Going Forward to Unveil the Nature of γ Cas Analogs

The star γ Cas and its analogs are a subset of Be stars that display particularly hard and bright thermal X-ray emission, which has no equivalent among other massive stars. Here, I will review their characteristics and present the latest results of our optical and X-ray monitoring campaigns, including an assessment of the links between the circumstellar environment and the high-energy properties. Possible scenarios to explain this phenomenon will be presented in light of these observational results.