Sega is planning to bring an "immensely popular” IP to the blockchain

Less than a week after a Sega executive called pay-to-win games and blockchain technology "boring," the company has announced that one of its popular franchises will be licensed for use in a Web3 title.

The details:

• Line Next, a Korean mobile messaging company, has announced a partnership with Sega (via VGC) to bring one of its biggest IPs to its Game Dosi service, a Web3 gaming platform set to launch in May 2023. “Line Next is pleased to be teaming up with Sega to bring some exciting gaming to the Web3 space for gamers around the world,” said CEO Youngsu Ko. “Through this partnership, Game Dosi will provide Web3 content that anyone can easily enjoy, including Sega fans.”
• Neither Line Next nor Sega has revealed which IP is being licensed; however, Sega previously stated that it would no longer allow its biggest characters to be involved in third-party blockchain games due to the risk of devaluing its IPs. It has not completely exited the Web3 space, however, confirming that its smaller, less well-known IPs, such as Virtua Fighter and Three Kingdoms, may still be used by its partners. Sega classics such as Jet Set Radio, Ecco The Dolphin, Crazy Taxi, and Super Monkey Ball, which have all seen limited releases over the years, could be used for the NFT game.
• Last week, Sega co-chief operating officer Shuji Utsumi described blockchain-based pay-to-win games as "boring," and the company paused its Web3 projects for the time being. It is also reportedly hesitant to incorporate Web3 elements into its upcoming "big-budget online multiplayer games," though it has not ruled out returning to the technology if it proves successful and has stated that we should not "underestimate" those pushing for its use.

More Sega news:

• The co-creator of Sonic the Hedgehog and other notable Sega titles was found guilty of insider trading by the Tokyo District Court after being arrested twice on suspicion of the crime. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison with a four-year suspended sentence and ordered to pay two $1.2 million fines.
• A 272-page PDF containing classified documents from Sega during the Saturn's lifecycle has surfaced online. The documents include information on manufacturing costs, marketing strategies, retail margins, internal emails, and even plans for future console releases such as Shenmue and VectorMan.