Sega has cautioned against releasing “definitive editions,” intimating players are “hesitant to make purchases” of day one games for fear of missing out on the subsequent release of content-complete editions.
Game Biz, as translated by GamesRadar+, reports that in a Q&A, investors queried the difference between sales of its new titles and those from its back catalog.
For the latest quarter, just 17% of Sega’s game sales were generated by new releases.
“In recent years, the sale of major new releases has continued to trend towards falling short of sales expectations despite being seen as high quality,” Game Biz reported.
“Sega believes this is possibly due to factors such as pricing in combination with the availability of other games in the same genre at the time of launch. Users are also hesitant to make purchases just in case the ‘definitive edition’ is released shortly afterwards.”
Game Biz also suggests that the Japanese megacorp is struggling to “convey the appeal of its games” with its marketing plans.
“While Sega hasn’t pinpointed the exact cause [of its marketing issues], it has recognized an issue with its marketing where it’s unable to properly convey the appeal of its games, and is currently analyzing the situation,” the report claims.
Sega recently confirmed it’s raising the salaries of all its Japanese employees by around 10%, including its starting salaries for new hires. In a statement, the company said the new pay scales will go live from April 1, 2026, including pay for graduates, who can expect entry-level salaries to start from around ¥330,000 ($2131).
