SEGA Informant - Weekly Round-Up (1st - 7th April)

Hello, and welcome! Today features our first weekly roundup! We’ve got a decent handful of news, so let’s not waste any time, let’s jump right in.

Releases

Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop

The latest entry in the Puyo Puyo series has officially released on Apple Arcade. Featuring a fully-voiced campaign following Amitie’s trip into the world of dreams, this title brings the puzzle series into a new audience. The title includes 24 playable characters from across the series, including new characters making their first debut. The game features several gameplay modes, with modes following the traditional Puyo Puyo 2 and Puyo Puyo Fever, and a Endless Mode. If you’re new to Puyo Puyo, the game features a Lesson Mode, providing you the lessons and chance to learn the basics. The game features a major focus in single player, however it also includes up to 4 players with Apple Game Centre, allowing you to completely demolish your friends and family. The game has also been confirmed to be given future updates including more modes and playable characters.

If you have never owned Apple Arcade before, you can get 1-Free month trial, which will not only allow you to play Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop, but other SEGA titles like Sonic Dream Team, Sonic Dash Plus, Sonic Racing, Football Manager 2024 Touch and Samba De Amigo: Party-To-Go.

C-Smash VRS

C-Smash VRS, the VR revival of SEGA’s long-forgotten franchise makes it’s leap onto brand new platforms. C-Smash VRS comes to Meta Quest, with Meta Quest 2, 3 and Pro, and the Pico platform with Pico 4. The game is currently priced at £14.99 on both Meta Quest and Pico. The game is also currently on sale for PlayStation VR2, with it’s current price on sale at £12.39, and lower at £9.29 if subscribed to PlayStation Plus.

This wraps up this week’s game releases, so let’s go over the news and announcements made over this week, and to start, we’ve got even more C-Smash VRS news for you!

News

C-Smash VRS: New Dimension Revealed

Announced alongside the drop of C-Smash VRS release to more VR platforms, it was revealed that a PS5 exclusive flatscreen version of the game is coming. Titled New Dimension, this version of the game allows for 2D flatscreen play where you control your character in a third person perspective, just like the original Dreamcast and Arcade game. The game will be included with the PSVR2 game, coming in a free update along side several new additions and changes for completely free. The PSVR2 title is on sale now, so you can buy it now and wait till late summer for the update, as some sort of pre-order. C-Smash VRS: New Dimension releases this late summer.

Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance April Trailer

Posted on Atlus Japan’s YT channel, we got the second trailer on Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance. The trailer provided us a look at the new “Canon Of Vengeance” story route that you’ll pick at the start of this new release. The trailer showed us the new enemy faction and some footage of the new explorable region. The major point in the trailer was the protagonist gaining a new form and traversing a labyrinth with shifting environments and puzzles to get through. SMT 5: Vengeance is due for release on 14th June on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, Nintendo Switch and PC through Steam.

Shuji Utsumi’s First Week As President

1st April 2024 saw the first day for Shuji Utsumi’s role as President Of SEGA and CEO Of SEGA Of America and Europe. On his first day, Shuji Utsumi was welcomed at SEGA with flowers to commemorate his appointment to the role, and also snapped a picture with the very popular Sonic statue. On 2nd April, at the Isetan Shinjuku store in Tokyo, Romero Britto had a exhibition called “Be Happy”, which featured a special Sonic collaboration. Both Shuji Utsumi and Takashi Ilzuka attended the event to provide interviews and hold a speech at the opening of the event.

We’re not going to see major changes yet, however it’s going to be worth checking on his comments and changes throughout the year, which I’ll aim to do.

IHOP X Sonic Collaboration

Photo Provided By @BalishChannel on Twitter

Launching this week, IHOP establishments have been decorated and themed with the blue blur. Featuring interior designs based of the series, it’s a major collaboration between the two brands. Customers can order from a special menu including 6 items based off several Sonic characters, and you can also nab yourself a Sonic or Shadow gift card. Along side this collaboration, IHOP Rewards program is also giving away a special DLC costume for Sonic Superstars, with Dinner Amy! The costume is exclusively for consoles, so you can only receive codes for Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. You can also save up points to get full game download codes for Sonic Origins Plus, Sonic Frontiers and Sonic Superstars. The most likely date of the end of the promotion is 5th May, so go enjoy yourself a pancake and two, and maybe, you’ll see Sonic there too!

Auditions For RGG Studio’s Next Like A Dragon Title Begin

It’s been a few months since Like A Dragon 8: Infinite Wealth released, and with a strong debut of critically high scores and strong sale figures, it’s evident the game has been a smash hit, and the train keeps going. Not only Is RGG Studio releasing another game this year with Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania, but they’re currently in development of the next Like A Dragon game! In the latest episode of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio TV, series director Masayoshi Yokoyama announced that they were holding cast auditions for the next Like A Dragon game. Yokoyama provided some details on the nature of the auditions, with them being similar to the hostess auditions done for Like A Dragon Gaiden, with a specific date coming at a later point.

That wasn’t the only piece of news shared however, as Yokoyama talked about a title that many have been expecting since 2017, being Yakuza Kiwami 3. The Kiwami series is a remake line of titles, with Kiwami 1 being a remake of Yakuza 1, Kiwami 2 being a remake of Yakuza 2, and Like A Dragon Inshin Kiwami, which was just named Like A Dragon Inshin here, being a remake of the original Inshin. Yakuza Kiwami 3 would be a remake of Yakuza 3, the first mainline title to release on PS3. Yokoyama provided some insight, saying that it wasn’t the next game their working on, “But I’m just going to say, I think we’ll do a Kiwami 3 at some point. I think we’ll definitely do it sooner or later.”

WWE & Knuckles?

April is the month the Knuckles TV Show debuts on Paramount Plus, meaning promotion will be ramping up, with the latest stunt being Knuckles appearing at the beloved WWE event. With it being Wrestlemania 40 weekend, Knuckles made a surprise appearance in the audience and joining the announce desk! The show also hosted the NXT North American Championship too! Knuckles premiers on Paramount Plus 26th April.

Sales

Let’s take a breather and go over some of the current sales taking place on various SEGA, Atlus and SEGA Licenced titles. Some titles will also have Digital Deluxe and DLC on sale too, so look out for any good deals!

Steam currently has one title on sale. Football Manager 2024 is 33% Off until April 11th. The game is currently £30.14.

PlayStation Store currently has several sales right now. Lasting till 10th April, Persona 3 Reload, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Persona 5 Tactica, Football Manager 2024 Console, Demon Slayer The Hinokami Chronicles, Sonic Superstars, Sonic Origins Plus, Streets Of Rage 4, C-Smash VRS, Two Point Campus, Alien Isolation, House Of The Dead Remake, Rez Infinite, Alex Kidd In Miracle World DX, Catherine Full Body, Persona 3: Dancing In Moonlight, Monster Boy And The Cursed Kingdom, Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, Persona 5: Dancing In Starlight, Puyo Puyo Tetris, Sonic Colours Ultimate, Shining Resonance Refrain, Valkyria Chronicles 4, Soul Hackers 2, Panzer Dragoon Remake, Sakura Wars.

Xbox Store is also having several sales right now, lasting up until the 18th April. The games on sale are Sonic Frontiers, Sonic Colours Ultimate, Sonic Superstars, Team Sonic Racing, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania, Puyo Puyo Champions, Persona 3 Reload, Persona 5 Royal, Persona 3 Portable & Persona 4 Golden Bundle, Soul Hackers 2, Two Point Campus & Hospital Bundle, Valkyria Chronicles 4, HUMANKIND, Endless Dungeon, Football Manager 2024, Alex Kidd In Miracle World DX, Demon Slayer The Hinokami Chronicles, Shining Resonance Refrain.

For Nintendo Exclusive related sales, Samba De Amigo: Party Central and a select handful of SEGA AGES titles are also on sale. Please check the EShop for prices and other titles.

That wraps up today’s sales and deals, now, let’s move onto some more…leaked information.

Behind The Curtain

Not all information is official until announced by the company, but if you want some new information on yet to be announced information, lt’s begin. All information in this segment is provided by Midori, who you can follow on Twitter with this handle - @MbKKssTBhz5

SEGA Mobile & The Future

Midori has shared some backdoor info on the current state of SEGA’s mobile business, and it looks to be very positive. SEGA & Apple’s relationship is proving strong, with SEGA currently developing many more titles based on their IP. This includes Sonic Football Game, SEGA All-Stars Tennis, Super Monkey Ball and more. From what we know, Apple is pushing the Arcade platform to include proven developers, and SEGA is pushing for their games to be promoted to a worldwide audience, especially with casuals. The current strategy is to push a mobile game along side a console game for Sonic, Persona and Like A Dragon.

Rovio is an important purchase towards this goal, especially with their software Beacon, made mainly for mobile game development. SEGA sees this as an important factor of their Transmedia strategy, which always aimed to provide a bigger audience for SEGA IP. For example, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble is releasing on Nintendo Switch in June, and along side that, a Super Monkey Ball title on mobile will be there to accompany it to create synergy between each title. Many have asked by SEGA is pushing so hard into mobile, but Midori clarified that this is for sustainability and to build future relationships with major brands, with Midori recently leaking that SEGA & Disney is currently collaborating on a mobile title. However, despite this major push into mobile, SEGA is also aiming to maximise their audience, with several titles that released on Mobile coming to PC.

SEGA’s Future On Consoles

Midori has also clarified on some future console titles SEGA has in development this week, and while there isn’t much info on each title, I’ll provide a quick rundown. A sequel to Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles fighting game, which released in 2021, is currently in development, and will be the third title in SEGA’s and Demon Slayer’s partnership. Phantasy Online 2 has two projects in development, with the first being an expansion to PSO2: New Genesis due for this summer, and a brand new PSO2 spin-off project is in the works too. Puyo Puyo and Sakura Wars also have titles in development for console as well.

That wraps up this week’s round-up, and our first round-up! To keep up to date with the latest news and unreported news, make sure to follow the SEGA Informant Twitter account, and look forward when SEGA Informant lands on YouTube next month. Thank you for reading, and have a great rest of you day!