Sega Redefines 'Gamer' to Include Non-Playing Fans in Transmedia Push
President Shuji Utsumi says brand loyalty through movies and merchandise is expanding the company's reach beyond traditional players.
Sega is officially decoupling the definition of a "gamer" from the act of playing video games. President and COO Shuji Utsumi recently revealed that the company is seeing a surge in fans who are deeply invested in its intellectual properties without ever having picked up a controller.
In an interview with Nikkei Gaming, Utsumi stated that Sega considers these individuals to be gamers regardless of their gameplay habits. This shift in terminology follows the success of Sega's "transmedia" strategy, which aggressively pushes franchises like Sonic, Persona, and Like a Dragon into movies, television, and consumer merchandise. The company is currently leveraging this approach through the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise and an upcoming live-action Persona series for Netflix.
The Rise of the Non-Playing Fan
The impact of this strategy is most evident in the Like a Dragon (formerly Yakuza) series. According to company data, 60% to 70% of merchandise buyers for the franchise are women. Many of these consumers became fans not through the games themselves, but via YouTube and streaming platforms. For these users, the narrative and characters are the primary draw, leading to high engagement with the brand's physical products despite a lack of direct interaction with the software.
Utsumi's perspective is heavily influenced by his tenure at Cybird, a developer known for Otome romance games. During his time there, he observed a market shift where fans preferred lifestyle-oriented licensed products—such as cosmetics and apparel—over traditional collectibles. He is now applying this logic to Sega's global IPs, noting that the strength of transmedia lies in increasing the "entry points and contact points" for people to become interested in a brand.
A Pivot Toward IP-Centric Growth
This evolution represents a fundamental shift in how gaming companies define their audience and measure commercial success. By expanding the definition of a gamer, Sega is pivoting toward an IP-centric business model. In this framework, brand loyalty and merchandise revenue are viewed as being as valuable as traditional software sales. This allows the company to capture revenue from non-traditional gaming demographics who may never purchase a console but will buy apparel or movie tickets.
Future Outlook
As Sega continues to diversify its touchpoints, the industry will be watching how this affects software sales. While the current focus is on broadening the funnel, it remains to be seen if these non-playing fans eventually convert into players or if they represent a permanent new category of consumer. For now, Sega is betting that the brand is the product, and the game is simply one of many ways to experience it.