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Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg to Star in New SEGA Game ‘Stranger Than Heaven’

May 20, 2026

Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur are set to make a high-profile appearance as characters in SEGA’s upcoming video game, Stranger Than Heaven. The hip-hop icons were revealed as part of an expansive cast list announced this week by developer RGG Studio.

In a move that has generated significant industry buzz, Tupac Shakur will appear posthumously as the character Amaru, with full authorization from his estate. Meanwhile, Snoop Dogg is slated to portray a newly developed character named Orpheus. Stranger Than Heaven is positioned as a historical prequel to the long-running, critically acclaimed Japanese franchise Like A Dragon (formerly known as Yakuza) and is currently scheduled for a worldwide release on January 15, 2027.

The game’s cast is notably diverse, featuring performances from Snoop Dogg’s son, Cordell Broadus, alongside vocal talents Ado, Tori Kelly, and Satoshi Fujihara. They will join a prominent Japanese ensemble, including Takashi Ukaji, Yu Shirota, Dean Fujioka, and Moeka Hoshi. Additionally, the late cinematic icon Bunta Sugawara will make a posthumous appearance as the character Genzo Iwaki, also with the formal permission of his family estate.

While details regarding gameplay remain sparse, it is currently unclear if characters other than the protagonist, Makoto Daito—played by Yu Shirota—will be playable in the third-person action title.

“The Tupac estate and my son and myself, we work very closely together. So it just made sense to put him in this game, because his likeness and his spirit still lives on, I just felt like it was so connected to what we’re doing.” — Snoop Dogg

SEGA has addressed the sensitivity surrounding the inclusion of the late rapper. In a statement reported by NME, the studio emphasized, “RGG Studio is treating this integration with the utmost respect for his legacy, crafting every aspect in close collaboration and without the use of AI, including his character design based on archival footage and photographs.”

Beyond their roles as characters, Snoop Dogg, Tori Kelly, Satoshi Fujihara, and Ado have collaborated on the official theme song for Stranger Than Heaven. Fans can preview the track in the game’s first trailer, which was released earlier this May.