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[Sho_Nuff82]

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7234&Itemid=2

Sega believes that Mario and Sonic at the Olympics will sell 4 million units, equaling the feat of the original Sonic title released in 1991.


Mario and Sonic at the Olympics, which goes on sale for Nintendo Wii in November, will pit Nintendo and Sega’s flagship characters against one another for the first time, and Sega believes it has a sure-fire hit on its hands.



Bloomberg reports that Masanao Maeda, a corporate director at Sega's gaming unit, forecast that the title will sell 4 million units, although he didn’t specify a timeframe for achieving the milestone.



The target is equivalent to almost 20 percent of Sega’s games sales during the last financial year ended March 31.



Sales of the title will no doubt be given a boost by next year’s Beijing Olympics.

So they're expective Wii Play/Gears of War type sales for this game. Lofty, but it should be huge in Japan and Europe at least.

 

[Visualante]

Is that a dare?

 

[TheGreatDave]

I wouldn't laugh it off, but it seems a little...ambitious. Sega being in charge of it outside Japan will mean it'll never be as successful as it could have been.

 

[NomarTyme]

Ok, I believe it.

 

[Kyoufu]

Bloomberg reports that Masanao Maeda, a corporate director at Sega's gaming unit, forecast that the title will sell 4 million units, although he didn’t specify a timeframe for achieving the milestone.

But is he willing to take a ban bet?

 

[gimz]

wow wii and ds version combine?

if its the case, i can see 1 million each for both wii and ds in Japan, and just need 2 more million for US and UK

 

[duk]

Man, i miss the old days when Sonic and Mario hated each other.

 

[Kintaro]

Ha Ha! No chance in hell. </Sebben>

 

[Busaiku]

Seems unlikely.
Mario Party won't even be reaching those numbers (I think?).

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

If would have if Nintendo were the one's making it.

 

[_Alkaline_]

Is that combined or just the Wii version?

 

[Firestorm]

Good to see Sega has a sense of humour.

 

[PowerSmell]

Official license olympics game + Mario + Sonic + Mario & Sonic + Sonic & Mario + IN THE SAME GAME!!!! + Wii + NDS = At the very least 4 million.

This has cash cow written all over it. I don't think anybody should underestimated it.

 

[gimz]

if they put the wii <-> Ds connectivity in the game

"connect your DS to your wii, to unlock new content on your DS!"

and people will be force to buy a wii

 

[schuelma]

If its between both versions, I could conceivably see it.

 

[tetrisgrammaton]

Is that combined or just the Wii version?

from what i read i understand it to be both versions

 

[_Alkaline_]

from what i read i understand it to be both versions

Honestly I don't expect the Wii game to sell that well, and indeed, I actually think the DS version may bomb a little bit. Perhaps Im underestimating the hype for this game, but i can't see it having a big impact sales-wise.

 

[GDGF]

If this becomes the new Wii Sports, I could see it happening. Nintendo should sweeten the deal by including a Wiimote with the package.

 

[Jamesfrom818]

There's a DS version? I guess I missed that memo.

 

[Visualante]

If this becomes the new Wii Sports, I could see it happening.

That's a huge if. And more like if we lived in Bizarro world.

 

[Rlan]

Sonic games regardless of quality tend to sell roughly a million copies worldwide, Mario sports games tend to do very well, plus it's on the Wii and DS, AND they'll both get a big second wind next year when the actual Olympics are on.

 

[Hunter D]

I believe. Olympics + Mario and Sonic = profit.

 

[Zen]

For that to happen, the game would have to be a real game, and Sega would have had to not crap all over Sonic for the past 7 years. People would have eating this stuff up if both of those criteria were true.

 

[C4Lukins]

If it is a good game it can happen.

 

[dr3upmushroom]

Don't see how this is impossible... You have the Sonic fans who buy anything Sega shits, you have Mario which appeals to just about anyone and it's a mini game collection...

 

[xaosslug]

hmm, will the powerful draw of Mario be able to usurp the immediate "DO NOT WANT" attitude victimised Sonic fans have been conditioned respond with over the years re: Sonic software? STAY TUNED, TRUE BELIVERS!

 

[GDGF]

Yeah, this game will appeal to a shit load of audiences. Nintendo fans, Sega fans, casual gamers, Olympic, uh, fans.

It may not hit 4 million, but it's going to hit multiple millions. Hell, four isn't really out of the question.

Seriously, if they did put a Wiimote in the package I would say 4 for sure.

 

[jarrod]

4m lifetime is an easy bet honestly. Remember too that Nintendo's publishing it in Japan (legz!).

 

[Defuser]

If Wii Sports can only sell up to 2million what makes he think it can sell over 4 milllion?

 

[.dmc]

If Wii Sports can only sell up to 2million what makes he think it can sell over 4 milllion?

That's only because Wii Sports was a pack-in in the West, if it was sold seperately I wouldn't be surprised if the game was well over 5million WW by now.

 

[Elfforkusu]

Third party titles sell on nintendo platforms confirmed

 

[jarrod]

If Wii Sports can only sell up to 2million what makes he think it can sell over 4 milllion?

There's near 9m copies of Wii Sports in homes right now.

 

[Jiggy]

I could see... I don't know, 2.75 million worldwide.

Very little of which will be from the DS game. I'm seriously not expecting much from that version, partly because a lot of people missed that it was even going to be made and partly because multiplayer experiences are generally more intended to be played on a TV. (With obvious exceptions like, you know, Pokemon.)

 

[FoneBone]

hmm, will the powerful draw of Mario be able to usurp the immediate "DO NOT WANT" attitude victimised Sonic fans have been conditioned respond with over the years re: Sonic software? STAY TUNED, TRUE BELIVERS!

Bear in mind that "Mario and Sonic, together for the first time" is going to draw in a fair amount of people that would be less interested in either franchise on its own.

Don't know about 4 million, but it'll be pretty huge (laugh if you want, but I doubt the Wii version will even be that far behind Mario Galaxy or Smash Bros).

 

[MiamiWesker]

I love Sega but this is definitely :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[cvxfreak]

If Wii Sports can only sell up to 2million what makes he think it can sell over 4 milllion?

This is worldwide, not just Japan I believe.

 

[Grayman]

It has the draw of the olympics and that should really help.

 

[Ezduo]

Has there even been a next-gen console game to sell that much (besides possibly Wii Sports)?

 

[SupraDarky]

4 millions? Sure, why not. Pretty reasonable. As long as the game is solid though.

 

[Penguin]

i don't see why it's not feasible.

Has the simple appeal of Wii Sports.

And the franchise draw of Mario and Sonic.

I mean look at what friggin mario party 8 did.

 

[ZeoVGM]

I love Sega but this is definitely :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

You realize this.. is Sega AND Nintendo, right?

4 million worldwide is NOT impossible. Chances are it'll definitely hit at least 2 million worldwide.

 

[OliveJuice]

DS and Wii? Yes, most likely.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Four million lifetime and combining the two systems seems like lowballing it, honestly.

 

[OnPoint]

I could see... I don't know, 2.75 million worldwide.

Very little of which will be from the DS game. I'm seriously not expecting much from that version, partly because a lot of people missed that it was even going to be made and partly because multiplayer experiences are generally more intended to be played on a TV. (With obvious exceptions like, you know, Pokemon.)

Really? Games sell like mad in Japan on the DS. I could see sales accounting of mostly DS copies.

Spoiler

Or maybe not.

 

[smurfx]

lol poor delusional sega. it might of sold 4 million if it wasn't a olympics game. has there ever been a real successful olympics game?

 

[830920]

If counting both Wii and DS version it could happen, I think this game will sell quite well for a long time. Mario + Sonic + Olympics = three large trademarks that will attract people, all in one game.

 

[Infernal Monkey]

lol poor delusional sega. it might of sold 4 million if it wasn't a olympics game. has there ever been a real successful olympics game?

Summer Games and Track & Field, although they weren't official Olympics games. =x

 

[TheGreatDave]

lol poor delusional sega. it might of sold 4 million if it wasn't a olympics game. has there ever been a real successful olympics game?

Is there any reason why an Olympics game shouldn't be successful in this brave new post-Wii Sports world?

 

[twinturbo2]

If Sega uses the profits from this game to fund Daytona USA 3, I'll buy ten copies of each version. srsly.

 

[jonezer4]

Bloomberg reports that Masanao Maeda, a corporate director at Sega's gaming unit, forecast that the title will sell 4 million units, although he didn’t specify a timeframe for achieving the milestone.

He didn't specify a timefame guys. Give them till 2235 or so, it's realistic.