Sega is licensing an ‘immensely popular’ IP for a new web3 game

Last week a Sega exec called play-to-earn titles “boring”

Line Next has announced that it will team up with Sega and license an “immensely popular” IP for its blockchain gaming platform Game Dosi.

“Line Next is pleased to be teaming up with Sega to bring some exciting gaming to the Web3 space for gamers around the world,” said Youngsu Ko, CEO of Line Next.

“Through this partnership, Game Dosi will provide Web3 content that anyone can easily enjoy, including Sega fans.”

It’s unclear what license this is referring to. The company behind Sonic The Hedgehog is letting third-party partners create NFT games using some of its franchises, including Three Kingdoms and Virtua Fighter, but currently it won’t allow its biggest characters to be associated with blockchain titles to avoid potentially devaluing its IP.

Line Next is a South Korean firm that operates under Line, a messaging service similar to WhatsApp. Launched in May, Game Dosi is a Web3 gaming platform that “provides user- and game-centered services.”

Earlier his week, Sega co-chief operating officer Shuji Utsumi called play-to-earn titles “boring,” adding “What’s the point if games are no fun?”

“We’re looking into whether this technology is really going to take off in this industry, after all,” Utsumi said.

Despite cooling its interest in blockchain gaming, Sega will continue to invest in the area while there remains a chance it could become more mainstream in the future.

“For the majority of people in the video game industry, what blockchain advocates say may sound a bit extreme, but that’s how the first penguin has always been,” Utsumi said. “We should never underestimate them.”