Sega is pointing to consumer expectations for “definitive editions” as one potential cause behind lower-than-expected sales for some of its recent games.
As spotted by GameBiz, the Sonic the Hedgehog and Persona company opened up about its performance throughout the last few months during a Q2 financial briefing Q&A session with shareholders yesterday. The conversation (via Automaton) saw Sega address the thought process behind why sales for its new premium and free-to-play games failed to meet expectations despite generally positive reviews from critics and fans.
Sega says a number of elements could be contributing to disappointing returns, including competition from other releases within the same genre, as well as launch prices. The gaming publisher also suggested gamers could be passing on purchasing games at launch due to an expectation they will eventually be able to purchase “definitive editions” of those same titles further down the line.
Definitive editions, which typically encompass video game re-releases with relatively minor visual upgrades and additional content, have become a popular tactic for publishers to utilize throughout the last decade. Sega is no stranger to the idea either, especially when it comes to Persona and Shin Megami Tensei developer Atlus.
The studio has a history of pushing re-releases for games like Persona 4 and 5, which received Golden and Royal versions a few years after their initial launches. There’s also Shin Megami Tensei V, which originally released in 2021 and went on to come to more platforms with its Vengeance counterpart in 2024. Atlus’ latest, Metaphor: ReFantazio, released for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S late last year.
Sega didn’t specifically call out any game or franchise when pointing to its definitive edition theory. The company also generally seems hesitant to directly place the blame on any one factor for now.
“While we haven’t been able to pinpoint a precise cause of [the lower-than-expected sales performance], we believe the problem also lies in our marketing, which wasn’t able to sufficiently convey the appeal of our games to users,” a Sega spokesperson told investors.
It’s unclear if Metaphor: ReFantazio or any other Sega series will receive a definitive edition or equivalent re-release in the future. For now, fans are eagerly awaiting any news Atlus may have to share about Persona 6. A Persona 3 remake, subtitled Reload, launched early last year, with Persona 4 Revival set to give its sequel the same treatment sometime in the near future. Sega is also continuing to roll out new content for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, which launched in September.
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Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
