SEGA and Microsoft have a long and very fruitful common path. In a way, Xbox took the relief of the blue hedgehog company. 20 years after that change took place (and coinciding with the Sonic 30th Anniversary) is born Super Game, a new alliance between the two titans to develop new and innovative titles.
As announced by SEGA itself in its Corporate web, Super Game is a strategic alliance that seeks explore ways to produce next generation games that will take advantage of Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform. The same statement offers the four key approaches to this initiative: Global, Online, Community and Use of intellectual properties.
Seen like this it might seem like an ambiguous set of goals, but both SEGA and Microsoft are clear about their roles:
For the Japanese company the objective is streamline development processes and deliver high-quality experiences thanks to Azure cloud technology. Something that Yukio Sugino, president and COO of SEGA, defines as a strategic partnership.
As we consider a strategic partnership with Microsoft, we seek to further advance our game development so that fans around the world can enjoy our titles; in this regard, our goal is to build an alliance that utilizes both SEGA’s powerful game development capabilities and Microsoft’s cutting-edge technology and development environment.
For its part, Microsoft will offer cooperation for this vision in areas such as network infrastructure and necessary tools, including its online services on a global scale. An opportunity for both companies, according to Sarah Bond, Microsoft’s CVP.
We look forward to working together as you explore new ways to create unique gaming experiences for the future using Microsoft cloud technologies. Together we will reimagine how games are created, hosted and operated, with the goal of adding more value to gamers and SEGA alike.
In other words: through Super Game, SEGA will use Microsoft’s infrastructure to generate more ambitious and efficient projects and content that accommodate the expectations of new players. And despite the fact that there has been no talk about the projects that will be shaped, we can expect a strong reinforcement of the great classic and active SEGA sagas, which are not exactly few.
Now, the question is asking itself: will we see the games created under the Super Game label? beyond the Xbox ecosystem? Well, SEGA can definitely publish its games on the platforms that suit it best.
The general idea is to offer facilities for developers and benefit from new game formats, so we can expect new adventures from Sonic and other champions of the house. on any console, smart device or browsers. An alliance that enhances SEGA’s resources and in which, definitely, we all win.
