Microsoft and Sega have formed a strategic alliance, as part of a “Super Game” project.
The “Super Game” project, which was initially teased back in May this year, is described as a “new initiative for developing new and innovative titles where the key focuses are ‘Global’, “’Online’, ‘Community’ and ‘IP utilization'”
The alliance will see Sega using Microsoft’s cloud technology in its game development – Using Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform to “produce large-scale, global games in a next-generation development environment.”
The two companies will collaborate in order to build further technological evolutions, with a priority on the network infrastructure and communication tools required for global online services.
Sega is seeking to improve its development process by shifting to a development platform that will allow it to “effectively adapt to diversifying work styles and potential infrastructural changes,” – likely a nod to the growing trend of remote work in the industry.
“We are very pleased to announce today that we are considering a strategic alliance with Microsoft to help develop SEGA’s new “Super Game” initiative as well as build a next-generation game development environmen,” said Yukio Sugino, President and COO, SEGA Corporation. “By considering a strategic partnership with Microsoft, we seek to further advance our game development so that our titles can be enjoyed by fans all over the world; in this regard, we aim to build an alliance that utilizes both SEGA’s powerful game development capabilities and Microsoft’s cutting-edge technology and development environment.”
“SEGA has played such an iconic role in the gaming industry and has been a tremendous partner over the years,” added Sarah Bond, CVP, Microsoft Corporation. “We look forward to working together as they explore new ways to create unique gaming experiences for the future using Microsoft cloud technologies. Together we will reimagine how games get built, hosted, and operated, with a goal of adding more value to players and SEGA alike.”