Tupac Shakur Is In A Video Game, And It's Not A.I.

InnovationGamingTupac Shakur Is In A Video Game, And It's Not A.I.ByBrian Mazique,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Brian Mazique has covered combat sports and video games since 2011.Follow AuthorJun 05, 2026, 08:46pm EDTNEW YORK, NY - APRIL 25: American rapper, songwriter, and actor (1971-1996) Tupac Shakur poses for a portrait during the 1994 Source Awards on April 25, 1994 at the Paramount Theatre in New York, New York. (Photo by Bob Berg/Getty Images)Getty ImagesOn Friday, SEGA announced a major new addition to its upcoming action-adventure title, Stranger Than Heaven. Deceased hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur is a character in the game, and both SEGA of America and RGG Studio want everyone to know there's no A.I. used to bring the rapper/actor to the video game screen.Key Facts at a GlanceGame: Stranger Than Heaven (RGG Studio / SEGA), a distant Like a Dragon prequelReveal: Summer Game Fest 2026, June 5Tupac's role: a character named AmaruRelease date: January 15, 2027 — PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, day one on Game PassSEGA's stance: estate-approved, no A.I. usedWho Does Tupac Play in Stranger Than Heaven?Tupac's character in STH is named Amaru, which is the rapper's given name. SEGA isn't sharing a ton of details on Tupac's role, but the reveal caught the world's attention.Play Puzzles & Games on ForbesFEATURED | Frase ByForbes™Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The PhrasePlay NowPinpoint By LinkedinGuess The CategoryPlay NowQueens By LinkedinCrown Each RegionPlay NowCrossclimb By LinkedinUnlock A Trivia LadderPlay NowThe name choice is pointed, as Tupac was born Tupac Amaru Shakur, and SEGA says more about the character will come later. He arrives as one of several real-world figures in a star-studded cast that includes Snoop Dogg, his son Cordell Broadus and a deep bench of Japanese actors, alongside the late Bunta Sugawara, whose likeness also appears with a living actor pr...