We all thought the SEGA classic IPs like Golden Axe were going to be new game series… but what if they’re also movies?
SEGA made a big deal about performing archaeology on its own back catalogue in late 2023. New versions of SEGA’s classic titles sounded like a great idea, but with the Shinobi remake further along the line, it seems plans are wider than first thought.
First up, here’s a look at Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, coming PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC on August 29. It looks like a game of modern graphics and classic gameplay:
What is happening with the SEGA classic IPs?
GameInformer has featured an interview with SEGA’s director of content production, Kagasei Shimomura. (It’s worth reading the full feature.) During the chat, Shimomura reveals that there is more to the collection of games that were previously revealed.
But Shinobi: Art of Vengeance isn’t the only legacy IP returning in the near future. Franchises like Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage were also announced in that 2023 teaser video. “We can’t talk in detail about anything, but that being said, we are considering several projects and are working on several projects,” Shimomura says. “Not only games, but also other things that have been [announced] already. We’re really looking forward to growing several of our IPs and making sure that we have several fun things coming up in the future.”
I think there is more to “we are considering several projects and are working on several projects… Not only games” than has been discussed elsewhere. At the time of writing, the following movies are in production: Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Eternal Champions, Comix Zone, Space Channel 5… and Shinobi.
This ties in with the games that are in development. Could it be that SEGA is slowly gearing towards a huge piece of synergistic marketing for its games/movies/toy merch lines? New movie, new game, new merch, and every shopping mall is flooded with it all.
SEGA vs. Disney
Now, that might seem like a mismatch, but bear with me. First, SEGA has been licensing movie rights for a while. Before getting more involved with movie making in Angry Birds and Sonic the Hedgehog, we had House of the Dead movies. In the space of 20 years, SEGA has proved it can put together a blockbuster movie.
Conversely, Disney and its licence holders have struggled to put together a blockbuster game that isn’t within the Star Wars universe — a franchise is bought, rather than built. In fact, a good chunk of Disney’s 21st century videogame output is largely forgettable. (The Avengers movies were a missed opportunity, and Disney does not own the wider media rights to Spider-Man.)
Video games have been gearing towards the cinematic for years now, that there is possibly only one outcome. Games become movies, and they’re supported and cross-promoted by less visually accomplished games.
Of course, this is largely speculation, but we can look back at previous periods of huge cultural/commercial moments (e.g. the 1990s, when promotional synergy was used in everything from the revival of Star Wars to the relaunch of Meat Loaf) and see how this could unfold.
Whatever happens, I’m intrigued by the possibility of a Golden Axe movie. Get Peter Jackson on board as director…
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
