NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 25: American rapper, songwriter, and actor (1971-1996) Tupac Shakur poses for a portrait at the 1994 Source Awards held at the Paramount Theater on April 25, 1994 in New York, New York. (Photo by Bob Berg/Getty Images)
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On Friday, SEGA announced major new additions to its upcoming action-adventure title Stranger Than Heaven. Late hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur is a character in the game, and Sega of America and RGG Studios want everyone to know that no AI was used to bring the rapper/actor to the video game screen.
Summary of important facts
- Game: Stranger Than Heaven (RGG Studio / SEGA), prequel to the long-gone Like a Dragon
- Published: Summer Game Fest 2026, June 5th
- Tupac’s role: A character named Amal
- Release Date: January 15, 2027 — First day on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Game Pass
- SEGA’s stance: Estate approved, no AI
Who will Tupac play in Stranger Than Heaven?
Tupac’s character in STH is named Amal, which is the rapper’s real name. Although Sega hasn’t released many details about Tupac’s role, the announcement garnered worldwide attention.
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The choice of name is important, as Tupac was born Tupac Amaru Shakur, and SEGA says more details about the character will be provided later. He appears as one of the real-world figures in a star-studded cast that includes Japanese actors alongside Snoop Dogg, his son Cordell Broadus, and the late Bunta Sugawara, and his likeness also features a living actor providing the voice.
Did Stranger Than Heaven use AI for Tupac?
no.
SEGA appears to have wanted to distance itself from AI content circulating around the world depicting deceased celebrities, including Tupac. There is a strong feeling that such content is offensive, given that the family of the deceased has no say in how their loved one is portrayed.
Sega said in a statement that Amal’s portrayal was done with the permission and continued oversight of Tupac’s estate, Amal Entertainment, and that the studio was committed to “paying the utmost respect to his legacy” and constructed his design from archival footage and photographs rather than generative tools.
Snoop Dogg and Cordell Broadus, who appear in the game, said on stage that the estate, their families and they work closely together, so Tupac’s involvement was a natural fit.
When is the release date of Stranger Than Heaven?
STH’s release date is set for January 15, 2027, almost two months after Grand Theft Auto 6. To be honest, I’m not sure if there’s enough space.
Platform-wise, the game is coming to PS5, Xbox Series The film also holds real weight for longtime fans as a distant prequel to the Like a Dragon series, the same universe that opened in a crowded window just behind Grand Theft Auto 6 and gave the studio its reputation.
Read more about the biggest games of 2026 and 2027:
Why is Tupac’s appearance so controversial?
Whenever there is a depiction of a deceased person, concerns of exploitation arise. But this is a little different considering his estate was involved in this recreation of Tupac’s likeness. That doesn’t mean everyone will be cool to see this rapper recreated in a video game, but we’ll soon see how fans will react on a large scale.
The split was immediate, as much of social media and a few critics framed the move as a kind of digital resurrection that the dead couldn’t agree with, with Tupac trending for the wrong reasons. SEGA’s rebuttal is a paper trail itself, relying on real estate company approval and an AI-free process as evidence that the integration was carefully handled, and it places the game squarely in the growing debate over how real artist likenesses are used in titles.
