Tupac Shakur as Amaru

SEGA says Tupac plays Amaru in Stranger Than Heaven, "a man living in hiding in Japan," a CG character RGG Studio built from archival footage and photographs with the permission and supervision of his estate, Amaru Entertainment, and without the use of AI. Amaru's voice, era and role had not been announced as of Nov 3, 2026.

10:33 Tupac Shakur is in Stranger Than Heaven as Amaru, an original character SEGA describes as "a man living in hiding in Japan" (SEGA cast page). SEGA announced the casting at Summer Game Fest on Jun 5, 2026, saying Tupac's portrayal is "made possible with the permission and ongoing supervision of his estate, Amaru Entertainment," and that RGG Studio is crafting the character in close collaboration with the estate "without the use of AI," with a design based on archival footage and photographs. Tupac died in 1996, and SEGA's Sep 25, 2026 character release lists Amaru's voice actor as TBA. The idea came from Snoop Dogg, who plays Orpheus, according to RGG Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama. The clip is IGN's Michael Higham in his Oct 21, 2026 preview, recalling that Yokoyama talked with Tupac's estate and family to get approval; the criticism in it is Higham's.

Quick facts

Character	Amaru, "a man living in hiding in Japan"
Credited	"Portrayed by Tupac" (SEGA cast page)
Announced	Jun 5, 2026, Summer Game Fest
Estate	Amaru Entertainment: permission and ongoing supervision
How he is made	CG from archival footage and photographs
AI	None, per SEGA, Yokoyama and producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto
Voice actor	TBA as of Nov 3, 2026
Era and role	Not announced as of Nov 3, 2026

Sources: SEGA, Jun 5, 2026; SEGA: cast page; SEGA's character release on Worthplaying, Sep 25, 2026.

What did SEGA say about Tupac in Stranger Than Heaven?

SEGA of America's Jun 5, 2026 release says RGG Studio is "treating this integration with the utmost respect for his legacy," crafting every aspect with the estate and without AI, and that "more details regarding his role will be shared at a later date" (SEGA). SEGA's Japanese release of Jun 8, 2026 adds that the character is built in CG. The "Tupac & Cast Reveal Trailer" was shown at the same Summer Game Fest show, where the Jan 15, 2027 release date was confirmed and pre-orders opened.

What did RGG Studio say?

7:36 Yokoyama told Game Informer on Jun 11, 2026 that the idea came from Snoop Dogg, after the team asked him who would suit a role. Of the aim he said, "We wanted to try to envision who Tupac might be now," and of the estate, "We wanted to have the family involved in every step along the way" (Game Informer). The clip is IGN's Michael Higham after Summer Game Fest 2026, recounting what Yokoyama told him about Snoop Dogg and the estate; the doubts in it are Higham's.

He told AUTOMATON on Jun 23, 2026 that Tupac was not planned at the start and was added in the latter half of development, after he became close with Snoop Dogg, who introduced RGG Studio to Tupac's family (AUTOMATON).

Did they use AI to make Tupac?

SEGA and RGG Studio say no. Producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto said at Gamescom 2026 that "no AI whatsoever was involved in this process" (PCGamesN, Sep 4, 2026), and Yokoyama said there is no generative AI in the game "at all" (PCGamesN, Jun 11, 2026). The game treats the late actor Bunta Sugawara the same way, as a CG character from archival material with his family's consent; see Genzo Iwaki.

Snoop Dogg on stage

Snoop Dogg and his son Cordell Broadus joined Yokoyama on stage at Summer Game Fest 2026. Snoop Dogg said of Tupac that "his likeness and his spirit still lives on," as CBC reported on Jun 13, 2026.

How the press reacted

These are the outlets' views and reports, not the makers' and not ours.

Kotaku's Ash Parrish criticized the idea of imagining who Tupac would be decades after his death, while crediting Yokoyama for being candid about the reasons; Kotaku cites an IGN interview in which Yokoyama called the casting "something that would add value to our game" (Kotaku, Jun 12, 2026).

CBC News framed it as Tupac being "digitally resurrected again," noted that Amaru is Tupac's real middle name and that no details of the role were revealed beyond it being an original character, and reported that the estate is controlled by music executive Tom Whalley, whom Tupac's sister sued in 2022 alleging embezzlement (CBC News, Jun 13, 2026).

Game Informer's player did not meet Amaru in the Summer Game Fest 2026 demo (Game Informer, Jun 11, 2026), and no preview through Oct 21, 2026 has described him.

What is not known

As of Nov 3, 2026, SEGA has not said who voices Amaru (listed as TBA), in which era or city he appears, how large the role is, or why he is in hiding in Japan. Anything beyond the cast page's single line is unannounced. See Characters and Cast and Five Eras and Cities.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tupac in Stranger Than Heaven? SEGA says Tupac plays Amaru, "a man living in hiding in Japan," in Stranger Than Heaven, made in CG from archival footage and photographs with his estate's permission.

Did Stranger Than Heaven use AI for Tupac? No, according to SEGA and RGG Studio: SEGA said the character is made "without the use of AI," and producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto repeated that at Gamescom 2026.

Who voices Amaru in Stranger Than Heaven? Not announced. SEGA's Sep 25, 2026 character release for Stranger Than Heaven lists Amaru's voice actor as TBA.

Why is Tupac in Stranger Than Heaven? Yokoyama said the idea came from Snoop Dogg, who plays Orpheus, and that RGG wanted to imagine "who Tupac might be now" with his family involved at every step.

Who approved Tupac's appearance in Stranger Than Heaven? His estate, Amaru Entertainment, which SEGA says gave permission and supervises the portrayal.

Is Amaru based on Tupac's real name? CBC News notes that Amaru is Tupac's real middle name. Stranger Than Heaven's Amaru is an original character, and SEGA has given no more of his story.