Sega Sammy plans to expand transmedia strategy as mobile and live service titles take centre stage

• Sonic the Hedgehog continues to serve as the central example of Sega’s transmedia strategy in action.
• The success of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 helped boost repeat game sales and licensing revenue for the franchise.
• The company is extending the model to other franchises, including Like a Dragon and Persona.

Japan’s Sega Sammy has revealed plans to expand its transmedia strategy and position its game franchises as multi-platform entertainment brands spanning games, film, merchandising and live experiences.

Mobile and live service titles form a key part of the strategy. Persona5: The Phantom X launched globally in June 2025 across mobile and PC and has surpassed 23.5m total downloads. 

The company said it plans to further strengthen its global games as a service portfolio while leveraging its development capabilities alongside the marketing reach of its subsidiary Rovio Entertainment to support future mobile titles.

The strategy is designed to increase the number of consumer touchpoints around each franchise while creating additional revenue streams that feed back into future game development. 

IP expansion 

Sonic the Hedgehog remains the core example of this approach. The success of the third Sonic film in 2024 helped drive renewed interest in the franchise, supporting repeat sales of older titles and boosting licensing revenue.

The company shared that momentum from its film and merchandise activities has helped expand licensing income from ¥5.7 billion ($35.8 million) in the fiscal year ended March 2022 to ¥13.3bn ($83.5m) by the fiscal year ended March 2025. 

Moreover, Sega is also applying the model to other franchises, including Like a Dragon and Persona, with projects spanning new game releases and adaptations for television and film.

Looking ahead, Sega said it intends to push its transmedia approach to the “next level”, combining digital releases, global launches and AI-driven development to maximise the long term value of its intellectual property portfolio.