Sega’s transmedia boss Justin Scarpone has revealed that he and his team are "focused on elevating and strengthening the Sega brand" in a new interview with VGC.
Speaking to the outlet at Gamescom Asia, former Disney exec Scarpone also revealed plans to open a Sega store in Shibuya’s Parco department complex, where Nintendo, Capcom and Pokémon shops already exist.
"One of the core things about our transmedia team is we are really focused on elevating and strengthening the Sega brand,” Scarpone told VGC. "Our portfolio is very broad, but the common thread is the Sega brand. Sega already has a surprising amount of fandom as a brand, and we need to look after those fans and offer new experiences to them, while putting the stamp of Sega on it more proudly."
Scarpone feels that the Sega brand isn't anywhere near as prominent as it perhaps should be, given the company's enviable history in the world of video games and the strength of its IP library. "If you go to retail today, you don’t see ‘Sega’ enough," he adds.
"For example, we’re opening a Sega store next summer in [Tokyo’s] Parco. There will be a Sega store. We’re also going to be doing a similar project in Shanghai, where we’ll have a store there as well via a partner. It’s really exciting and we need to do a lot more of that, because Sega is a consumer brand that is surprisingly not in front of consumers enough. Sonic is, but Sega isn’t."
Sega has successfully turned its Sonic character into a multi-media monster, with Hollywood movies and related merchandise generating millions of dollars for the firm. It has plans to turn franchises such as Streets of Rage and Shinobi into films, too.
Scarpone has bold plans for the company. "My sights are set on trying to compete with the best the Hollywood studios when it comes to managing IP, because I think if we strive to reach that level of excellence, we should do pretty well," he told VGC.