According to Forbes, Sega recently admitted during an investor call that gamers are deliberately avoiding buying their games at launch because they expect definitive editions to release later. The company specifically cited Persona 5 Royal and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance as examples that have trained players to wait for enhanced versions. Persona 5 originally launched in 2016/2017 before getting its Royal edition in 2019/2020, while SMTV released in 2021 before Vengeance arrived in 2024. Sega noticed a sudden drop in sales of catalogue titles compared to previous years, directly linking this to consumer behavior around definitive editions. The company acknowledged that players feel burned when they pay full price for a game only to see a superior version release later without upgrade paths.
The Waiting Game
Here’s the thing: gamers aren’t stupid. When you consistently release enhanced versions of your games 2-3 years after the original with significant new content, people catch on. And Sega’s subsidiaries, particularly Atlus, have made this into something of an art form. Persona 5 Royal wasn’t just a minor update – it added new characters, story content, quality-of-life improvements, and basically made the original feel incomplete. Same story with Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. So why would anyone buy Metaphor: ReFantazio at launch when history suggests we’ll get Metaphor: ReFantazio Royal or whatever in 2026?
The Upgrade Problem
The real kicker is the lack of upgrade paths. If you bought Persona 5 at $60, you’d think Atlus might throw you a bone when Royal came out. But nope – another $60, please. Now, I get that there might be technical challenges. As the source notes, when games undergo massive changes like Royal did, save file compatibility becomes a nightmare. But other companies manage this. Final Fantasy VII Remake offered free upgrades to the PS5 version, and the Intermission content was reasonably priced DLC for existing owners. The technology exists – it’s just that Sega and Atlus haven’t prioritized implementing it.
Sega’s Baby Steps
Interestingly, Sega seems to be learning. The company recently announced that Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut will offer upgrade paths for digital owners of the original versions. That’s progress! But there are caveats – physical copy owners get nothing, and we’re talking about older titles here. The real test will be whether this policy extends to new releases from Atlus and other Sega studios. If Metaphor gets a definitive edition in a couple years with no upgrade path, then nothing has really changed.
Consumer Trust
Basically, this entire situation comes down to trust. When gamers feel like they’re being taken advantage of, they adjust their behavior. And right now, the smart move with Sega games is to wait. The company’s own data proves this strategy is working for consumers. The question is whether Sega will make meaningful changes or just continue acknowledging the problem while doing nothing substantial. Offering reasonable upgrade paths would cost them some sales, but it would build enormous goodwill. In an era where games live for years through updates and DLC, treating your most loyal customers like walking ATMs is a dangerous game.
