Summary
Sega executives have suggested that competition withSuper Mario Bros. Wonderhurt the sales ofSonic Superstarswhen it was first released. The latest 2D iteration of the classic franchise, featuring a speedy hedgehog, was launched last year to average reviews and notably poor sales.Sonic Superstarsmanaged to replicate much of the old-school gameplay of the series but seemingly failed to wow critics or fans, and this translated to a disappointing launch.
Shortly after its release in October, it was revealed thatSonic Superstarsfell short of Sega’s sales expectations. At the time, Sega appeared to be projecting optimism despite this setback, claiming that it hoped to make up for the initial slump with increased sales during the holiday season. Unfortunately for the publisher, however, this optimism proved premature and sales did not notably improve. Instead, the platformer has continued to struggle, and executives have an explanation why.
In a recentQ&Asession for investors, Sega executives Makoto Takashi and Nobuaki Yoshii discussed the sales ofSonic Superstarsand hinted that it was competition withSuper Mario Bros. Wonderthat ultimately hurt the title. It’s not clear from the English translation of the transcript who was speaking, but in response to a question about the game, one executive said that launching at the same time as another title from the same genre hurt sales. While not naming any specific games, a strong case can be made that this was a nod to the newMariotitle.
Sonic Superstars Struggled Against a Better-Reviewed Game
In contrast toSonic Superstars,Super Mario Bros. Wonderwas one of the highest-rated games of 2023and enjoyed superb sales. Also featuring 2D platforming with characters beloved by gamers,Mario Wonderwas released the same week in October, and it’s easy to see how it could overshadowSonicand pull gamers away. Sega executives seem to think this was the case.
Of course, it’s important to note that Sega could be overlooking some other important factors. It’s worth remembering thatSega holiday sales were poorin general, hinting at a larger problem for the developer. Further,Sonic was releasedfor all major consoles and the PC, whileMario Wonderwas limited to the Switch. This raises questions about how much theMariotitle could hurt sales forSonicon other platforms.
Despite this disappointment, Sega seems to be committed to the game, based on executive statements at the Q&A and recent support for the title. New content is still being released, andSonic Superstarsgot another free DLC costume this month. It appears that the publisher wants to turn things around for Sonic and his friends, and they’ll keep pushing to increase sales over the long term for the time being.
Sonic Superstars
WHERE TO PLAY
Adventure through the mystical Northstar Islands in this all-new take on classic 2D Sonic high-speed action platforming. Play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy and harness all-new Emerald powers to move and attack in dynamic new ways. Navigate gorgeous, never-before-seen environments solo or with up to 3 other players and stop Dr. Eggman, Fang, and a mysterious new adversary from converting the islands’ giant animals into Badniks before it’s too late!
