Sega has been talking about its “super game” with some frequency of late, touting it as the next big project for the company, and based on how they’ve been propping it up so far, it seems like the initiative, whatever shape it takes, is going to be central to the company’s strategy over the coming years. Recently, in a Q&A published on Sega’s website, the company provided some new details on what that’s going to entail.
To begin with, executive vide president Shuji Utsumi explained that Sega’s “super game” refers to the development of AAA games “aimed at online and global” markets, before adding that it will entail multiple projects, some of which are already in development. Utsumi further explained that Sega is also focusing on the interactivity of gameplay and audiences watching streams of games.
“We are developing multiple titles within the framework of ‘Super Game’, and although it depends on each title, there is no doubt that it will become an interactive title that goes beyond the framework of conventional games,” Utsumi said. “For example, in the past, people who played games were called gamers, but now watching games is a culture, and those people may be called gamers as well. I think there is great potential in the relationship between the people who play the game and the people who watch it.”
Sega’s general manager Katsuya Hisai added: “In fact, efforts that could be part of ‘Super Game’ have already started for titles that are already in development. For example, in terms of watching the game mentioned earlier, it’s a system that allows viewers to intervene in the game. We are experimenting with new experience possibilities to broaden the range of players.”
Producer Masayoshi Kikuchi added that Sega is also keeping things such as cloud gaming and NFTs in mind, in terms of keeping a long-term view of the project and how it might expand its interactivity. He said: “In the future, it is natural for the future of games to expand by involving new fields such as cloud gaming and NFT. We are also developing ‘Super Game from the perspective of how far different games can be connected to each other.”
Of course, Sega hasn’t exactly made its intention to use cloud technology for its future games a secret. In November last year, Sega entered into a partnership with Microsoft for the use of the latter’s Azure cloud tech, which, according to Sega, will be used for the development of its “super game”.
Where implementing NFTs in games is concerned, the company said earlier this year that it would decide whether or not to proceed with the same based on several factors, including “what will be accepted and what will not be by the users”- read more on that through here.
Meanwhile, in the Q&A, Hisai also mentioned that the “super game” project is “currently underway with multiple projects”, and that when it gets into full production, it will involve hundreds of people. Meanwhile, much like projects in the works at multiple developers throughout the industry, Unreal Engine 5 is going to be the engine used for development.
Utsumi also stressed that Sega is prioritizing four key things for the entirety of its “super game”- multiplatform releases, simultaneous global releases, multilingual support, and AAA development.
Exactly what kinds of games can we expect to fall in this category? Details are still scant, but Kikuchi provided some interesting tidbits. He said: “A big feature is that it is a hybrid team that gathers members who have been active in the fields of consumer, arcade, and mobile in the past. Members who are familiar with the differences and characteristics of each way of playing are combining their own know-how to develop new games that only Sega can make.”
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