SEGA released Sonic Superstars on every modern platform on October 17th, 2023, just 3 days before the arrival of Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Spider-Man 2. That’s 3 high-profile titles launching within days of each other, and while Mario and Spider-Man saw record-breaking debuts, it appears Sonic is struggling a tad.
During a SEGA investor Q&A, SEGA boss Haruki Satomi talked about the somewhat muted launch of Sonic Superstars. While specific figures weren’t given, Satomi did say that sales were “slightly weaker start than anticipated.” Hopefully we get a specific figure to align with that statement in order to get the bigger picture.
While Satomi didn’t specifically name games, he did say that the “impact of other companies’ major titles released at the same time” made a significant impact. If that’s not an indirect statement about Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Spider-Man 2, I don’t know what is!
Last but not least, it’s important to note that SEGA isn’t giving up on Sonic Superstars by any means. Satomi mentioned that SEGA has plans to expand promotional efforts for the game towards the holiday season, especially in overseas market.
UPDATE: We now have SEGA’s official English translation of what SEGA boss Haruki Satomi said pertaining to Sonic Superstars’ sales. You can read the statement in full below (h/t VGC).
Although Sonic Superstars has generally been well received by those who have played it, the timing of the launch coincided with competing titles in the same genre, and it has been short of the initial forecast. The strategic expansion of Sonic IP is progressing well, and we will continue to work to increase repeat sales of this title.
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