Sega is toying with the idea of using its own massive franchises – like Persona and Sonic The Hedgehog – to fuel a video game subscription service.
Netflix-style subscriptions have sprouted out from almost every corner of the industry ever since Microsoft went all in on its Xbox Game Pass strategy in 2018 – now PlayStation Plus, EA Play, Ubisoft+, and Nintendo Switch Online’s classic catalogue all unlock access to hundreds of games for a monthly fee.
Sega is the latest publisher to consider joining the already-saturated market as the company’s president Shuji Utsumi told the BBC he found such services “very interesting” and was “evaluating some opportunities” in the space. “We’re thinking something – and discussing something – we cannot disclose right now,” he said.
Sonic might be the company’s golden jewel – especially with Sonic The Hedgehog 3, the film’s, glowing reception and the recent Sonic X Shadow Generations remaster – but Sega has built up a hugely impressive line up away from its Blue Blur that it could dump on any kind of Game Pass competitor: Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, Yakuza, Total War, Football Manager, and recent game of the year nominee Metaphor: Refantazio included.
But Sega might just run into the same trouble that most Hollywood companies did when following Netflix’s footsteps. At a certain point, the business model becomes too saturated since people likely aren’t going to want to pay six different monthly subscriptions to play games.
Regardless, Utsumi is focused on making the company “really shine again” by using all those heavyweight names listed above. “Sega has a great RPG group, Sega has amazing IPs, Sega is a really well-known brand.”
For now, get the rundown on Sonic The Hedgehog 3’s biggest cameos as two iconic video game characters appear – just not as you expect them.
With Sonic, Persona, and Yakuza under its belt, Sega thinks making a subscription service like Xbox Game Pass would be “very interesting”
