It’s probably a sign of the times, what with E3 2020 and Gamescom 2020’s physical expos both being cancelled, but SEGA Japan is going to be attending a virtual games event later this month. In VRChat. No, we don’t really know why, either.
‘Virtual Market 4’ is a Japanese expo where “visitors can freely try on, appreciate, and purchase 3D avatars and 3D models”. The goal of Virtual Market, apparently, is “to develop and enrich the virtual space” – and SEGA will be representing there with some of its legacy game series.
At SEGA’s official Virtual Market booth, you can purchase 3D models of characters from Virtua Fighter and Space Channel 5. Free 3D model t-shirts are being given away for free to celebrate the company’s 60th Anniversary as well.
While there’s nothing Sonic-related up for grabs here, it seems, we figured this was a pretty random thing for SEGA to get involved in. VRChat is a pretty popular app, full of 3D avatars shouting memes at each other, so maybe there’ll be some people out there who’d be happy to throw obscenities about while dressed up as Ulala instead.
If you’re interested, the event starts on April 29 and ends on May 10.
Happy birthday 60th Sega!!!
It’s not random for SEGA to get involved with VRChat’s expo, except to the author of a poorly written article that wasn’t researched. Anyone who’s spent 2 minutes in The Pug and walked up on a Ugandan Knuckles screaming obscenities can see a correlation between SEGA and VRChat.
There’s no correlation. Just because a meme exists unofficially using one of SEGA’s characters in VRChat, doesn’t mean that SEGA would work with VRChat. If anything, that Knuckles meme would be a good reason for SEGA to formally stay as far away as possible.
…your lack of cordiality aside, the rise of a global pandemic and an increasing interest in VR, a tool that can be used to provide immersive social interaction during a time of social isolation is probably a more logical incentive for SEGA to put the effort into holding a virtual booth in VRChat than a racist meme.
But if you think any corporation would like to associate themselves with something like that, then that’s on you.