Gaming
According to Sega, the Sonic franchise has sold and downloaded more than 1.5 billion units
Both full premium game sales and downloads of the various Sonic free-to-play games that have been released over the years are included in this figure.
While the franchise enjoyed high sales during its heyday in the 1990s and maintained a sizable fan base despite the mixed reviews and poor sales of several games in the 2000s, the explosive growth of the mobile industry has propelled the Sonic series to new heights.
Sega has made several mobile games since 2013, including Sonic Dash, Sonic Runners, Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom, and Sonic Runners Adventures. These games have microtransactions but are otherwise free to play.
It becomes evident that a large portion of the 1.51 billion figure is made up of free-to-play mobile downloads when you take into account the several sequels and free-to-play versions of the original Sonic games.
For instance, Sonic Dash, the most well-known of the endless runner games, is said to have amassed over 500 million downloads as of 2021, accounting for more than one-third of the franchise’s total units with only one game.
A 2017 smartphone game called Sonic Forces: Speed Battle has had 94 million downloads as of April 2022.
As it displays badges showing how many times popular games have been downloaded, Google’s Play store also provides some insight into how the games have done.
While Sonic Forces, a number of other Sonic games, including a rerelease of the franchise’s debut game, have the 50+ Million downloads icon, Sonic Dash has the 100 Million+ downloads badge.
Although this isn’t conclusive proof because it’s not obvious if Google considers re-downloading the game as a new download or if it’s based only on user accounts that have accessed the game, it does highlight how well-liked the franchise is on mobile devices.
Although Sega has rarely provided concrete information on the sales of the series’ premium games, it did state last year that Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020, Team Sonic Racing, Sonic Mania, and Sonic Generations hPlayad collectively sold more than 4,400,000 units during its 2021 fiscal year.
For November 8, 2022, Sonic Frontiers, Sonic’s upcoming high-profile adventure, will be available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Switch, and PC.
Gaming
Recruited Since Last Month: More Than Eight Million Helldivers 2 Players
The relentless force of Helldivers 2 shows no signs of slowing down, as recent reports indicate that Arrowhead Games Studios, the Swedish developer behind the game, has sold over eight million copies since its release on both PS5 and PC just last month.
According to TD Cowen analyst Doug Creutz (thanks, VGC), who spoke to Bloomberg, it is believed that the game has exceeded expectations in terms of performance. It’s amazing how word-of-mouth buzz and the unconventional guerilla marketing strategy keep driving up recruitment numbers week after week. Arrowhead’s studio motto, “A game for everyone is a game for no one,” reflects their unwavering commitment to their unique internal design philosophy.
It appears that the PC community has recently surpassed the PlayStation fanbase in terms of player numbers and platform preference. However, thanks to crossplay, both groups continue to benefit from the growing popularity of gaming. Although it’s not particularly thrilling to see yet another service game achieve rapid success, the hardcore nature of Helldivers 2 fills us with optimism for Sony’s ongoing live gaming endeavors. We anticipate dedicating ourselves to the defense of Super Earth for many years to come.
What are your thoughts on Creutz’s sales estimate? Does it come as a surprise to you? Does it exceed or fall short of your expectations? Have you noticed any changes in your level of enthusiasm for the Democratic Party? Has it waned or grown stronger? We would greatly appreciate your feedback in the comments section below.
Gaming
Exciting news for gamers! A wide selection of PS5 and PS4 games are now available at discounted prices, but only for this weekend
Don’t miss out on this limited-time opportunity to grab some amazing titles at a fraction of their original cost. Sony clearly understands the potential of the PS Store, as it consistently adds a plethora of new titles every week. This allows for future opportunities to offer discounts and promotions on these games. It’s evident that sales are consistently growing each month, with the introduction of time-limited weekend offers in addition to the usual sale events.
This weekend brings another round of exciting deals, with significant discounts on several popular PS5 and PS4 games. For instance, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is now available for £35.99/$35.99, while DiRT 5 Year One Edition can be purchased for just £14.79/$15.99.
Here are a few other standout moments we noticed:
- Back 4 Blood Deluxe Edition: £8.99/$8.99
- BioShock 2 Remastered: £3.99/$4.99
- Borderlands 3 Next Level Bundle: £9.74/$10.49
- EA Sports PGA Tour Deluxe Edition: £16.99/$16.99
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Deluxe Edition: £17.99/$20.99
Hurry up and make your decision before the offers expire on March 19th. Don’t miss out on your chance to snag some great deals. For a comprehensive list of all the latest offers, make sure to visit this page. And don’t forget to share your purchases with us in the comments section below!
Gaming
Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest on 7th June keeps the spirit of E3 alive
E3 is long gone, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have any exciting video game events this summer. Geoff Keighley, the host, has just revealed that the highly anticipated Summer Game Fest event is making a comeback on Friday, June 7th, at 5 PT/5 p.m. ET/10 p.m. BST. The event will be streamed live from the YouTube Theatre in glamorous Los Angeles.
We have a date!@SummerGameFest streams live on Friday, June 7 from @youtubetheater in Los Angeles, with thousands of in persons fans and millions watching online.
A cross-platform LIVE showcase of what's next for video games.
Public tickets on sale May 7th. pic.twitter.com/krQada8uuS
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) March 13, 2024
In a recent tweet, Keighley assured his followers that a large number of fans will be present at the event, both in person and online. He expressed excitement about the upcoming cross-platform showcase, where the future of video games will be unveiled. Presumably, PlayStation and other gaming companies will have their own separate livestreams. However, Sony has a tendency to support Summer Game Fest, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for any announcements from them.
If you’re thinking of going, tickets will be available for purchase starting on Tuesday, May 7th. It’s definitely an event worth noting on your calendar. So, what are your expectations for this year’s Summer Game Fest? Feel free to share your dream announcements in the comments section below.
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