In its latest fiscal year financial report, gaming giant Sega has highlighted the critical role its three major franchises – Sonic the Hedgehog, Persona, and Yakuza/Like a Dragon – play in driving its success. However, the results also suggest Sega may be looking to make the Persona series an annual release alongside Sonic and Yakuza going forward.
The Sonic series remains Sega’s breadwinner, selling 5.92 million copies in the 2024 fiscal year from April 2023 to March 2024. This is only a slight increase from 5.8 million in 2022, but consistent with the 2023 fiscal year’s 8.15 million following major releases like Sonic Origins and Sonic Frontiers. Q3 of 2024 saw 2.34 million sales from titles like Sonic Dream Team and Sonic Superstars.
Meanwhile, the Persona series saw around 5 million units sold in 2024, a substantial 1.5% increase from 3.27 million in 2023 and a 3.9% jump over 2022’s 1.3 million. This spike is attributed to the launches of Persona 5 Tactica in November 2023 and the acclaimed Persona 3 Reload in February 2024.
The Like a Dragon/Yakuza franchise also saw a major boost, nearly doubling sales to 5.36 million copies in 2024 compared to 2.83 million the previous year. The Q4 release of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth drove 2.65 million sales alone as the ninth mainline entry.
According to known leaker Midori, Sega now views Persona as one of its “big three” franchises alongside Sonic and Yakuza/Like a Dragon. The publisher reportedly wants Atlus, the Persona series developer, to release new Persona games or spin-offs annually to capitalize on the brand’s growing popularity.
While Persona fans have had to wait years between new mainline entries in the past, spinoffs like Persona 5 Tactica and Persona musou games are already releasing more frequently. The multi-million selling success of Persona 5 and now Persona 3 Reload demonstrate the franchise’s sales potential when leveraged aggressively.
However, the prospect of annualized Persona releases raises quality concerns from fans. The series is renowned for its storytelling and style, making yearly development challenging. Sega will need to carefully balance maximizing the brand’s sales with maintaining the high standards expected of new Persona experiences.
As Sega doubles down on its three juggernauts, the coming years may see Persona join Sonic and Yakuza as an annualized franchise. But getting the release cadence right will be critical for protecting the role-playing series’ prestigious legacy.