on getting a Wii U in the future.

[Kuzu]

"Sonic games sell best on Nintendo systems. More on this information as it develops." - Video Game News, 2/11/02.

 

 

Though:

 

 

 

I'd really have to see some evidence that the Gamecube version of Heroes outsold the PS2 version.

 

 

Same here, I've always thought it was the PS2 version that got the highest sales, so this thread kinda threw me off and I had to double take for a second.

 

 

...Wait, I thought the PS2 version was the sucky version?

[Zavok the SpinningSilver]

...Wait, I thought the PS2 version was the sucky version?

It was. Then the Xbox version was better, and finally the Gamecube version was the best.

[Ferno]

...Wait, I thought the PS2 version was the sucky version?

...It was, (I should know, it's the version I got first,) but it also sold the most (to my knowledge) because everyone had a PS2 in the 6th gen and not as many people had Gamecubes.

[Solkia]

I'll state my problem with this.

 

Yes. Sonic games usually sell better on Nintendo platforms, no shit. Yes, there is an install base on other platforms, no shit.

 

So what's my problem?: Why make this statement when it could easily be taken the wrong way? It makes implications that they don't care about the other install bases anymore, even if that wasn't the intention, so why say it? It's like if they just came out and said "Xbone and PS4 have better specs lol" So what? What is that supposed to mean?

 

Sheesh.

Edited September 25, 2013 by Solkia