Is sonic still profitable?

[Creamy]

Almost all gamers said the same lame things "sonic sux" "sonic 3d = awesome bull sh***" "sonic oldscool = pretty awesome" and so one....

Is sonic still profitable for sega?

What is with sonic in the future? If sonic isn't profitable for sega in near future sonic would be cancled?

I don't hope so

I mean if there is no money earned, why should they make more from our favorite blue-blur?

Do you think somewhat could happen?

[Unknownlight]

Sonic games still sell in the millions.

...Yeah, I'm pretty sure Sonic is still quite profitable.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Sonic & Mario at the olympics sold 6+ million units....

Sonic Unleashed sold 2 million units, so yes he is still profitable

[SABRINA]

It's kind of a no brainer

You gotta remember. There's only so many (like us) who are HUGE sonic fans.

But there are MIIIIIIIILIONS of kids and casual sonic fans who only know the basic characters

and played only a few games that will buy a shitload of sonic games and merchandise

so if it's not clear enough, click on the link again.

[SuperStingray]

Sonic is still a very profitable figure, consistent quality or not, it's just that his main demographic is largely unvoiced. Or so it appears.

Edited April 3, 2009 by SuperStingray

[Badnik Mechanic]

This is what I think...

Yes. Theres no question about that. The people who moan and complain oddly... still buy the game! It's got to be the only franchise in existence that everyone slags off and then goes out and buys the game on day 1!

Sonic's definately still popular and profitable, theres no question. Think about it. whenever you go into a videogame shop, theres always advertising with his face on it everywhere... Plushies are still selling by the bucket load, theres a new merchandise range coming out. Deberhams has his stuff...

And last week Topshop started to sell a new shirt with his face on.

[Tornado]

I constantly piss and moan and I still buy the games anyways; and as Casanova alluded to, I'm most likely not the only one.

[ovarloard]

Sonic isn't a failure in terms of sales. Not by a long shot.

[Blueblur1]

There are some solid NPD numbers that hit the web a few weeks back. They are life to date sales numbers that are from the end of January (no specific date mentioned). Here's the source. These numbers comply with the official January and February NPD numbers so they've been accepted as official.

Sonic Unleashed - 113k (360), 69k (PS3), 315k (Wii)

Mario & Sonic @ at the Olympics - 1.99m

As you can see, Sonic games don't always sell well. Mario & Sonic performed really well but you could attribute that to both the Sonic and Mario franchises. Sonic Unleashed, on the other hand, was performing well below expectations. The HD versions sold a combined 182 thousand copies which is really poor while the Wii version has been doing well with 315 thousand copies sold. Sega might not make a profit off the HD versions as developers usually need to sell over 1 million copies to start making a profit when it comes to developing expensive 360/PS3 games.

Any future life to date numbers probably won't see the light of day (you have to pay for those numbers and most game sites only receive small amounts of data meaning no life to date numbers) so there will be no way to find out if Sonic Unleashed ever sells enough to potentially make Sega a profit. With that said, I'm looking forward to the March NPD numbers. Maybe Sonic and the Black Knight will do well and make the top ten. Maybe.

Edited April 4, 2009 by Blueblur1

[blackherox]

As you can see, Sonic games don't always sell well. Mario & Sonic performed really well but you could attribute that to both the Sonic and Mario franchises. Sonic Unleashed, on the other hand, was performing well below expectations. The HD versions sold a combined 182 thousand copies which is really poor while the Wii version has been doing well with 315 thousand copies sold.

I'm pretty sure these figues don't equate to the total number of units. It doesn't include numbers from November/Decemeber of 2008 or beforehand for M@S.

Sega might not make a profit off the HD versions as developers usually need to sell over 1 million copies to start making a profit when it comes to developing expensive 360/PS3 games.

They may just be breaking even, but I'm pretty sure the Wii version was made to 'compensate' for any losses made by the HD versions. You only really need to sell around 200,000 units on the Wii to start making profit on it.

Edited April 4, 2009 by BlackHeroX

[speedfreak]

That doesn't even make any sense. Why even make the HD version if you knew you would need the Wii version to cover it's losses? Why not just go all out with the Wii version and have nothing but profit?

[UncleChuckTH]

I don't think there will ever be a loss of people willing to buy something simply because it has Sonic on the front of it. I wouldn't worry about that aspect of the series.

[blackherox]

That doesn't even make any sense. Why even make the HD version if you knew you would need the Wii version to cover it's losses? Why not just go all out with the Wii version and have nothing but profit?

I think they knew that the game would sell best on the Wii )who didn't know). It may be due to them wanting to advertise/display the effects of the hedgehog engine or trying to target certain audiences on those consoles or simply preventing any ''backlash' from the community and making it somewhat fair. I dunno, they could be range of factors.

Edited April 4, 2009 by BlackHeroX

[famicommander]

What kind of a question is that? Do you honestly think SEGA would keep cranking out so many Sonic games every year and damaging their reputation with critics if they weren't making money?

(Note that I said the critics don't like the Sonic games; I like most of them with a few notable exceptions).

[Blueblur1]

I'm pretty sure these figues don't equate to the total number of units. It doesn't include numbers from November/Decemeber of 2008 or beforehand for M@S.

They may just be breaking even, but I'm pretty sure the Wii version was made to 'compensate' for the any losses made by the HD versions. You only really need to sell around 200,000 units on the Wii to start making profit on it.

Those are life to date numbers meaning that they do include sales from all previous months.

And you're right about the Wii version. Its most certainly guaranteed to be the most profitable SKU but it needs to sell well beyond a paltry 200,000 units. That 1 million figure was me being generous. Some developers are now saying that for original, polished Wii titles to make a profit they have to sell at least 2 million copies. The HD version most assuredly cost Sega quite a pretty penny to make so it wouldn't be improbable to speculate that they would have to move well beyond 1 million units to make a profit.

But once again, that's why the Wii version exists. I'm sure Sega played it safe and spent as little money as possible when producing it to maximize the money they would make from Wii version sales.

Edited April 4, 2009 by Blueblur1

[Thirsty Pocket]

Sonic is a cash cow.

His game could have 5 minute loading screens and everyone would still buy them.

[blackherox]

And you're right about the Wii version. Its most certainly guaranteed to be the most profitable SKU but it needs to sell well beyond a paltry 200,000 units. That 1 million figure was me being generous. Some developers are now saying that for original, polished Wii titles to make a profit they have to sell at least 2 million copies.

I think he was overexaggerating a tad. Besides the numbers don't add up. He says:

''Nintendo Wii's development process where spending more than "$350,000 to $500,000" on a game runs the risk of making little to no profit.''

Yu don't need even need to sell 500,000 units to make that number. On average a developer ill make $16 dollars on each unit sold, that would mean that if Sonic Unleashed did make 2 million units it would have made 32 Million dollars, so in respect to what I said before, if the average dev is spending between 350,000-500,000 yu only really need to be selling in excess of 100,000 units to make a profit. And as you said Sonic Unleashed Wii, probably cost significantly less to make compared to the HD versions.

Edited April 4, 2009 by BlackHeroX

[Phos]

A game developer is going to have costs not directly related to developing the game, they have to do better than break even to avoid losing money. The CEO's salary isn't included in the budget for any games =P

There are also stupid expenses, such as the big three paying Gamestop for shelf space (I hate this practice, it doesn't benefit the consumer at all).

[Tornado]

And you're right about the Wii version. Its most certainly guaranteed to be the most profitable SKU but it needs to sell well beyond a paltry 200,000 units. That 1 million figure was me being generous. Some developers are now saying that for original, polished Wii titles to make a profit they have to sell at least 2 million copies.

Its also pretty much established that that guy was talking out his ass. If the truth was anywhere near that number there simply would not be any third party games for any of the consoles of this generation.

Edited April 4, 2009 by Tornado

[Sega DogTagz]

His game could have 5 minute loading screens and everyone would still buy them.

The main draw of the game could be the 5 min loading screens and we would still buy them. Heck, I would be first one in line (mumbling all the way to the cashier and handing over my wallet).

If the last few years have proven anything, it’s that Sonic’s face sells regardless of critical reception, bad buzz or Chris Thorndyke’s. Sega keeps pumping out the hedgehog’s games because they expect to get a handsome amount in return.

Besides, I really can’t think of too many franchises with staying power that were not profitable, let alone Sonic’s level of staying power.

[SuperStingray]

If the last few years have proven anything, it’s that Sonic’s face sells regardless of critical reception, bad buzz or Chris Thorndyke’s. Sega keeps pumping out the hedgehog’s games because they expect to get a handsome amount in return.

That's part of the problem.

[-Mark-]

Sonic games still sell in the millions.

...Yeah, I'm pretty sure Sonic is still quite profitable.

Quoted for truth.

Seriously, they wouldn't keep making the games if they weren't making money from them.

[Slingerland]

Yes. Theres no question about that. The people who moan and complain oddly... still buy the game! It's got to be the only franchise in existence that everyone slags off and then goes out and buys the game on day 1!

That's why I rent and slag.

[Sega DogTagz]

That's part of the problem.

I believe it to be somewhat of a cursed blessing. The big sales figures keep Sega’s eyes on their famous mascot and keep him from sliding into obscurity (like some of its other great Dreamcast tittles). Unfortunately it means that the relationship between quality and sales is shattered, and they are free to do as they please.

Edited April 4, 2009 by Sega DogTagz

[blackherox]

A game developer is going to have costs not directly related to developing the game, they have to do better than break even to avoid losing money. The CEO's salary isn't included in the budget for any games =P

Of Course, but I don't think that equates to the 2-3 Million Unit sales figure that Pete mentioned. It should still be signficantly less than that. Otherwise as Tornado said, there would simply be no third paty games on the Wii. The only thrid party games to break that number on the Wii are: Guitar Hero, Carnival Games, SATSR and M@S.