Sega president Shuji Utsumi recently discussed an interesting shift in gaming demographics, noting that many fans of the “Yakuza” series engage with the franchise through merchandising and content from platforms like YouTube rather than playing the games themselves. He emphasized that these individuals, including a significant percentage of female fans, are still considered gamers, as their interest stems from various media created around the game.
Utsumi identified transmedia—covering areas like merchandise and streaming content—as a vital tool for broadening engagement with intellectual properties (IPs). He highlighted that even niche items connected to game narratives, such as food references, can become successful merchandise avenues, reflecting a new era of gaming culture that embraces all types of fans, regardless of how they interact with the medium.
