We conceived our plan in 2019. We've been keeping a close eye on the shift in megatrends and have discussed how we can ride the tide and maximize on SEGA's strengths. SEGA has the potential to beat its competitors, thanks to our brand power, our fanbase that spans worldwide, and everyone's anticipation for us. We're aiming at a global audience, making the most of SEGA's IPs, and delivering content that matches our tried-and-true approach. We see this as the answer for our future growth and made it the basis of our five-year plan.

Our first step is to strengthen our current IPs. They have the potential to grow even more on a global scale. In addition, we will create new game content to bring back a number of our classics. Under the keywords "Tradition and Innovation," we want to provide games that will be loved and rock future audiences to their core.
"Global" is also an important keyword for us. So far, we've released games in Japan first, followed by a global release after. Now, multi-platform and simultaneous worldwide releases are going to be standard. To make this possible, we'll need to consider our global strategy as early as the planning stages. I'd like to emphasize that this will be a big undertaking, but it'll be a powerful change of direction for SEGA.

We define "Super Game" as an online AAA global hit. SEGA's success with a wide variety of game content, including our work with gaming hardware and arcade games, is possible thanks to our wide range of technologies. These games will be AAA titles that are the crossroads of all of the technologies we've used and thus worth branding as "Super Games."

Actually, some aspects that can be considered part of the Super Games project have already been incorporated into the games we manage. For example, since we've mentioned livestreaming games, there are features that allow viewers to interact with the game. We're currently experimenting with different ways to hopefully widen the range of people who play our games.

Games have come a long way through their connections to culture and technology. Social media and gaming videos are a good example of this, if I had to pick recent examples. With the way the world is going now, it seems logical to expect the spread of games that incorporate new fields like cloud gaming or NFT technology. We're always examining other ways in which we can connect different titles as we progress through development.

Allow me to state the four major points that we feel define it. 1. Being multi-platform 2. Developing multilingual support for players across the globe 3. Simultaneous worldwide launches 4. Being a AAA title. In short, I'd like you to imagine that the scale we're aiming for is that of a global blockbuster game.

Presently, several Super Game projects are in progress. In the department I'm in charge of, there are already around 50 people involved in the initial stages. I anticipate that our team will eventually need hundreds of members.

One standout point I'd like to mention is that we've assembled staff who've previously worked in console, arcade, and mobile gaming into a unique hybrid team. Each member is well-versed in the features and differences of each platform. By putting their skills together, we're creating a new game that only SEGA can make.

We're also trying to incorporate externally-developed new technologies. In the fall of 2021, we announced a potential partnership with Microsoft. Our goal would be to explore the possibilities of the technology that SEGA doesn't own to create something new. Creating something new requires more to make it into a reality. As such, we are positively considering various business partnerships and incorporating them into the development of our games.

The first would be the experience of contributing to a AAA game's development. Another point would be the experience of working on a title that utilizes the unique characteristics of console, arcade, and mobile gaming experiences.

Development is generally done in Unreal Engine 5. Additionally, we are collaborating with start-up businesses that utilize AI and other technologies. They assist us with the challenge of using AI to handle everything from back-end development tasks like debugging to front-end development tasks like camera work, streaming in-game footage, and automatically synthesizing audio. Currently, we are pondering just what we can create, as we test different technologies through trial and error. In that sense, we will have many opportunities to get involved with the latest tech.

As an example from the design front, we are incorporating the software Houdini into our development flow, which allows us to procedurally generate objects. We've even introduced 3D modeling techniques to convert clothing patterns into CG. In that sense, we're creating an environment where team members can build career experience in their specialties of 3D modeling, motion, and effects. We will continue to proactively invest in upholding this work environment.

We've got a particularly high amount of design team members, because we're putting a lot of effort into graphics. Our development team is peculiar, as we have a high number of technical artists (TAs). TAs are currently one of the most sought positions, as their role is to provide a technical approach to creating visuals as they work with the engineers and designers. Some of them come from engineering backgrounds, while others come from design backgrounds, however, TAs support others by making use of both areas of expertise.

In terms of the mindset we're looking for, I'd say that from an HR perspective, we would like to find positive thinkers who are eager to explore new ideas. We're trying to create something completely new, so we're particularly looking for people who can challenge themself to do something that's never been done before. As an example, people who are goal-oriented and aren't discouraged by failure or people who like challenging themselves would be the best fit for our workplace.

As we've settled into our work environment, some teams primarily handle their work remotely. Our company's rules allow us to flexibly work remotely and in the office, factoring in both the pros and cons of each working style. We'd like to take the right measures to make sure each person can demonstrate their skills, so we always treat this as an issue for consideration.

In consideration of the new employees who joined us in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, we created an online community and tools to support team members working remotely.
Additionally, moving our meetings online created a more engaging environment for team members to exchange ideas and questions. We listen to the voices of our team members and aim to regularly improve our work environment.

One of the unique aspects of SEGA is that you are evaluated based on ability, rather than the number of years you've been employed. In the department I manage, some members who've been with SEGA for just four years have been entrusted to serve as directors on projects. We have set up systems to thoroughly support newly appointed directors by pairing them with experienced staff members.

I believe it's necessary to have a system that treats our specialists well, so that we can uphold a workplace where they can focus on their crafts. Going forward, at SEGA, we'd like to increase the respect given to specialties. As such, we're trying to implement a system where talented members will be rewarded well, even if they don't hold a title. I additionally would like these members of our staff to serve as role models. They will become goalposts for others to strive towards and inspire SEGA as a whole.

I believe the key to challenging the global market is the appeal of Japanese culture. Our games contain such elements, as they are made by both people living in Japan and people who adore Japanese media content. I don't mean that our games are developed by Japanese people alone. In fact, I believe diverse sets of values are important, such as those cultivated by experiences abroad. A large number of foreign nationals are actually active members of our development division, and we'll continue to actively make progress with regard to diversity. By working together with fans of Japanese media content, I believe we can make a game aimed at people around the world.

A lot of our team members have a sixth sense for what fans are looking for, which has stemmed from their own personal experiences. I'd also say that people who take pride in their unrivaled love for something or have unparalleled knowledge about something are quite similar. They tend to be strong in entertainment industry work, and it's a pleasure to speak with them. We'd be grateful if anyone like that applied to us, as we've arranged a workplace environment that gives everyone the confidence to express their opinions.

For our game development going forward, we'll require various inputs from a global perspective and to have a heightened perspective of the larger framework. It will be a tremendous challenge for SEGA as a whole, so we welcome adventurous and inquisitively-minded people with open arms. If you share our desire to make games for a worldwide audience, there's no better stage for you to demonstrate your skills than at SEGA now. We've prepared a place for everyone to challenge themselves on a global scale, and we're waiting for you.