"Hold me and tell me everything will be OK"

SEGA Europe has closed regional offices in Spain, Germany, France, Benelux and Australia as it changes focus from retail to digital.

SEGA Europe will now shift its priorities to developing new and existing digital content while its retail games will stick to established IP like Sonic the Hedgehog, Aliens, Football Manager and Total War, as revealed back in March.

In recent years SEGA's original IP has struggled outside of Japan. Critically acclaimed games such as Vanquish and Valkyria Chronicles haven't found the sales their quality deserved, and its recent releases on Nintendo platforms like Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure and CRUSH3D haven't fared too well either.

SEGA Europe's chief operating officer Jurgen Post told MCV:

You have to embrace the new world, and you can’t continue doing everything like you were doing it in the past. If you only stick to what you know, you will have a very short success.

Here's hoping this realignment means SEGA's still in the game for many years to come, and our best wishes to all those affected by the office closures.

SEGA REVIEWS THEIR EUROPEAN STRUCTURE

Distribution partners in place across Europe

LONDON – 28th June 2012 – SEGA® Europe today confirmed that as a result of the recent restructure it will be shifting business to focus on developing new and existing digital content as well as driving key IP for packaged goods. SEGA has therefore realigned its business strategy and will be closing their offices in France, Germany, Spain, Australia and Benelux.

Koch Media have been appointed to assist SEGA with distribution across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France and Spain of packaged goods, Level03 Distribution and 5 Star Games will assist with distribution across Benelux and Australia respectively which will be implemented from the 1st July 2012.

All other territories will continue to be run through the same channels as before, and along with Koch, Level03 and 5 Star, will be managed through the SEGA Europe Headquarters based in London.

“SEGA is entering a new and exciting phase that will position the company as a content led organisation maximising sales with strong and balanced IP such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Total War, Football Manager and the Aliens franchise”, commented Jurgen Post, COO of SEGA Europe. “The company will benefit from a clear focus and realigned strategy for our digital business and packaged goods and we are confident that this will lead to a successful future.”

SEGA will continue the sales, marketing and distribution of London 2012™ - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games which will be launched on the 28th June in Australia and the 29th June across Europe for PC, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.