Between the upcoming sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the recently announced Shinobi movie, and Prime Video's Like a Dragon series, Sega has made significant strides in Hollywood over the past few years. However, the company envisions even grander ambitions to become a media powerhouse akin to Disney, and a former Disney executive is spearheading this transformation. Justin Scarpone, who spent 17 years at Disney, was appointed as Sega's head of global transmedia earlier this year. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Scarpone highlighted that most video game companies have not emulated Disney and Marvel's strategy of leveraging their properties across various media. He aims to change this at Sega.

"Gaming is the irreplaceable form of entertainment for the entire world, far surpassing any other form of entertainment, and it's about time we replicate the studio system from Hollywood for the gaming industry," Scarpone stated. "Game companies lack the content flywheel history that Walt Disney essentially pioneered, which involves taking an IP and developing a five-year, ten-year roadmap of content, similar to what Kevin Feige does for Marvel films. This includes integrating it into all other business areas and evolving the story across different experiences, content products, and services."

Scarpone also pointed out that Shadow the Hedgehog's prominent role in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic X Shadow Generations exemplifies the crossover content he wants Sega to pursue. "We're also exploring other channels: Shadow merchandise, Shadow character appearances," he added. "Our goal is to transform Shadow into a timeless, individual character. It's all part of the plan."

"I believe Sega is poised to grow as our company evolves into an entertainment entity," Scarpone continued. "Other gaming companies are heading in the same direction with varying degrees of success, which we respect, and Nintendo is a notable example. They are like the older sibling to all Japanese game companies… But I think we're doing quite well, and there are numerous opportunities for us to further evolve what the Sega brand signifies to consumers worldwide. That's my ultimate objective."

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