Bayonetta platinum, Mario & Sonic sells 5.67 million

Japanese publisher reverses fortunes, posts pachinko-fueled $189 million profit; despite two hits, software sales slide.

After leading its fiscal year off by posting a ¥10.29 billion ($115 million) loss on revenues down 19 percent year-over-year to ¥60.46 billion ($679 million), Sega Sammy has slowly been retaking ground. Reporting on the first nine months of its 2010 fiscal year today, Sega Sammy announced net sales of ¥285 billion ($3.19 billion), down just 7.7 percent from a year prior. The Japanese publisher also managed to get back in the black, posting a ¥16.9 billion ($189 million) profit for the April-December period.

Platinum Games scores platinum sales.

Sega Sammy attributed its turnaround in large part to its pachislot and pachinko machine business in Japan. The segment posted revenues of ¥126 billion ($1.41 billion) during the nine-month period, up 17.7 percent from the year before. Operating income, which the publisher said was bolstered by increased sales and decreased cost of production, skyrocketed 409 percent during the period to ¥26.9 billion ($301 million).

As for the company's home gaming software business, Sega Sammy said that while the Japanese market remained strong, it saw sales declines in the US and Europe due to "adverse market conditions" and the delay of unspecified games to its next fiscal year. On the whole, Sega Sammy's home software business posted a net sales decline of ¥83.1 billion ($930 million). Notably, the segment reversed its ¥5.6 billion ($62.9 million) operating loss from a year ago to post a ¥1.4 billion ($15.7 million) income during the period.

To date, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is the publisher's top-selling title launched during its current fiscal year, selling 5.67 million units on the Wii and DS in the US and Europe. Though its US and European launch occurred outside the reporting period, Sega Sammy said that PlatinumGames' critically acclaimed Bayonetta has sold 1.1 million units in the US, Europe, and Japan across the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Other top sellers during the period were Football Manager 2010, which sold 740,000 units on the PSP and PC in the US and Europe. Phantasy Star Portable 2, which is thus far only available in Japan, rounded out the company's top software, selling 540,000 units on the PSP since its December launch.

167 Comments

  • Seiki_sands

    Posted Feb 20, 2010 4:26 am PT

    @Fandango_Letho

    You say video game sales websites report 400k+ sales for Bayonetta, which you apparently believe over the publisher numbers. Sega-Sammy Holdings is a publicly traded company, wouldn't lying on their financial reports open them up to lawsuits? I highly doubt they're not telling the truth. I'm more worried about how the numbers break down by region, as it would be awful to me if Bayonetta 2 were released, but not localized.

  • Seiki_sands

    Posted Feb 20, 2010 4:16 am PT

    Bayonetta has a surprising amount of people who strongly dislike it given how supremely well it controls, the challenge it presents on its higher difficulties, the depth of its combat system, and the high quality of its production values (at least on the 360, which is all I can speak to). I'm curious, to the people who don't like it, do you generally like action- beat em up games like Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry? If you do generally like beat em ups, but dislike Bayonetta, is it because of a style issue, as some indicated? Personally, I think Ninja Gaiden Black is still the best beat em up I've played, but I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Bayonetta is the best I've played this generation.

  • ibanezdropd

    Posted Feb 14, 2010 7:51 pm PT

    @wiidsduelpack
    Ya know, it's been so long that I don't even remember what I wrote, but you seem kinda upset about it.

  • UnknownForm

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 5:04 pm PT

    Alot of opinions flying around, but personally I'm scared to show my opinions!

  • GN-00Raiser

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 5:04 pm PT

    Bayonetta gets best game of the year in my book. I mean you cant say one bad thing about the game.

  • princecaspian38

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 2:49 pm PT

    i love bayonetta she is cool and smart.

  • UFO2012

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 2:15 pm PT

    @melty3219 Garbage? Bayonetta, Aliens VS Predator, Sonic The Hedgehog, Yakuza, Valkyria Chronicles, House of the Dead, Crazy Taxi, Madworld, Super Monkey Ball, Virtua Tennis, Condemned, Armored Core, Worms 3D, Phantasy Star, Virtua Fighter, Shinobi, Ecco The Dolphin, Jet Set Radio, Tenchu, Shenmue, Sega Rally, Otogi...just a small glimpse of what Sega has brought us through the years so STFU.

  • xtremeflem2day

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 12:42 pm PT

    Bayonetta- not my kind of game, but that doesn't mean others can't enjoy it.

    @melty3219 look at your profile emblem. It's from a game that is trash, but still sells well.

  • TheArcade

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 11:03 am PT

    Be slient Zerosumgame!

    Bayonetta is a great game. I'd easily include it among the ranks of Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry anyday.

  • Zerosumgame

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 10:51 am PT

    bayonetta is designed for the weak in mind.

  • Fandango_Letho

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 9:34 am PT

    According to videogame sales websites,, Bayonetta sold 420,000 units worldwide on both consoles. That's pretty weak, honestly, especially considering its a japanese game. It's not '' selling well '' in my book.Sales bellow 1M units arent '' Platinum ''. Unless games that sells like MW2, Halo, Super Mario and such that ranks 15M and more gets awards like '' Multi-Awesome-Hardcornium''

  • Vodoo posted Feb 8, 2010 8:20 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Vodoo

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 8:20 am PT (hide)

    I hated Bayonetta!!! Couldn't tolerate it for more than an hour. It's way to japanese for me. That's why I bought a 360 instead of a PS3... more western games than jap games.

  • hige21 posted Feb 8, 2010 8:08 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    hige21

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 8:08 am PT (hide)

    i like alot anime and i still think bayonetta sucks..........

  • DragoneBR posted Feb 8, 2010 6:52 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    DragoneBR

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 6:52 am PT (hide)

    Bayonetta sucks balls man, only if you are a anime and japanese bullcrap lover you'll enjoy this, the music SUCKS a lot. SEGA should die.

  • Dualmask

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 6:08 am PT

    I'm really glad Bayonetta is selling well. It's a truly fun game that deserves all the accolades it gets.

    Oh, and @Blacklake89, the PS3 version of Bayonetta's been patched so the gameplay experience is much smoother than it was when the game was first released, though the 360 version is probably still smoother and cleaner-looking.

    Mario and Sonic...well, my kids love it at any rate.

  • SicklySunStorm

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 5:40 am PT

    still need to buy Bayonetta - just been too skint since Christmas so far(!) Besides, I want Aliens VS Predator, Bioshock 2 and God of War 3 before I get Bayonetta, so it will have to wait. At least it should have come down in price by then.

  • jtthegame316

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 4:34 am PT

    i can't wait to buy bayonetta enjoyed the demo.

  • daveg1

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 12:58 am PT

    @tripwolf your absolutly right there!! its crud with the worst script that reeks with cheese everytime someone opens their mouth, the loading and breaking in the action after every tiny little set peice was a joke..atop many other things..

  • magicalclick

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 12:08 am PT

    +1 for girl whos cloth is make out of her hair

  • Tripwolf posted Feb 7, 2010 11:56 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Tripwolf

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 11:56 pm PT (hide)

    Bayonetta was flashy garbage that critics ate up like the lemmings they are.

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 11:41 pm PT

    Happy ti see Sega bouncing back, even though I don't remember buying a Sega game since Condemned, and although a great franchise, it doesn't really feel Seeegaaaa!

  • wiidsduelpack

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 9:55 pm PT

    Buying used games also creates the same effect. If your a gamer of used games, then don't complain if there is no sequel. Developers need every penny of the sale of a game to make a sequel.

  • wiidsduelpack posted Feb 7, 2010 9:50 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    wiidsduelpack

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 9:50 pm PT (hide)

    @ibanezdropd
    Buying a game when it price goes down, does not help developers. All it does is create bankruptcy if every gamer did that. Developers need every penny of a game to create a sequel or just forget about a sequel.

  • No1Lives4Ever21

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 9:36 pm PT

    I was very impressed with Bayonetta. I will admit that I was extremely sceptical and didn't even really want to rent it but I gave it a shot in the dark since our rental store here doesn't have the best selection. I was amazed by it and spent 5 days enjoying the non-stop action.

  • DragoonSaber

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 8:51 pm PT

    @Vividnightmare

    powerstone is capcom

    sega is awesome will buy afterburner climax

  • K-H-Y

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 7:34 pm PT

    bayonetta awesome...great game play...SEGA hell yeah!!

  • Vividnightmare

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 5:58 pm PT

    Wish sega would bring back the titles that really made it's consoles interesting. Bring back SHENMUE d@mmit! And what about Power Stone? Omikron? D2?Bayonetta is the perfect example that segas best endevours are the ones that just don't fit. Bayonetta is great, but it's totally different than most other combat games of the same genre in execution and art. Bring back the off the wall Sega titles!

  • DisturbedClown

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 5:54 pm PT

    @ DEATH775
    No, people who dislike Bayonetta just don't like the game. Simple as that. Some people just dislike the blatant sex appeal, I tried the game, got bored fast. Just not as good as the Hype says. It's called an opinion, nothing wrong with that. Saying that they don't know how to appreciate it is just ... Ugh.

  • BloodOfSin

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 4:05 pm PT

    @Onetwoindo

    Because Resident Evil 4 is so realistic....Oh wait hold on I need to roundhouse kick a zombie that's really a parasite infected Spaniard. (Not that I think any Resident Evil is bad. Just that your comment is silly).

  • falcOWNS

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 3:04 pm PT

    Bayonetta was a great game, better than anything they released recently (looks at sonic)

  • ZippyDSMLee

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 2:17 pm PT

    Most of sega titles are B string forgettable games this is why they are having trouble....

    Oh and the same guy that did DMC did Bayonetta so its not like they got something new and all.... tho it is better than the last DMC title... hey sega get the people that did Mega man ledgens and Maximo and show capcom how its done!

  • HappyApryl

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 1:57 pm PT

    Good job Sega. I would love to see another Bayonetta. I played it on a Ps3 slim and never ran into any problems others had, thanks for a wonderful game!!! hope AvsP is good too!!!!

  • risingsunbronco

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 1:54 pm PT

    Yay! Bayonetta 2 is now possible!

  • brownboyd

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 1:30 pm PT

    aliens: colonial marines is the only game i am looking forward to rite now from sega... they better not screw that up for ps3 as they did with bayonetta ps3 port...not like i care much for bayonetta since i am not buying it anyways as i am not into these type of games... just that i think these guys should focus on properly developing a game & testing it before release so there wont be any issues... just hoping that aliens: colonial marines doesnt end up as another bad port ...other than a:cm ..sega doesnt have anything that interests me...

  • Blacklake89

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 12:44 pm PT

    new Sega games like Bayonetta are so great because of their great choice in development studios like Platinum Games.. housing members that worked on classic games like DMC and Okami, there other game Madworld i also an amazing game, though a bit too short. though i have to say i'll be happy when their 4 game deal with Sega has ended, the marketing for Madworld was horrible, and they almost ruined Bayonetta when they converted the 360-developed game onto the PS3 with pretty much nothing but bugs from what i've heard

  • zMd113

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 11:46 am PT

    Bayonetta 2 pleeeeeease!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Ultraspank

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 11:36 am PT

    Onetwoindo, you're an idiot.

  • jin85

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 11:28 am PT

    Bayoneta is a bit defrent from all a SEGAs games it is fantastic, fun ,& they used a lot of magenation , if U havent played it yet go get it , it worth eavery penny

  • convince73

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 11:10 am PT

    bayonetta is alot better than i thought it was going to be. lets hope that the next bayonatta is as good or better!

  • Exia2004

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 11:02 am PT

    nice too bad that is consoly only

  • IntenseMatador

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 10:56 am PT

    any game is unrealistic

  • Onetwoindo posted Feb 7, 2010 10:21 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Onetwoindo

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 10:21 am PT (hide)

    very unrealistic games..come on guys grow up

  • Infernal69

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 10:17 am PT

    Bayonetta Platinum cool

  • Grind-Bastard

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 6:13 am PT

    Great! I have it still in plastic waiting for me to complete Mass Effect 2 and some day maybe get a little bit tired on the best game ever Demon's Souls.

  • DEATH775

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 5:42 am PT

    I guess the people who said that bayonetta was bad, just didn't know how to appreciate the game. Can't wait for another Bayonetta game.

  • cube-gage

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 2:50 am PT

    I hope they can make yakuza 3 a success in the west. I think it will be as people are more aware of it now than the first 2 games. Now I want to see the sega back catlogue available for dl on all systems, at fair prices. And definately a shenmue 1 and 2 for DL, maybe even optimised versions with tidied up visuals. But sega need to make the shenmue thing happen, people want it and people that have never even played it would want it with all the hype that would result. And then a shenmue 3 release would be sweet ofcourse. Maybe sega could come back into hardware in the not so distant future. Handheld market would be easier imo.

  • eyerok

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 1:38 am PT

    YAY! Finally sega's making money out of their games. I say they should make more games with hot girls in skimpy dresses filled with suggestive material...survival demands it!

  • DisturbedClown

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 1:28 am PT

    Funny how when one person says Bayonetta is bad, they get -13; glad people respect opinions. Personally, I agree.

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