Sega has launched Sega Universe, a transmedia initiative reviving nine legacy franchises through film, animation, music and fashion, driven by the motto “No Old, Stay Gold.”
Sega launched Sega Universe on 24 April 2026, a transmedia project designed to bring its dormant classic IPs back to life beyond video games. Operating under the slogan “No Old, Stay Gold,” the initiative spotlights nine legacy franchises celebrating major anniversaries in 2026 and aims to expand them into film, music, fashion and broader entertainment. The announcement comes alongside an official website, concept movie and dedicated social media presence.
Which Franchises Are Part of Sega Universe?
The official Sega Universe website features a “2026 Selected” section listing nine titles reaching milestone anniversaries this year:
- Fantasy Zone (40th anniversary, 1986 arcade debut)
- OutRun (40th anniversary, 1986 arcade debut)
- Streets of Rage (35th anniversary, 1991 on Sega Genesis)
- Rent A Hero (35th anniversary, 1991 on Sega Genesis)
- Guardian Heroes (30th anniversary, 1996 on Sega Saturn)
- NiGHTS into Dreams (30th anniversary, 1996 on Sega Saturn)
- Dynamite Deka (30th anniversary, 1996 arcade debut)
- Sakura Wars (30th anniversary, 1996 on Sega Saturn)
- SGGG / Segagaga (25th anniversary, 2001 on Dreamcast)
Each franchise page on the site includes historical context, original release information and curated playlists. While no specific new products have been confirmed for every title yet, Sega describes the first phase as delivering “nostalgic yet new entertainment content” tied to these anniversaries.
Beyond Games: Film, Animation and Fashion Ambitions
Sega Universe is explicitly a transmedia project rather than a game development initiative. The official site states that classic games and characters will expand “into film, music, fashion, and even further forms of entertainment.” Sega’s February 2026 financial report confirmed that animated adaptations of Streets of Rage, Shinobi, OutRun and Eternal Champions are actively in development.
The most advanced project is the OutRun feature film. Announced in April 2025, it will be directed by Michael Bay (Transformers franchise) and produced by Sydney Sweeney alongside Platinum Dunes for Universal Pictures. Screenwriter Jayson Rothwell is handling the script, and producer Brad Fuller confirmed in December 2025 that Bay and Sweeney were “starting to figure out the script.”
A Shinobi live-action film is also in production at Universal Pictures with Sam Hargrave (Extraction) directing and Marc Platt producing. Separately, Skydance Media partnered with Sega for an Eternal Champions film adaptation with screenwriter Derek Connolly attached. Additionally, VGC reported that Golden Axe and The House of the Dead are among other film and TV projects in the pipeline.
Who Is Driving Sega’s Transmedia Push?
The architect behind this strategy is Justin Scarpone, who joined Sega in 2024 as global head of transmedia after 17 years at Disney. His mandate is to replicate the success of the Sonic brand, whose film franchise crossed $1 billion in global box office revenue across three movies, across Sega’s broader IP catalogue.
Scarpone’s ambitions are sweeping. In a VGC interview, he stated: “The strategy is to turn us into an entertainment company with games as our core pillar business, just as Disney would say films are.” He also noted that Sega has climbed 107 spots on License Global’s Top Global Licensors list to No. 39, generating nearly $1 billion in annual retail sales of toys, clothing and merchandise.
To build lore for the legacy franchises, Sega hired Hez Chorba, a former Lucasfilm and Universal executive who oversaw Star Wars gaming creative, theme park projects and Disney Plus series. Chorba is leading the transmedia evolution of Sega’s legacy IP from the US office while coordinating with Japanese development teams.
How Does Sega Universe Connect to Power Surge Game Revivals?
Sega Universe should not be confused with the Power Surge initiative revealed at The Game Awards in December 2023. Power Surge focuses on actual new video games for classic IPs, with five titles confirmed in development: Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage.
Shinobi: Art of War already launched in August 2025. The remaining four titles are still in active development, with leaked gameplay footage for both Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi surfacing in 2024. Reliable reports suggest Jet Set Radio may target a 2027 release, and all Power Surge titles are planned for multi-platform launches including Nintendo Switch 2.
Sega’s February 2026 Q3 financial report confirmed plans to release four major new titles for mainstay IPs before March 2027. Additionally, new Virtua Fighter and Alien Isolation games are confirmed to be in development. The two projects complement each other: Power Surge handles game development while Sega Universe handles everything else.
What Is Happening with Sakura Wars?
Among the nine selected franchises, Sakura Wars has generated the most speculation. The series officially turns 30 on 27 September 2026, and Sega unveiled a new anniversary logo alongside plans for special merchandise and events.
Series composer Kohei Tanaka confirmed in February 2026 that a new Sakura Wars project would be announced in spring 2026, emphasising it was not a game. However, game director Hakura Nishino separately stated: “We don’t only want to celebrate the 30th anniversary. We want to do something that will lead to something even further in the future.” Reports from Insider Gaming and fan investigations indicate that an in-house Sakura Wars development team remains active at Sega, fuelling hopes for both a transmedia project and a potential game or remake.
Why Is Sega Doing This Now?
Video game companies expanding into entertainment is no longer unusual. Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. Movie grossed over $1.3 billion, Sony’s The Last of Us TV series earned critical acclaim, and Sega’s own Sonic film franchise broke the $1 billion box office barrier. The gaming industry is the largest entertainment medium globally, and its IP is proving highly adaptable to other formats.
Scarpone framed the challenge clearly in his VGC interview: “You have a generation of folks who remember those titles fondly from their childhood or young adulthood, who are in their 40s or 50s. And then you have a younger generation that, frankly, really doesn’t have any connectivity to that IP. So, the challenge is, if we try to reinvent these IPs, how do we connect?”
Sega Universe is designed to solve exactly that problem. By building transmedia touchpoints (films, animation, merchandise, fashion, music), Sega creates entry points for younger audiences who may never have played a Sega Saturn or Dreamcast game. If those audiences develop affinity through a Streets of Rage animated series or an OutRun film, they become potential consumers of future Sega games and products.
What Does Each Selected Franchise Offer?
OutRun (1986) defined the arcade driving genre with its branching routes and iconic soundtrack. The Michael Bay film adaptation and 40th anniversary status make it a centrepiece of Sega Universe’s first phase.
Streets of Rage (1991) remains one of gaming’s most beloved beat-em-up series, boosted by the critically acclaimed Streets of Rage 4 in 2020. Both a new game (Streets of Rage Revolution) and an animated adaptation are in the works.
NiGHTS into Dreams (1996) was a flight action game by Sonic Team that pushed the Saturn’s capabilities and introduced the A-Life system that later evolved into the Chao in Sonic Adventure. Its dream-world aesthetic and unique gameplay make it a strong candidate for visual media adaptation.
Sakura Wars (1996) already has a proven multimedia track record spanning anime, stage plays, drama CDs and manga. It won the CESA Award in its debut year and became the best-selling Sega Saturn original title. A new transmedia project is incoming.
Guardian Heroes (1996) was a Treasure-developed action RPG featuring a unique three-line battle system and up to six-player versus mode. Dynamite Deka (1996) was the industry’s first full-polygon action game. Fantasy Zone (1986) was a pioneering free-scrolling shooter. Rent A Hero (1991) remains a cult classic action RPG. And Segagaga (2001) was Sega’s own self-parodying simulation RPG about reviving the company, a premise that feels strangely prophetic today.
Things Players Usually Want to Know
Will Sega Universe produce new playable games?
Sega Universe is focused on non-gaming media: film, animation, music and fashion. New games for classic IPs are being handled separately through the Power Surge initiative, which has already delivered Shinobi: Art of War and has four more titles in active development.
When will the OutRun movie release?
No release date has been announced. As of December 2025, the project was described as being in early stages with the script still in development. Given Michael Bay’s involvement and Universal Pictures distribution, a 2027 or 2028 theatrical release seems plausible but unconfirmed.
Are animated series confirmed?
Sega’s February 2026 financial report confirmed animated adaptations for Streets of Rage, Shinobi, OutRun and Eternal Champions. No streaming platforms, episode counts or premiere dates have been announced yet.
Is Sega Universe a one-time event or an ongoing strategy?
Although the first phase targets 2026 anniversary milestones, Sega’s transmedia roadmap spans a 5-to-10-year window. Justin Scarpone described building a persistent slate plan for Sega’s core and legacy IPs alike. Expect Sega Universe to evolve and include additional franchises in future cycles.
Will there be a shared Sega cinematic universe?
Scarpone addressed this directly, stating that Sega’s IPs “exist in their own persistent universes.” Rather than a Marvel-style shared cinematic universe, the connecting thread will be the Sega brand itself, particularly through consumer products and merchandise lines that sit under the Sega umbrella.
