This past year looks to be flourishing a new relationship between console giant Microsoft and recognized Japanese publisher Sega. The two has shown to be collaborating with new initiatives as of late when it comes to bringing more projects to the Xbox platform. One being the surprise reveal for Phantasy Star Online 2 which would debut for Xbox One and even more be the entry point for the game to the western hemisphere.

Another is the ongoing migration of RGG Studio’s Yakuza franchise with Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami, and soon Yakuza Kiwami 2 to arrive to the Xbox Store. Even more, the two companies has more recently debuted the western version for Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon for Xbox One and the coming Xbox Series X. This surely came out of left field seeing that the title is only unique to PlayStation 4 in Japan: the game has yet to shed light for PlayStation 4 in this region as of reporting.

Now according to a new rumor, the two look to potentially be partnering when the time comes to shipping the Xbox Series X later this coming holiday season. What entirely this entails is that the publisher would handle sales of the system in Japan specifically while Microsoft mandates the remaining markets. Industry insider Larry Bundy Jr brings the rumor to attention recently on Twitter:

But rather than Sega carrying out the title for the next-generation console, the rumor tells that the publisher would rebrand the system to be dubbed the ‘Sega Series X’. That is where we reach the end of the trail for this claim. But further speculation shared looked to create some plausible explanations for this new rumor.

In theory, Sega handling the launch of the Xbox Series X would be a better approach to tapping into selling more units in the country than Microsoft’s current stance in the market. Adding on, while Sega is a partner in this supposed agreement to relabel the system with its name on the console; it would also direct more sales due to a familiar name being on the hardware as well.

The collaborative agreement could also foreshadow more familiar properties from Sega’s plethora of software to the system alongside the still arriving Yakuza series as well. But with this rumor still being hypothetical for the time being, it is too early to determine if Sega could usher other recognized properties to the platform later on. For now, take this claim as conjecture until properly disclosed by either Microsoft or Sega.

Previously, there happened to be a rumor which told that Sega and Google would be partaking in similar partnership prior to the announcement of Stadia. But as of reporting, that rumor looked to never come to fruition as the stream-based platform is around half a year old now.

What do you think about this rumored approach from both companies?

Xbox Series X is listed to ship in holiday 2020.