Sega has acknowledged that lower-than-expected sales for its games could be partly due to players waiting for enhanced 'definitive editions' before purchasing. This admission came during a shareholders Q&A session following the company's recent earnings report. The trend appears linked to Atlus titles, which often receive revised versions with additional content.
Background on Sega's Admission
Sega addressed concerns about declining sales of catalogue games and revenue fluctuations from new releases in a Japanese-language shareholders Q&A (via Automaton). Despite releasing critically acclaimed titles, the company noted sales falling short of expectations. Possible factors include competition from rival games in the same genre and initial pricing strategies.
Impact of Definitive Editions
A key insight was players' hesitation to buy at launch, anticipating 'definitive editions' with extra content. Sega stated: '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.' The company is investigating further to reassure investors.
No specific games were named in the Q&A, but the pattern aligns with Atlus RPGs. Examples include Persona 4 followed by Golden, and Persona 5 by Royal, both adding characters and content. More recently, 2021's Shin Megami Tensei 5 led to Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance in 2024.
Recent Example: Metaphor: ReFantazio
Atlus' Metaphor: ReFantazio, released last year, was critically acclaimed and award-winning. It sold over 1 million units on launch day, becoming Atlus' fastest-selling game, and reached 2 million worldwide by July 2025. However, sales appear to have dropped off afterward. While no revised version has been announced, the precedent may lead fans to wait.
This comes amid discussions from director Katsura Hashino about evolving JRPGs toward 'JRPG 3.0,' potentially tied to upcoming titles like Persona 6.