Sega announced that it had received an Intellectual Property Award from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. The Japanese government acknowledged the game company’s efforts to protect its trademarks and copyrights by giving this award.
The ministry cited three reasons for giving the Intellectual Property Award to Sega. Its legal IP division members also work in the parent company Sega Sammy Holdings, allowing them to manage all trademarks in the Sega Sammy group efficiently. Additionally, the company has been aggressively giving warnings and lawsuits against its copyright infringements in China and other countries.
The Japanese government also noticed Sega’s enhanced legal portfolio for protecting its brands. The company has registered approximately 1,900 trademarks related to Sonic the Hedgehog in 90 countries. It also made copyright guidelines to prevent UFO Catcher and Purikura photo booths—both included in its trademark list—from becoming common terms.
Sonic the Hedgehog has been a flagship franchise of Sega’s ever since it released the inaugural title on Sega Genesis in 1991. It worked with Paramount Pictures to produce Sonic the Hedgehog live-action movies. The second movie is available in Western theatres and will appear in Japan on August 19, 2022.
Sega is also developing a new game titled Sonic Frontiers. The company will release it worldwide for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC in the 2022 holiday season.
