SEGA president and COO Shuji Utsumi has shared several new comments about the company’s plans for Sonic the Hedgehog, including the upcoming fourth movie and the franchise’s role in SEGA’s growing transmedia business.
Speaking with Famitsu for the publication’s 40th anniversary, Utsumi described Sonic as a symbol of SEGA and said the health of the franchise has a wider effect on the company.
“Sonic is like a symbol of SEGA, and I believe that when Sonic is doing well, the entire company becomes more energetic,” Utsumi said.
He added that the success of the Sonic movies has made other opportunities possible, giving SEGA experience that can now be applied to additional properties.
Utsumi also briefly discussed the next Sonic movie, which is currently in production as Sonic the Hedgehog 4.
“The footage is looking quite impressive again this time,” Utsumi said.
He described the film as entertaining and said SEGA intends to work toward making it a bigger success in Japan.
While returning cast members and character appearances have already been widely reported, Utsumi’s comments provide a positive update on how the film is developing.
The interview also explored how SEGA plans to use the experience gained from Sonic’s expansion into film, merchandise, retail, and collaborations across its other franchises.
Angry Birds licensing operations were integrated into SEGA’s transmedia division in January. Utsumi explained that this will allow the Angry Birds team to benefit from the Sonic team’s experience and promotional methods ahead of the third Angry Birds movie.
The exchange is intended to work in both directions. Rovio’s own areas of expertise could also support future Sonic initiatives, while SEGA, Atlus, and Rovio coordinate more closely on global merchandise and licensing.
Sonic, Angry Birds, and Persona were the three franchises prominently featured at SEGA’s recent Licensing Expo booth in Las Vegas.
SEGA is also considering further expansion of its physical retail presence following stronger-than-expected results from SEGA STORE TOKYO in Shibuya and positive performance from its Shanghai location.
According to Utsumi, future stores are being considered in several regions, including the United States and the Middle East. The goal is to give fans more opportunities to interact with SEGA’s properties outside their original games.
The interview returned to SEGA’s recent game performance as well. Utsumi acknowledged that a new Sonic title aimed at a major global launch failed to reach the company’s sales target despite the game itself being well made.
Rather than identifying a problem with the quality of the title, he said SEGA needs to improve its ability to sell each release globally. That effort includes a stronger focus on digital distribution, PC audiences, and regions where console ownership is less widespread.
Utsumi also discussed SEGA’s renewed focus on game music following the transformation of Wave Master into SEGA MUSIC.
The company wants to make its catalogue easier to discover through services such as Spotify and Amazon Music, while also exploring artist collaborations, live performances, and curated playlists. The first SEGA Creator Playlist, personally selected by Sonic series sound director Tomoya Ohtani, launched after the interview was conducted.
Together, the comments show how Sonic remains central to SEGA’s plans beyond individual game releases. The company is using the franchise’s success across movies, merchandise, music, collaborations, and physical experiences as a model for expanding its other properties around the world.
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