SEGA Plans To Release Fewer Games, Will Focus On Huge Franchises

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Summary

  • SEGA plans to release fewer games next fiscal year.
  • The company aims to strengthen key internal studios.
  • SEGA is looking into launching a subscription service like Netflix.

Although SEGA has seen success with popular games such as Metaphor: ReFantazio and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii this year, you might not see as many new games from them in terms of quantity next year.

In the upcoming financial period spanning from April 2025 through March 2026, the publisher intends to put out a smaller number of games.

SEGA Aims To Release Fewer Games Next Year And Lean On Key Franchises

During a Q&A session about their upcoming financial year (as shared by VGC), Sega was queried about their strategies. They mentioned that the development of their plans is still ongoing, but they anticipate fewer new titles in their Full Game segment compared to this current fiscal year. However, they expect steady income from repeat sales of this year’s Full Game releases and substantial revenue from new Free-to-Play titles in the next fiscal year.

At present, SEGA’s collection of non-free-to-play games features Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Project Century, the latest installment of Virtua Fighter, a fresh version of Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage.

SEGA was questioned about their interest in purchasing external game studios. In response, the company mentioned that they are aiming to strengthen their teams like Atlus (known for Persona), RGG Studio (known for Yakuza), and Sonic Team.

The publisher stated, “Expanding Japanese intellectual properties globally is crucial for us, which is why we aim to bolster Atlus. Additionally, studios working on the Sonic and Like a Dragon franchises are understaffed, so we plan to fill these gaps through new hires and potential acquisitions.

Beyond reducing the frequency of its video game launches, SEGA appears to be exploring alternative income sources. Last year, SEGA’s president, Shuji Utsumi, hinted at plans to introduce a streaming service modeled after Netflix.

Besides gaming, Sega is actively involved in its prosperous Sonic the Hedgehog movie series. The fourth installment of Sonic the Hedgehog, scheduled for release in March 2027, has garnered attention following the success of its predecessor which earned over $425 million.

In terms of top-tier game launches, the most recent addition is Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which became available on consoles and PCs just last month. RGG Studio has once again produced an impressive title, as our review awarded it 8.5 stars and remarked, “RGG has skillfully captured the essence of the golden age of piracy with combat reminiscent of arcade games and easy to enjoy, and expansive sea exploration that can keep you engaged for several hours.

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2025-03-06 01:17