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Will Soul Hackers 2 sell more than Shin Megami Tensei V?

What will have better lifetime sales, SMTV or Soul Hackers 2?

  • Shin Megami Tensei V

    Votes: 165 67.6%
  • Soul Hackers 2

    Votes: 44 18.0%
  • Shin Megami Tensei V, but only if the rumoured PC/PS4 versions release

    Votes: 21 8.6%
  • Soul Hackers 2, but only if it gets a Switch port later

    Votes: 14 5.7%

  • Total voters
    244
  • Poll closed .
But this is *Soul Hackers*, not *Shin Megami Tensei* ;)

But in all seriousness, given *Persona* success, I don't see where anyone could confidently say "99% switch would be the best target platform".

Meanwhile I am interested for why it is not launching on switch, but I disagree there are no logical reasons. This might have officially gotten shot down, but one possible rational explanation could simply be "We here on this Atlus team literally do not have the ability and/or resources to simultaneously guarantee a quality switch version while also hitting our target of 5 platforms and simultaneous self-published worldwide release for the first time". For all we know (or rather that I have heard reported thus far) a switch sku could have been explored and even steps taken to work it into the dev pipeline, before deciding to pull back? I am on the wait-and-see train with *Soul Hackers* on switch and could see a "bonus content" version released next year.

Someone please correct me if thats already been demonstrated to not be the case.

As for OP's question:

I fully expect *SMTV* to get at bare minimum a PC version, and that factors into my prediction that *Soul Hackers* does not outsell it. The wildcard would be if the game turns out virally GOOD.
Imo it’s likely that persona 5 if it released day and date on switch back in 2017 would have probably sold the same as the ps4 version. Persona is a series that on switch could eclipse anything it’s ever done on PlayStation. Persona 6 on switch could sell 3-5 million which would outsell base persona 5. It’s just not obvious to some cos Atlus on purpose doesn’t want that future.

However, every single Atlus franchise has its biggest userbase on switch without a doubt bar persona. Even then persona 4 ultimax will sell more on switch than ps4.
 
There is no reason why this should not outsell SMTV given its on 5 platforms that have an install base (both active or not) many times of Switch by itself (SMTV). Whether is initial full priced sales or eventual LTD, it should best SMTV easily.

Plus, I am sure Atlus management is choosing their platforms in a totally sales-rational way like some folks here keep saying, so i believe they are they are not expecting failure at all, or a game that sells less than another on a single platform. They made their platform choices based on what they claim to be the best possible for the series to be a "pillar of the company".
This has been posted like 5 times in this thread and it doesn't really make sense. There's plenty of reason to believe it won't sell outsell SMTV, especially short-term. I guess the post could be read like sarcasm but who knows.
 
But this is *Soul Hackers*, not *Shin Megami Tensei* ;)

But in all seriousness, given *Persona* success, I don't see where anyone could confidently say "99% switch would be the best target platform".

Meanwhile I am interested for why it is not launching on switch, but I disagree there are no logical reasons. This might have officially gotten shot down, but one possible rational explanation could simply be "We here on this Atlus team literally do not have the ability and/or resources to simultaneously guarantee a quality switch version while also hitting our target of 5 platforms and simultaneous self-published worldwide release for the first time". For all we know (or rather that I have heard reported thus far) a switch sku could have been explored and even steps taken to work it into the dev pipeline, before deciding to pull back? I am on the wait-and-see train with *Soul Hackers* on switch and could see a "bonus content" version released next year.

Someone please correct me if thats already been demonstrated to not be the case.

As for OP's question:

I fully expect *SMTV* to get at bare minimum a PC version, and that factors into my prediction that *Soul Hackers* does not outsell it. The wildcard would be if the game turns out virally GOOD.

My two likely speculative reasons:

A: Switch version is in the works and coming, but since it’s not ready there’s no reason for Atlus to talk about it.

B: Sega/Atlus have a good idea of when a Switch 2 is coming, and think releasing a 0 effort port in a year or two is financially sound. And I don’t mean 0 effort pejoratively.
 
This has been posted like 5 times in this thread and it doesn't really make sense. There's plenty of reason to believe it won't sell outsell SMTV, especially short-term. I guess the post could be read like sarcasm but who knows.
The reasons given about why it "wouldn't sell well" don't make much sense though? Atlus will not make decisions to make sure a game "wouldn't sell well" knowingly. SMTV is only seen as a moderate success by many here from what I can see (given it didn't even double SMTIV sales or didn't get the so called "Switch Boost").

Purely from a non-subjective perspective (install base, release, apparent scale of game), there is no real reason why SH2 can't break out above SMTV.
 
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SMTV is only seen as a moderate success by many here from what I can see (given it didn't even double SMTIV sales or didn't get the so called "Switch Boost").
While I agree w/ your main point that *Soul Hackers* has a decent shot of outselling SMTV (if the game turns out to be really good), SMTV broke a million in under 6 months.
With SMT4 petering out at 600k sales, a double from SMTV is inevitable. Heck could it not conceivably get to 1.5 million on the switch alone when all is said and done? And if the PC version comes to fruition, combined total sales of SMTV could perhaps exceed 2 million?

(I posit the above after just seeing this Persona 4G on Steam sales update and use that as a gauge for high quality big JRPG ports)

Persona is a series that on switch could eclipse anything it’s ever done on PlayStation. Persona 6 on switch could sell 3-5 million which would outsell base persona 5. It’s just not obvious to some cos Atlus on purpose doesn’t want that future.
Its possible sure, I just do not understand where you get to that opinion with such conviction. Meaning Atlus doesn't have anything else that has sold to *Persona 5* levels on any platform. With that in mind, as far as data would indicate, the Playstation market jives well w/ *Persona*.
Or heck, given the *Persona 4G* steam sales figure I linked above, a brand-new title launching on Steam could maybe take the top-platform crown just as conceivably as the switch could?
 
Persona 4 Golden released as a 20$ dollar game and had the novelty of being the first Persona game in PC so it got a huge boost in sales (like Yakuza 0 case) ,I wouldnt expect a future release of persona to match at least early on the unit sales of P4G.
 
I could see future releases far exceeding 4. Persona 6 will not have a $20 price point, but will trade that for a much bigger marketing budget and incredible hype. Hell, I bet even Persona 5 will outdo 4 on PC.
 
The reasons given about why it "wouldn't sell well" don't make much sense though? Atlus will not make decisions to make sure a game "wouldn't sell well" knowingly. SMTV is only seen as a moderate success by many here from what I can see (given it didn't even double SMTIV sales or didn't get the so called "Switch Boost").

Purely from a non-subjective perspective (install base, release, apparent scale of game), there is no real reason why SH2 can't break out above SMTV.

SMTV has been a success, not a moderate one
It has already sold 1 million, with higher price point than SMTIV, where the best selling episode prior to its release (SMTIV) sold 600k LT, not in 6 months
It will continue selling for a long time (even small numbers each month, of course) so it will double its predecessor numbers (thanks to the "Switch boost" in the West)

But in general, I agree that in terms of LT sales Souls Hackers 2, being developed and pushed as a very important project for Atlus and being available day 1 also in the West, on so many platforms, should bomb to sell less than SMTV (especially once it will enter the "legacy" portfolio, being discounted on the digital stores)
 
I could see future releases far exceeding 4. Persona 6 will not have a $20 price point, but will trade that for a much bigger marketing budget and incredible hype. Hell, I bet even Persona 5 will outdo 4 on PC.
We have seen Yakuza games after Yakuza 0 release on Steam and sell less than what Yakuza 0 did even with the higher budget of marketing due to being a day 1 release for the platform. I wouldn't be surprised if this happens again with Persona games, especially when now the games would be triple the price compared to P4G, I’m not saying they will not sell well just that P4G huge success should be put in context and that doesn't secure the same level of success in the future for Persona in the platform.
 
I don't really think the Persona audience is going to raise SH2 to some special height by default. It doesn't have the same vibe.

The other reason is probably a bit more controversial which is that I don't think Persona is a "guaranteed mega success" either. I've always felt Persona 5 was the perfect storm of right place, right time with right theme and right look. JRPGs were very late to the party with PS4 with the somewhat bigger deals like Tales not hitting till 2015 and FFXV 2016. That and just the constant hype build from the game being delayed every year as well as the aesthetic and theme of being a Phantom Thief/vigilante just hit all the right notes.

Of course I don't think Persona is going to go back to be a sub 1 million series but I think whether or not 6 hits the series highs of 5 or surpasses them will depend on what aesthetic they choose, the tone of the story ect. There's a clear coolness factor that is attached to Persona 5 that isn't given to Persona 4 or Persona 3 and I think that does play a role.
 
SMT V got a higher jump in sales from the previous entry than almost any other million seller of JRPG this generation bar Xenoblade/Persona and maybe MH:Stories, people expected too much from SMT V.
 
As much as people like games being released close to their announcements, it's probably not doing Soul Hackers any favors in terms of appeal. I feel these things need to marinate for a while so that people can talk about it more. Still even ignoring that it's hard to see the game doing to amazingly.
 
As much as people like games being released close to their announcements, it's probably not doing Soul Hackers any favors in terms of appeal. I feel these things need to marinate for a while so that people can talk about it more. Still even ignoring that it's hard to see the game doing to amazingly.
that latter point is exactly why having a longer period of waiting for release is bad for this game. this isn't some hotly anticipated title, something can and probably will come along and eat its lunch.
 


This game's marketing is perplexing to me. In that there is no marketing.
 
What if they take a page out of Squarenix?

Soul Hackers 2 on PS/ XBOX/ PC
Then follow up with
Soul Hackers 2 S on Switch


I think they come close by w/o a switch
I don't see happening.
 
What if they take a page out of Squarenix?

Soul Hackers 2 on PS/ XBOX/ PC
Then follow up with
Soul Hackers 2 S on Switch


I think they come close by w/o a switch
I don't see happening.
DQXIS was a special situation that will not happen again, if there is a late port (which I doubt) will just be a straight port of the original game.
 
Also I think there's a key difference.
DQ11 was annnounced for Switch.
SH2 is not. So the message to the consumer is very different.
 
DQ11S also came out nearly two years after the original launch. I would think if we're gonna get a SH2S type enhanced released it would be for the switch successor and not the og Switch. Closer to what FF7R did with the integrade release on PS5. I think the most likely outcome is that the late Switch port is announced within 6 months of the worldwide release and released within the year like we've seen with so many other late Switch ports.
 
DQ11S also came out nearly two years after the original launch. I would think if we're gonna get a SH2S type enhanced released it would be for the switch successor and not the og Switch. Closer to what FF7R did with the integrade release on PS5. I think the most likely outcome is that the late Switch port is announced within 6 months of the worldwide release and released within the year like we've seen with so many other late Switch ports.
I don't see any need to make the game drake exclusive. a switch port with an enhanced mode will check all the boxes. just releasing next to Drake would be enough exposure to maybe do something
 
I think they’ll do basically the same, it’s not like Atlus gives that many updates past initial milestones and I don’t think either game will pass 1.5 mill so we will be basically in the dark so it doesn’t even matter which sells more.
 
I think they’ll do basically the same, it’s not like Atlus gives that many updates past initial milestones and I don’t think either game will pass 1.5 mill so we will be basically in the dark so it doesn’t even matter which sells more.
We will have chart data from NPD/Famitsu and the European charts at least to compare the first week and Sega tends to announce numbers of their big games during the first quarter so if they do we can compare with SH2. After that we depend on Atlus for WW numbers, only other numbers we are probably getting are physical copies in Japan LTD numbers
 
I think they’ll do basically the same, it’s not like Atlus gives that many updates past initial milestones and I don’t think either game will pass 1.5 mill so we will be basically in the dark so it doesn’t even matter which sells more.
The two times in their history where they’ve had occasion to share updates beyond the 1.5 million mark (P5 and P4G), they have. If SH2 hits those numbers, they will make sure to share them. Especially with a stated aspiration to make it a tentpole brand.
 
The two times in their history where they’ve had occasion to share updates beyond the 1.5 million mark (P5 and P4G), they have. If SH2 hits those numbers, they will make sure to share them. Especially with a stated aspiration to make it a tentpole brand.
Persona 5 Strikers maybe? I'd imagine nowadays it's at 1.5m even with musous legs being horrible
 
Persona 5 Strikers maybe? I'd imagine nowadays it's at 1.5m even with musous legs being horrible
If it hits higher numbers, I am sure we will hear them. Atlus isn't shy about trumpeting successes (now that there actually are ones worth trumpeting lol). I imagine we don't have an update because there isn't anything to share an update about.

Yeah like I said, I don’t think either will make it past 1.5 so I don’t think it really matters which sells more.
SMTV is exhibiting curiously good legs for a game of its genre, release window, and reception, so who knows, really. A PC/PS4 port would definitely easily push it north of 1.5 million IMO
 
SMT V should reach 1.5m units sold on the Switch alone LTD but won’t do it quick enough to do it before late ports release so we wont get the data sadly
 
DQXIS was a special situation that will not happen again, if there is a late port (which I doubt) will just be a straight port of the original game.
The team has done enhanced ports of their last 4 games though...

Devil Survivor: Overclocked
Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker
Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore
 
But we said the same thing about persona 5
True, though P5 is a special case that has yet to arrive to non Sony systems, so Switch and its treatment regarding the game arent an outlier. SH2 has been presented as a new multiplattform effort from Atlus, it showing up on a Nintendo plattform sooner or later isnt that unlikely.
 
True, though P5 is a special case that has yet to arrive to non Sony systems, so Switch and its treatment regarding the game arent an outlier. SH2 has been presented as a new multiplattform effort from Atlus, it showing up on a Nintendo plattform sooner or later isnt that unlikely.
For sure, I'm just saying though, it's not necessary a given. I do think it's likely myself, for what it's worth, but I would also not be shocked if it never happened.

Atlus is a weird company.
 
I don't think there is any reason to belive it'll outsell SMT (well, maybe being on multiple platforms but that doesn't necessarily translate into sales), it's an old IP that barely anyone knows or cares about these days, it also probably won't be marketed as much as well, though I still can see it being a success.
 



Looks like the game will finally be getting a marketing push. Hopefully it catches on. And they really need to open pre-orders for the west.
 
Some Western market stuff is finally being kicked into gear



And physical for Xbox confirmed


LE limited to Atlus shop only and limited quantities is a big mistake but good to see they are bringing the LE to the West in the end and people who buy LE are the audience that buys the game anyway if they cant get it so it shouldn’t affect sales.

Physical Xbox should help with shippments numbers but sales wise I don’t think it makes a big difference with how much Xbox favors digital. but is always good giving Xbox userbase that option.

Pre-orders should open soon if LE ones are doing so, SFG and the couple days after will be a make or break moment for the marketing of the game, we can only hope it goes well.
 
Not the best trailer, but honestly, this increases the visibility and profile so I'll take it.
 
a 50 seconds trailer that shows and says nothing is really representative of this game western marketing so far. Playstation global twitter account ignored this game once again, by the way!
 
a 50 seconds trailer that shows and says nothing is really representative of this game western marketing so far. Playstation global twitter account ignored this game once again, by the way!
The Japanese account has exclusive marketing rights so the global can't post it ;) .
 


This was something WetWaffle on ERA pointed out, but yeah Persona 5’s first proper trailer they revealed by themselves outside of the first chairs teaser had much stronger hooks with the music, editing, tone, story, demonstrating gameplay etc.

Not to mention it was also almost three times as long. Maybe ad-time was too expensive for SGF, but echoing the opinion that this was one of their best time to get all these eyes watching interested instead of wondering what it was and skipping over, especially it came after 2 of Hoyoverse’s trailers that were longer.
 


This was something WetWaffle on ERA pointed out, but yeah Persona 5’s first proper trailer they revealed by themselves outside of the first chairs teaser had much stronger hooks with the music, editing, tone, story, demonstrating gameplay etc.

Not to mention it was also almost three times as long. Maybe ad-time was too expensive for SGF, but echoing the opinion that this was one of their best time to get all these eyes watching interested instead of wondering what it was and skipping over, especially it came after 2 of Hoyoverse’s trailers that were longer.

That sort of trailer is most definitely too high budget for the type of game this is, but the one shown at SGF was still a really poor one. Just showing the Japanese trailer or something would have been better but I sometimes underestimate how much Americans hate subbed content lol.
 
SMT V trailer in e3 last year:


(This one was financed by Nintendo so not a fair 1v1 but just to show the difference)
 
The game just looks unremarkable. Not particularly interesting. This is not going to do nearly as well as Persona.
 


SMTV trailer that broke out.



P5 trailer that broke out.

Soul Hackers 2's trailer looks really... underwhelming. Like a damp squib.
 
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