SEGA president Shuji Utsumi explains the company's thinking around its Super Game strategy, and reveals why the plan was cancelled.
Years ago, SEGA revealed plans to create what they called a Super Game. The idea was confusing even back then, but the gist of it was centered around a live game that would continue belting out paid content to millions of players across an array of devices. SEGA's wildly popular Phantasy Star Online 2 would be the inspiration for a Super Game. SEGA actually wanted to have multiple Super Games out by 2030.
Over the years, and across multiple SEGA reports, I noticed that the Super Game plan simply didn't ever coalesce. SEGA became more vague on what it was actually referring to, and without a proof-of-concept ideation, the Super Game concept became more intangible before it fizzled out entirely. So what exactly is a Super Game? What was SEGA trying to do? Company president Shuji Utsumi reveals new details in an interview with Nikkei Gaming.
According to Utsumi, SEGA would have created a new IP for the Super Game. That means the Super Game wouldn't be set in a popular series like the Sonic universe, or even Phantasy Star.
"We hypothesized that we had the technology to successfully launch a global, large-scale IP that we created from scratch, and that the rewards would be enormous."
SEGA actually did create a new IP called Hyenas in 2021. It was an online FPS from Creative Assembly, and I postulated it could be SEGA's own unique version of Fortnite. Hyenas was cancelled and never released.
It would have cost too much to pull off, Utsumi says.
"However, as we continued our research, we realized that the scale of investment and operations would also grow enormously in line with the scale of the service, and we saw the difficult aspects."
"As a result, considering the global situation, we decided that taking on this challenge now would be too risky. That is why we canceled the development of Super Game."
Live games can't be ignored, which is why SEGA has adapted some of its core IPs into live-oriented games, including the new Crazy Taxi game.
"SEGA is still fundamentally a game-based company. And within that game industry, one area that cannot be ignored is GaaS (Games as a Service)."
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The company is currently resurrecting key IPs and franchises with re-releases and doubling-down on core franchises like Sonic and ATLUS' stable of RPGs in a bid to stay competitive.
