Sonic Boom is the latest series of games featuring the spiny blue mammal we loved in our youths. Launched alongside an animated TV series, the games haven’t done quite as well as Sega would have liked. In fact, they’re the worst-selling Sonic games in history.
According to the crumbling former giant’s latest round of financial reports, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for the Wii U and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the 3DS have sold-through just 490,000 copies. That’s both games combined, worldwide.
You could easily say that it’s down to the Wii U’s low install base, but you’d be wrong. Don’t forget, there are tens of millions of 3DS’ in consumers’ hands. Besides that, the last Sonic game, the awful Lost Worlds sold through over 700 000 units.
Before that, the somewhat decent Sonic Generations sold through 1,850 000 copies. Previous to that, the really, really good Sonic & All-Star Racing Transformed sold 1,360,000 copies worldwide. The original Sonic game sold over 15 million copies.
This sort of poor performance in the retail console sector is one of the reasons SEGA seems to be largely pulling out of the business – to focus instead on the PC and mobile gaming sector – and will be offering voluntary retirement to employees as they downscale.
“Voluntary retirement will be solicited in the aforementioned businesses to be withdrawn or consolidated and downsized,” a statement read, “while at the same time personnel will be repositioned in Digital Games and growth areas of Group mainly as development personnel, in order to establish a structure which can constantly generate profits. The purpose of these measures is to improve the business efficiency of the Group.”
Strangely, despite Sonic’s dwindling performance, they’re keeping him alive –and Sonic merchandising and branding is one of the areas they’ll still be focusing on.
And honestly, it’s time to stop. Give up. Let Sonic die.
Last Updated: February 13, 2015
Ottokie
February 13, 2015 at 09:07
Even after all these years I still watch Sonic when it comes on TV, and play Sonic on the SEGA. So for me Sonic will never die, just maybe for the current generation whom did not grow up with it.
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 13, 2015 at 09:07
Sonic will never die. He’s constantly appearing on TV and has been voted one of sci-fi’s most iconic tools…
So Hard (Umar)
February 13, 2015 at 09:13
Do you know what hurts the most is not even that Sonic is doing badly as let’s get something straight, Sonic is one hell of an overrated franchise, but SEGA has some incredible franchises under its belt, but they’re so stubborn to keep churning out these crap Sonic games, and so help me, fans need to stop defending Sonic and start forcing SEGA to look at all the other amazing games they have.
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 09:15
2D Sonic games is where he belongs. He was never meant to go 3D. Just like MK and SF
Ottokie
February 13, 2015 at 09:16
The truth has been spoken!
So Hard (Umar)
February 13, 2015 at 09:20
He could go 3D. Sonic Adventure could be really awesome, but I don’t think they know what to do with him anymore
Viking Of Science
February 13, 2015 at 09:16
like Nights. Nights into dreams was a phenomenal platformer….
So Hard (Umar)
February 13, 2015 at 09:19
Nights was really good. I would rather see more of that than Sonic.
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 09:14
Jason top left behind the tree. Maybe it really is time for Sonic to die.
Viking Of Science
February 13, 2015 at 09:15
Whenever I feel the Urge to Fire up a sonic game…. I go Sonic Adventure 2 or Older.
Valshen
February 13, 2015 at 09:21
Give Sonic to somebody who can make 2D platformers where speed is intrinsic to the game.
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 09:29
Yes!
Viking Of Science
February 13, 2015 at 09:33
like Team Meat.
So Hard (Umar)
February 13, 2015 at 09:34
Fast but tight controls..YES!!!
Loftus
February 13, 2015 at 09:24
just a thought if Sonic dies then they can’t start a new franchise ( one that is ripe for the picking as no one is doing it at the moment). Zombie Sonic…. such cool titles as the Last of Sonic, Sonic Light… i want royalties on this one
BMXWufam
February 13, 2015 at 09:25
forward, forward, forward, jump
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 09:29
K-tv, good times XD
Raptor Rants A Lot:Original #7
February 13, 2015 at 09:41
Sssshhhhhh. Showing our ages here people!
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 09:55
So very very old
Raptor Rants A Lot:Original #7
February 13, 2015 at 10:13
Wow… The feels
Captain JJ the crafter
February 13, 2015 at 09:28
I agree. They’re just hurting the name now.
Raptor Rants A Lot:Original #7
February 13, 2015 at 09:31
*cries*
Dutch Matrix
February 13, 2015 at 09:34
Here lies Sonic
Sega’s Handling of their mascot
Was quite Moronic
The poor Hedehog died
He had lost all his Pride
We weep at his demise
But the only laughing
Is that of Dr Robotnic.
Goal9
February 13, 2015 at 09:39
Sega honestly needs to rethink the Sonic formula. He primarily works best as a 2D side-scrolling speedster. Why do they insist making him anything but that is beyond me. Especially when they try to include every member of his Facebook friends list.
They need to give the franchise to somebody else who will go back to basics and cut all the fat. I would say Nintendo would be a good choice, but they’d probably just release one game amongst the hundred of Mario rehashes.
Kikmi
February 13, 2015 at 09:53
*wimpers* 🙁
Admiral Chief
February 13, 2015 at 10:18
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/010/d/2/sanic_by_daltond-d71lysv.png
Happy Meal
February 13, 2015 at 13:10
Jason spotted again this is going to consume me today
Happy Meal
February 13, 2015 at 13:23
Jason watching from the bushes on the left
littly_kittly
February 13, 2015 at 17:32
Fans are desperate for a release of Sonic 3 Remastered and have even set up a campaign at sonic3remastered.com. The prototype is ready but Sega won’t release it. Yet Sega waste their money on junk like Sonic Boom. Can anyone explain their reasoning?
svsonic
February 13, 2015 at 22:02
Hey! Person who wrote this article, shut up! Just because Sonic had a few bad games doesn’t mean that all future will be bad.
SR
February 13, 2015 at 22:04
Hey! Person who wrote this article, shut up! Just because Sonic had a few bad games doesn’t mean that all future games will be bad.
BlueBlur62391
February 14, 2015 at 10:37
Of all the types of video game articles, “[character/franchise] needs to die” ones are the lowest of the low. I’m surprised that they can even can come onto professional sites.
I can see Segabits rolling their eyes at you right now.
Besides, calling out Sonic for Sonic Boom would be like calling out Mario for Hotel Mario. They’re both spin-offs, they’re both bad, they’re both made by other companies, the end.
gabriela
May 12, 2015 at 00:49
Maybe they should give it a world of Warcraft theme, and expand
on it .
TwilightApple20
July 9, 2015 at 07:22
Yes. Sonic needs to fucking die like the fucking faggot-filled cancerous AIDS that it fucking is. Bunch of fucking lonely faggots.
OctoInk20
March 22, 2016 at 05:49
Yeah. Sega just needs to be buried like Gawker Media was buried by Hulk Hogan. :I Sega is way past their death date. They need to accept their death fate and be remembered as a dark stain on history, like Hitler’s Holocaust and Unit 731. The sooner the people stand and file heavily insane lawsuits and complaints against them, the faster they’ll be burnt into bankruptcy to try to pay it all off, and the sooner these other Sonic fansites will fall without Sega to be there for support, and the less fucking retarded garbage fanart there will be on DeviantART. #GoodFuckingRiddance #DieSega #I’mComingToTakeYouDown