Sega FY3/2021 and FY3/2022 Full Game to IP Series Units Ratio. Sonic IP: Less than 5% of Full Games units make up IP series units. + other mysteries

[ggx2ac]

All the tables posted below come from my webpage: https://r134x7.github.io/nintendo-earnings-data-and-other-video-game-companies/#/sega

This was something I wanted to get around to after it being another year where some gaming outlets reported that the Sonic the Hedgehog IP had "sold 1.5 billion copies". Those gaming outlets aren't scrutinizing Sega enough with the numbers they give out each year in their annual report where they clearly inflate the value of the Sonic IP by getting anything Sonic related as a unit to add to the count including f2p downloads.

Since FY3/2021, Sega was finally reporting what looks to be (there's a reason I am saying that) their Full Game Sales units for some of the IP in their presentation slides each quarter. With what they gave I could finally get a ratio for the number of Full Games sales units for the Sonic IP covering the fiscal year and dividing it by the Sonic IP series data for the same fiscal year (not the life to date number).

For the Sonic IP in FY3/21: Only 1.83% of the 240M units recorded came from Full Game sales units.

For the Sonic IP in FY3/22: Only 4.46% of the 130M units recorded came from Full Game sales units.

I would like to say it's all done unfortunately, there are a number of IP where this ratio goes over 100%. I do not think the numbers used are wrong, I went to check everything was calculated correctly and all the numbers used themselves are correct too.

First, note from my tables but from the Sales per Software unit data which you have to go to my webpage to check:

*"Full Game = Mainly physical sales
|and download sales of full game for
|home video game consoles and PCs.
|(Additional download content sales
|are not included.)"
|**Software Units: "Unit sales don’t
|include the figure for free download"

That information comes from the slides in the fine print which you can check for yourself: https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english...ment/2022/20220513_presentation_eng_final.pdf

In the slide where it shows Full Game sales units, there's a section which says [Unit sales of major IPs] which is where I get the series sales units that I assume are Full Game sales of the relevant IPs. Something like Yakuza having over 100% ratio makes sense when it's including the Judgement series but not the others such as Persona having a ratio of 260%. My only guess at this point is that they are including free downloads since they don't say it's Full Game sales therefore it might include free downloads but, then we run into another problem, are Sega not including free downloads of their Full Games in their series IP data for their annual reports? It just wouldn't make sense when they inflate things with F2P numbers as it is.

I have put below all the necessary links and if you think I just have the numbers wrong then you can prove me wrong that way, other than that I don't have a definitive answer for why there are Full Game / Series IP units' ratios at over 100%.
----------------

Since around FY3/2021

Data Source for FY3/21: https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english...t/2021/202103_4q_presentation_20210513_en.pdf

Annual Report 2021: https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/library/pdf/printing_annual/2021/ir_2021_print_en.pdf

Unit Sales FY3/21:

+------------------------------+
| Sega Sammy        | FY3/2021 |
+------------------------------+
| Full Game Software Unit Sales|
+------------------------------+
+---------------------------------+
|  Sonic series                   |
+---------------------------------+
|             |   Units |    YoY% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st Quarter |   0.80M |
+-----------------------+
| 2nd Quarter |   1.50M |
+-----------------------+
| 3rd Quarter |   1.40M |
+-----------------------+
| 4th Quarter |   0.70M |
+=======================+
| First Half  |   2.30M |
+-----------------------+
| 1st 3 Qtrs  |   3.70M |
+-----------------------+
| FY3/21 Cml. |   4.40M |
+-----------------------+
+---------------------------------+
|  Total War series               |
+---------------------------------+
|             |   Units |    YoY% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st Quarter |   1.90M |
+-----------------------+
| 2nd Quarter |   0.60M |
+-----------------------+
| 3rd Quarter |   1.10M |
+-----------------------+
| 4th Quarter |   0.40M |
+=======================+
| First Half  |   2.50M |
+-----------------------+
| 1st 3 Qtrs  |   3.60M |
+-----------------------+
| FY3/21 Cml. |   4.00M |
+-----------------------+
+---------------------------------+
|  Persona series                 |
+---------------------------------+
|             |   Units |    YoY% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st Quarter |   1.20M |
+-----------------------+
| 2nd Quarter |   0.30M |
+-----------------------+
| 3rd Quarter |   0.40M |
+-----------------------+
| 4th Quarter |   1.10M |
+=======================+
| First Half  |   1.50M |
+-----------------------+
| 1st 3 Qtrs  |   1.90M |
+-----------------------+
| FY3/21 Cml. |   3.00M |
+-----------------------+
+---------------------------------+
|  Like a Dragon series           |
+---------------------------------+
|             |   Units |    YoY% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st Quarter |   0.30M |
+-----------------------+
| 2nd Quarter |   0.30M |
+-----------------------+
| 3rd Quarter |   1.00M |
+-----------------------+
| 4th Quarter |   0.60M |
+=======================+
| First Half  |   0.60M |
+-----------------------+
| 1st 3 Qtrs  |   1.60M |
+-----------------------+
| FY3/21 Cml. |   2.20M |
+-----------------------+
*Like a Dragon series includes the Judgment series
+---------------------------------+
|  Football Manager series        |
+---------------------------------+
|             |   Units |    YoY% |
+---------------------------------+
| 4th Quarter |   3.80M |
+=======================+
| FY3/21 Cml. |   3.80M |
+-----------------------+
###

Series IP Data FY3/21:

+--------------------------------+
| Sega Sammy - IP Series Data    |
+--------------------------------+
| IP Title                       |
+--------------------------------+
| IP Type                        |
+--------------------------------+
| Platforms                      |
+--------------------------------+
| Total Editions                 |
+--------------------------------+
| First Appearance and Rank      |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| Sonic the Hedgehog                         |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Developed in-house IP                      |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Pachislot and Pachinko Machines, Consumer  |
| Games, Amusement Machines, Toys, etc.      |
+--------------------------------------------+
| First Year: 1991               | Rank 1    |
+============================================+
| (Units and downloads*)                     |
| (Full games and F2P total)                 |
| *Including downloads of free-to-play       |
| titles                                     |
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/21 Cumulative  |   240.00M |
| FY3/21 Cml. YoY%   |    +9.09% |
| Life-To-Date       |     1380M |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/2021 Full Game / IP Series % |   1.83% |
+============================================+
###
+--------------------------------------------+
| Total War                                  |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Acquired IP                                |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Consumer Games                             |
+--------------------------------------------+
| First Year: 2000               | Rank 4    |
+============================================+
| (Units and downloads)                      |
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/21 Cumulative  |     3.50M |
| FY3/21 Cml. YoY%   |   -47.76% |
| Life-To-Date       |     37.8M |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/2021 Full Game / IP Series % | 114.29% |
+============================================+
###
+--------------------------------------------+
| Ryu ga Gotoku                              |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Developed in-house IP                      |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Pachislot and Pachinko Machines, Consumer  |
| Games, Toys, etc.                          |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Total Editions: 164                        |
+--------------------------------------------+
| First Year: 2005               | Rank 7    |
+============================================+
| (units)                                    |
| (Full games total)                         |
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/21 Cumulative  |     3.00M |
| FY3/21 Cml. YoY%   |   +50.00% |
| Life-To-Date       |       17M |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/2021 Full Game / IP Series % |  73.33% |
+============================================+
###
+--------------------------------------------+
| Football Manager                           |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Acquired IP                                |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Consumer Games                             |
+--------------------------------------------+
| First Year: 2004               | Rank 9    |
+============================================+
| (Units and downloads)                      |
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/21 Cumulative  |     2.00M |
| FY3/21 Cml. YoY%   |    +0.00% |
| Life-To-Date       |       24M |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/2021 Full Game / IP Series % | 190.00% |
+============================================+
###
+--------------------------------------------+
| Persona                                    |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Acquired IP                                |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Pachislot and Pachinko Machines, Consumer  |
| Games, Toys, etc.                          |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Total Editions: 18                         |
+--------------------------------------------+
| First Year: 1996               | Rank 10   |
+============================================+
| (Units and downloads)                      |
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/21 Cumulative  |     1.90M |
| FY3/21 Cml. YoY%   |   -34.48% |
| Life-To-Date       |       15M |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/2021 Full Game / IP Series % | 157.89% |
+============================================+
###

Data Source for FY3/22: https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english...ment/2022/20220513_presentation_eng_final.pdf

Annual Report 2022: https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/library/pdf/printing_annual/2022/ir_2022_web_all_e.pdf

Annual Report 2021: https://www.segasammy.co.jp/english/ir/library/pdf/printing_annual/2020/al2020_e_all.pdf

Unit Sales FY3/22:

+------------------------------+
| Sega Sammy        | FY3/2022 |
+------------------------------+
| Full Game Software Unit Sales|
+------------------------------+
+---------------------------------+
|  Sonic series                   |
+---------------------------------+
|             |   Units |    YoY% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st Quarter |   1.00M |    +25% |
+---------------------------------+
| 2nd Quarter |   1.90M | +26.67% |
+---------------------------------+
| 3rd Quarter |   2.00M | +42.86% |
+---------------------------------+
| 4th Quarter |   0.90M | +28.57% |
+=================================+
| First Half  |   2.90M | +26.09% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st 3 Qtrs  |   4.90M | +32.43% |
+---------------------------------+
| FY3/22 Cml. |   5.80M | +31.82% |
+---------------------------------+
+---------------------------------+
|  Total War series               |
+---------------------------------+
|             |   Units |    YoY% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st Quarter |   0.60M | -68.42% |
+---------------------------------+
| 2nd Quarter |   0.40M | -33.33% |
+---------------------------------+
| 3rd Quarter |   0.30M | -72.73% |
+---------------------------------+
| 4th Quarter |   1.30M |   +225% |
+=================================+
| First Half  |   1.00M |    -60% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st 3 Qtrs  |   1.30M | -63.89% |
+---------------------------------+
| FY3/22 Cml. |   2.60M |    -35% |
+---------------------------------+
+---------------------------------+
|  Persona series                 |
+---------------------------------+
|             |   Units |    YoY% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st Quarter |   0.40M | -66.67% |
+---------------------------------+
| 2nd Quarter |   0.30M |      0% |
+---------------------------------+
| 3rd Quarter |   0.30M |    -25% |
+---------------------------------+
| 4th Quarter |   0.30M | -72.73% |
+=================================+
| First Half  |   0.70M | -53.33% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st 3 Qtrs  |   1.00M | -47.37% |
+---------------------------------+
| FY3/22 Cml. |   1.30M | -56.67% |
+---------------------------------+
+---------------------------------+
|  Like a Dragon series           |
+---------------------------------+
|             |   Units |    YoY% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st Quarter |   0.70M |+133.33% |
+---------------------------------+
| 2nd Quarter |   1.10M |+266.67% |
+---------------------------------+
| 3rd Quarter |   0.70M |    -30% |
+---------------------------------+
| 4th Quarter |   0.40M | -33.33% |
+=================================+
| First Half  |   1.80M |   +200% |
+---------------------------------+
| 1st 3 Qtrs  |   2.50M | +56.25% |
+---------------------------------+
| FY3/22 Cml. |   2.90M | +31.82% |
+---------------------------------+
*Like a Dragon series includes the Judgment series
###

Series IP Data FY3/22:

+--------------------------------+
| Sega Sammy - IP Series Data    |
+--------------------------------+
| IP Title                       |
+--------------------------------+
| IP Type                        |
+--------------------------------+
| Platforms                      |
+--------------------------------+
| Total Editions                 |
+--------------------------------+
| First Appearance and Rank      |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| Sonic the Hedgehog                         |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Developed in-house IP                      |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Pachislot and Pachinko Machines, Consumer  |
| Games, Movies, Amusement Machines, Toys,   |
| etc.                                       |
+--------------------------------------------+
| First Year: 1991               | Rank 1    |
+============================================+
| (Units and downloads*)                     |
| (Full games and F2P total)                 |
| *Including downloads of free-to-play       |
| titles                                     |
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/22 Cumulative  |   130.00M |
| FY3/22 Cml. YoY%   |   -45.83% |
| Life-To-Date       |     1510M |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/2022 Full Game / IP Series % |   4.46% |
+============================================+
###
+--------------------------------------------+
| Ryu ga Gotoku                              |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Developed in-house IP                      |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Pachislot and Pachinko Machines, Consumer  |
| Games, Movies, Toys, etc.                  |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Total Editions: 167                        |
+--------------------------------------------+
| First Year: 2005               | Rank 4    |
+============================================+
| (units)                                    |
| (Full games total)                         |
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/22 Cumulative  |     2.80M |
| FY3/22 Cml. YoY%   |    -6.67% |
| Life-To-Date       |     19.8M |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/2022 Full Game / IP Series % | 103.57% |
+============================================+
###
+--------------------------------------------+
| Total War                                  |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Acquired IP                                |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Consumer Games                             |
+--------------------------------------------+
| First Year: 2000               | Rank 6    |
+============================================+
| (Units and downloads)                      |
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/22 Cumulative  |     2.60M |
| FY3/22 Cml. YoY%   |   -25.71% |
| Life-To-Date       |     40.4M |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/2022 Full Game / IP Series % | 100.00% |
+============================================+
###
+--------------------------------------------+
| Persona                                    |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Acquired IP                                |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Pachislot and Pachinko Machines, Consumer  |
| Games, Movies, Toys, etc.                  |
+--------------------------------------------+
| Total Editions: 18                         |
+--------------------------------------------+
| First Year: 1996               | Rank 10   |
+============================================+
| (Units and downloads)                      |
| (Full games and F2P total)                 |
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/22 Cumulative  |     0.50M |
| FY3/22 Cml. YoY%   |   -73.68% |
| Life-To-Date       |     15.5M |
+--------------------------------+
+--------------------------------------------+
| FY3/2022 Full Game / IP Series % | 260.00% |
+============================================+
###

 

[Terrell]

Appreciate you pointing out the fiddle-faddle in these IP figures Sega doles out that many of instinctively knew were sus but didn't have the finite data on hand to back up WHY they were sus.

 

[Fatal Nutritionist]

I mean they listed in their previous reports IP with some what reasonable numbers though some seemed inflated, in the single digit millions with a couple higher, and then at the top is the Sonic IP with 1.5 billion purchases and then you scratch your head trying to figure out wtf until you realize they added mobile as units.

They've done that with other franchises as well, Sega always puts out suspect reports. I would like to know the retail sales of Sonic, especially mainline because they have to be pretty low based on individual game sales.