SEGA has historically released games in Japan and Asia before bringing them to Western regions at a later date, but this strategy looks set to change. In an interview with Famitsu, SEGA’s CSO of the Japan and Asia studios, Shuji Utsumi, stated they’re looking at simultaneous worldwide releases for many more of their titles. It was also confirmed in their latest financial report that they will be revisiting older IPs to see which are fit for a reboot or remake.
The desire for simultaneous releases comes from data. Yakuza: Like a Dragon was the most successful game in the Yakuza franchise. According to Utsumi, this is because the game was released on multiple platforms at the same time. While it didn’t get a synchronized worldwide release, this is an angle the publisher is looking to explore. They’re now looking to “globally expand” all games from ATLUS by releasing them worldwide simultaneously and potentially on multiple platforms. When asked about the Persona series, Utsumi said a “simultaneous worldwide release on multiple platforms will be a tailwind for titles” but they would consider each title’s potential individually. Lost Judgment will be one title that will get a same day worldwide release, as will the Yakuza franchise and Phantasy Star Online 2. Other new titles due to be released this year include Humankind, Total War: Warhammer III, and Shin Megami Tensei V, although whether they get the same treatment rem...