The new owner of Rovio, Sega has recently hinted at potential new projects involving Angry Birds animated projects, mobile games inspired by Yakuza and Persona, and more.
During the Roviocon event in Helsinki, Sega-Rovio’s co-COO Shuji Utsumi shared insights into Sega’s mobile gaming future following its acquisition of Rovio, the studio behind Angry Birds, as reported by Mobilegamer.biz.
According to reports, Utsumi stated that new Rovio games were being developed for PC and console and new animated Angry Birds projects. A crossover between Sonic and Angry Birds was also mentioned, and he joked that the two IPs were “dating” at the time.
Utsumi emphasized Sega’s diverse portfolio of IPs and characters, highlighting the increased appeal brought by the addition of the Angry Birds IP. He spoke of a transmedia strategy aiming to engage a global fanbase through both digital and physical channels to maximize the value of these IPs.
He said, “Sega has a strong portfolio of numerous IPs and characters which becomes much more attractive by welcoming the Angry Birds IP. To maximise the value of these great IPs we have implemented a transmedia strategy that comprehensively approaches a global fanbase through digital and also physical channels.”
Previously, before acquiring Rovio, Sega revealed its intention to acquire the studio to enhance its live service mobile game portfolio. They aimed to leverage Rovio’s live service mobile game operations expertise to expand Sega’s titles in the global mobile gaming market.
Discussing mobile games, Utsumi highlighted how teaming up with Rovio empowered Sega to broaden its mobile game offerings, potentially leading to mobile adaptations of other Sega IPs. He stressed the significance of mobile gaming for Sega’s global reach, hinting at upcoming mobile game projects based on their IPs beyond Sonic, including potential developments for Yakuza and Persona.
Utsumi said, “Mobile is a massive platform for us. By combining together with Rovio, Sega is now able to pave the way for global mobile game audiences. Currently, Sega and Rovio have been working on new mobile game projects based on our own IP… but Sonic is not the only IP to benefit from the mobile platform expansion. It will be a potential strong tailwind for other key Sega IP such as Yakuza and Persona.”
Utsumi also revealed Sega’s plans to delve deeper into subscription-based gaming services like Netflix, Apple Arcade, and Xbox Game Pass. This aligns with their recent releases on Apple Arcade like ChuChu Rocket! Universe, Sonic Racing, Sonic Dream Team, Football Manager 2024 Touch, and the collaborations with Netflix and Apple Arcade.
He briefly mentioned “the Segaverse” in connection with Sega’s ‘super game’ project, hinting at a platform similar to Roblox where players could communicate and play together, integrating various Sega technologies.
Previously, at the Web Summit tech conference in Lisbon, Portugal, Utsumi hinted at expanding Sega’s lucrative intellectual properties beyond gaming platforms, potentially exploring movies and platforms like Roblox. This could even involve introducing Sonic experiences to Roblox, a vast platform where users build games and connect in large online communities, extending to mobile platforms as well.
For constant updates, keep following Gamevro.
