Sega reports female fans drive 60-70% of Like a Dragon merchandise sales

Sega executive Shuji Utsumi has revealed that female fans are driving a significant portion of merchandise sales for the ‘Like a Dragon’ (formerly Yakuza) franchise. According to Utsumi, approximately 60% to 70% of all ‘Like a Dragon’ related products are purchased by women.

Notably, many of these consumers have never actually played the video game series. Instead, they have become familiar with the stories of characters such as Kazuma Kiryu and Ichiban Kasuga through platforms like YouTube. This trend highlights the growing importance of ‘transmedia’ strategies, where a gaming brand expands its reach through books, comics, films, and other physical goods to engage audiences beyond the core player base.