SEGA Finds More Like a Dragon Fans Are Following the Story Without Playing the Games

SEGA president and COO Shuji Utsumi said the company is seeing more fans connect with its games without ever playing them, with Like a Dragon standing out as a clear example. In a Nikkei interview, Utsumi explained that many people follow the series through videos, livestreams, its characters, and its wider fictional universe before buying merchandise rather than the games themselves.

Utsumi said the trend is growing across SEGA’s properties, although most of the company’s fans still play its games. Like a Dragon has made the change especially visible because women account for 60-70% of its merchandise customer base, a demographic that does not necessarily match the series’ player audience.

Official YouTube videos and streams from popular creators give fans another way into the series. Some may know the story and characters well, follow new releases, and collect merchandise without having picked up a controller for a Like a Dragon game.

Utsumi said SEGA still considers those people fans and gamers in their own right. He argued that transmedia gives an IP more ways to reach people, and that some non-playing fans can show even stronger engagement than people who play the games. For SEGA, that approach can include merchandise, films, comics, and other ways to connect audiences with its fictional worlds.

Utsumi offered a specific example of how far that strategy could reach. If an overseas fan remembers a scene in which a Like a Dragon character eats a beef bowl, he suggested that even the dish could become merchandise. The idea reflects SEGA’s interest in products built around memorable characters, stories, and moments rather than only conventional game items.

His view was shaped in part by his earlier work at mobile developer Cybird, where he saw game merchandising move beyond traditional collectibles. Apparel, cosmetics, limited items, and products tied to amusement facilities gave fans ways to connect with a series in everyday life. Utsumi said that experience now informs the transmedia strategy he is pursuing at SEGA.

SEGA’s approach widens the definition of what it means to be part of a game community, especially for character-driven series such as Like a Dragon. What do you think of that approach? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, Telegram.