Sega president Shuji Utsumi has expressed the company's struggle with creating competitive live-service games, acknowledging it as their biggest challenge in the gaming market. Utsumi highlighted Sega's acquisition of Rovio, known for the Angry Birds franchise, as a strategic move to tap into their expertise in mobile games and develop Sonic Rumble, a mobile party game. He emphasized the importance of expanding Sega's global presence in the games as a service sector, particularly in emerging markets like the Middle East and Africa, as they aim to build a large community around their titles. This move comes after the cancellation of the looter shooter Hyenas and a still-unrevealed Super Game project aimed at attracting active users.

What challenges is Sega facing in the live-service gaming market?

Sega struggles to establish a competitive presence in the live-service gaming sector, relying on Rovio’s expertise to help develop engaging titles and expand their global reach.

Sonic Rumble represents Sega's latest attempt to create a successful mobile experience. This spin-off game features characters from the beloved Sonic franchise and aims to attract both casual users and fans of the series. The collaboration with Rovio is a pivotal step in Sega's strategy to revitalize their portfolio, as the company seeks to leverage Rovio's knowledge in mobile gaming to build a solid live-service infrastructure. This reflects a broader industry trend where established gaming companies are increasingly looking to adapt their strategies for mobile and live-service formats to capture new player demographics.