Sega Media Boss Explains Drive For Sega IPs To Transform Into The Next Disney

It is no secret that Sega continues to invest its rich library of IPs into transmedia projects. In 2024 already, we witnessed this being realized with Like a Dragon: Yakuza which arrived to Amazon Prime earlier this October. Not to mention additional projects that were greenlit. This includes the likes of a Shinobi film, Golden Axe TV series, and the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 picture this December.

Of course, Sega as well as Paramount is excited to explore a wider universe for Sonic the Hedgehog. Film producer Toby Asher explained previously that movies will hold the same weight as ‘Avenger-level events’. What’s more, Sega itself appointed former Hollywood executive Justin Scarpone to oversee its transmedia efforts.

Now according to Scarpone as of this week, he reveals that he is now eager to expand Sega’s list of franchise into becoming a global identity similar to Disney. Working previously under Mickey Mouse, Scarpone’s statement surely holds some weight thanks to his experience prior to joining Sega.

Honestly, my aspiration for my time at Sega is that this is a great global gaming company, and through the transmedia segment in our initiatives, [I want to] help them become a great entertainment company. And it’s a very grandiose statement but I’m pretty earnest about that. Gaming is [today] the irreplaceable form of entertainment for the entire world, far greater than any other form of entertainment, [and] it’s high time that there is a replication of the studio system from Hollywood for the gaming industry.

“Game companies don’t have that content flywheel history that Walt Disney basically invented, of taking that IP and having a five-year, ten-year roadmap of content, like Kevin Feige does for the films. And connecting that into all the other businesses and evolving story over these different experiences, you know, content product and services,” Scarpone explains to gamesindustry.biz.

“Helping Sega get to that level of proficiency is kind of my mission. If I can leave – whenever I leave – and we’re just really good storytellers that are always planning for the next franchise, for the next release of a popular franchise, working on the merchandise a year before the game’s released, and work on the next film two years before the game’s going to be released because it’s all coordinated… That’s kind of the big thing that a Disney or a Warner Bros has that a games company still does not have. But I think Sega is nudging closer to that.”

Are you excited for what Sega could offer if to the same scale as Disney?

Source: gamesindustry.biz