Persona maker SEGA announces new strategy to expand audience, starting next year

SEGA, a renowned gaming company known for its popular franchises like Persona and Yakuza, has unveiled its new strategic approach. This new direction will guide their operations starting next year. Here’s what it means.

The document, which was shared during the SEGA Sammy Management meeting dated December 12 & 13 this year, details that the Japanese company will release all its games to all possible platforms on the same day worldwide to “make it possible to foster buzz.” Shout out to @IdleSloth84_ for the eagle-eyed discovery:

Priorly, SEGA adopted a staggered release strategy, wherein its games would hit different platforms at varying times. This was evident in the case of Persona 5, which debuted in Japan for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in September 2016. 

However, it wasn’t until April 2017 that the game received a worldwide release, spanning across different platforms, and then in October 2022 for the “enhanced” Persona 5 Royal for next-gen consoles.

The document also further elaborates that the upcoming Persona 5: The Phantom X (P5X) and Metaphor: ReFantazio’s release strategy will involve transmedia and territory expansion, signifying their plans to enter the Chinese market. 

Specifically, P5X aims to collaborate with a Chinese company to launch its Chinese version, while also exploring mobile platforms for distribution.

The next installment in the acclaimed Persona video game franchise is set to follow the new multi-platform strategy, with a worldwide simultaneous release slated for Fall 2024.

SEGA had also completed the acquisition of Angry Birds maker, Rovio, back in August in a deal worth a whopping $755 million.