SEGA is pursuing more acquisitions as part of its effort to expand its portfolio of gaming studios, according to SEGA Chief Operating Officer Shuji Utsumi. This is all due to the major success of the Sonic The Hedgehog movies, which has the studio thinking about what else they can expand on.
During an interview with CNBC, Utsumi waved off buyout rumors and suggested that the company would look to find more acquisition targets as opportunities in the market arise. They’ve already gone after the Angry Birds developer Rovio.
“As an entity of SEGA Sammy, we are acquiring some of the companies. We just made an announcement [to buy Rovio]. We are still looking for opportunities for growth.”
Shuji Utsumi
The success of the Sonic the Hedgehog movie has prompted SEGA to explore new ways to bring its games to different media. There are plans to bring more of the company’s lucrative intellectual property to other platforms, such as movies and possibly Roblox.
Itsumi spoke on the Yakuza beat ’em up game and Persona role-playing game franchise as examples of movies that could be adapted from video games.
“We have other major IPs, we are thinking of reviving other classical IPs too… As I say, we are trying to be in a lot of different categories, different areas like Roblox, movies… All these IPs can be somewhere else other than games soon.”
Shuji Utsumi
It’s clear that Sonic the Hedgehog’s success in the movies has brought a new wave of inspiration and positivity to the future of SEGA. They are acquiring mobile studios and speaking on There are a lot of IPs I would like to see return. To be honest, a more The Warriors-style version of Streets of Rage would be pretty cool to play.
“Japan studios are doing well. European studios are struggling,” Utsumi said. “I say all European developers are in a difficult time right now. Once, it was a kind of bubble. Now, it’s adjustment time… I think it’s going to be coming back. As long as you have solid development studios and also solid IPs.”
Comments