Sonic Superstars Faces Sales Hurdle Due to Super Mario Bros Wonder Release

In a recent revelation by Sega, it has been subtly indicated that the launch of Super Mario Bros Wonder played a significant role in the lower-than-anticipated sales of Sonic Superstars. This information emerged from an English-translated Q&A session following Sega's third-quarter results for the current fiscal year.

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Sega Executives Hint at Competitive Impact

According to Sega Sammy Holdings' executive vice president Makoto Takahashi and IR/SR department director Nobuaki Yoshii, Sonic Superstars experienced sales short of initial projections, although receiving positive ratings from critics on launch.

Sonic Superstars | Image: Nintendo

They noted that despite the positive reception from players, the game's launch timing, close to other titles in the same genre, significantly influenced its performance. Sega emphasizes the ongoing strategic expansion of the Sonic IP and its efforts to boost repeat sales of the game.

Competition from Mario Unveiled

Sega's reference to “competing titles in the same genre” effectively confirms that the release of Sonic Superstars just three days before Super Mario Bros Wonder impacted its market performance.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Castle Bowser; Pipe-Rock Plateau | Image: Nintendo Supply

With other platformers like SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake and DreamWorks Trolls Remix Rescue not posing significant competition, it's implied that Mario's latest adventure was a key factor in Sonic's less favorable sales figures.

Future Strategies and Marketing Focus

Despite the setback, Sega remains committed to promoting Sonic Superstars, especially targeting the holiday season in overseas markets. Sega Sammy Holdings' president, Haruki Satomi, highlighted the strategic importance of November and December for Sonic game sales. He detailed plans to allocate over 90% of the marketing budget towards the holiday season, despite the initial sales not meeting expectations.

Sonic Superstars recently capitalized on the Shadow the Hedgehog hype of 2024 with a free Shadow Costume DLC for Sonic gameplay.