SEGA Launches Free Online Account, Hinting At Bigger Plans For The Future
SEGA has officially launched its own account service, aptly named the SEGA Account. It is designed to unify the gaming between SEGA and Atlus titles. Everyone interested can sign up for free through the official website, enabling access to platform-specific features and exclusive in-game rewards.
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On January 21st, the official SEGA website brought a notice about the new account, sharing all that it entails, and we share it with you in full:
“SEGA has launched SEGA Account, an online profile that gives you access to a host of benefits when playing SEGA and ATLUS titles and using their online services.
“By creating a SEGA Account, you’ll receive the latest news about SEGA/ATLUS games, events, and promotions.
“Additionally, your SEGA Account grants you access to exclusive bonuses and the ability to link accounts on various gaming platforms!
“Players who create an account and fulfill the specified requirements by March 7th, 2025, will receive an in-game bonus for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which launches on February 21st.”
The first exclusive in-game award is the Kazuma Kiryu costume DLC for the upcoming Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. This will be available from February 17th through March 7th, while the RGG pirate adventure launches on February 21st.
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That said, the SEGA account offers cross-platform integration, allowing users to link profiles across the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam, while Epic Games integration is grayed out for now and under the ‘coming soon’ umbrella. Additionally, future updates will let players register and track their play records, akin to year-end reports offered by PlayStation and Nintendo. While the initial benefits may seem modest, there is a chance that SEGA is brewing something far more ambitious in the background. Unfortunately, for now, there are no mentions of cross-platform saves since it is still early, but there is a possibility that third-party linking will allow it and DLC purchases.
The SEGA Account launch also comes just a few weeks after SEGA Europe and America President Shuji Utsumi stated that subscription-based models are “very interesting,” and the company is actively evaluating opportunities in this space.
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Furthermore, this aligns rather naturally with SEGA’s recent decision to delist over 70 classic titles from storefronts, a move some believe hints at the creation of a unique streaming library. It is important to note that while SEGA stopped being a console giant a while ago, the company is still a substantial publisher and developer.
A number of beloved franchises have been actively releasing new games. These include Sonic the Hedgehog, and Like a Dragon, while there is also the return of Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi. And we can’t forget that SEGA owns the entire Atlus catalog of games.
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SEGA Account will certainly give the company access to player activity and how much interest there is in account, rewards, and SEGA games across all the platforms where those titles are played. This data tracking could help SEGA assess the popularity and demand for specific titles, which could then shape the start of a curated yet rich library.
With the online account, SEGA joins the likes of EA, PSN, and other online accounts tied to the video gaming industry, but it is more than obvious that the Japanese giant has something more in store.
This could further evolve into Game-Pass-like subscription tiers or just serve as the basis for launching an entirely new subscription service focused on SEGA and Atlus titles. Be that as it may, do you remember SegaNet?
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