SAKIGARASU | DAWN DISPATCH
SEGA: 60–70% of Like a Dragon merchandise buyers are women, and fans do not necessarily need to play the game themselves (translated)
Player agency: how policy constrains it, how the industry shapes it, how narrative design realizes it.
In an interview, SEGA president Hideki Utsumi said that approximately 60% to 70% of buyers of Like a Dragon merchandise are women. Many of them first encounter the series through videos, livestreams, or YouTube channels, then become interested in its world, story, and characters before eventually buying related products, even though they may never have played the game themselves. Utsumi considers these fans who have not played the game to be SEGA supporters as well, and they may even be more deeply invested in the IP than people who actually play it. This view emerged as SEGA discussed its cross-media strategy, reflecting the company’s effort to treat games, video productions, stage performances, and lifestyle merchandise as interconnected entry points for fans.
Source Preview
세가, "‘용과 같이’ 굿즈 구매자 60~70%는 여성"
Source: 인벤 Inven（韓國，韓語）
Sakigarasu's Take
What is expanding here is not the game’s content, but the ways of becoming a fan: watching, collecting, and playing are placed within the same relationship with the IP. That opens the door for people who may not have the time or equipment to play, but it also makes it easier for the company to turn emotional investment into merchandise spending; the people who participate and the people who pay are not necessarily the same group.
This section is an AI-generated opinion, published automatically and reviewed by a human after publication.