Sega is celebrating Sonic the Hedgehog's 30th Anniversary with a live stream dedicated to highlighting what's next for the Blue Blur.
During the live stream, hosted by Sonic voice actor Roger Craig Smith, who was previously thought to have stepped away from the role, Sega ran through everything Sonic fans can expect in the next year. Arguably the biggest announcement of the showcase, Sega revealed Sonic Colours Ultimate, an HD remaster of the fan-favorite Wii game. The game will launch for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC on Sept. 7.
Sonic Colors Ultimate will include upscaled visuals, redesigned controls and a new game mode. The game costs $39.99 and dedicated fans will be able to purchase a Digital Deluxe Edition that includes bonus cosmetics and music remixes. Players who purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition will also be able to play the game on Sept. 3.
A compilation of Sonic the Hedgehog's classic games, known as Sonic Origins was also announced. Collecting all of Sonic's original 2D games, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic 3 and Knuckles and Sonic CD, Sega didn't reveal too much about what else the collection will include or how these games will be presented but did reveal that the game will launch in 2022. This is likely the collection that was earlier leaked.
The stream also highlighted the upcoming Sonic Prime Netflix animated series. Showrunner Joe Kelly promised a "fun and exciting" series for viewers of all ages. Sonic Prime will premiere worldwide in 2022 and will feature 24 episodes in the show's first season.
Sega dotted the showcase with several smaller announcements, including Sonic's inclusion in the upcoming Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - The Official Video Game, a two-part animated series titled Sonic Colors: Rise of the Wisps various in-game events for mobile games Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, Sonic Dash and Sonic Racing.
The most unexpected announcement of the showcase was saved for last as Sega dropped a teaser trailer for a new game from Sonic Team. The very brief teaser trailer doesn't reveal much beyond the possible art style of the game. This new mainline entry in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise will launch in 2022 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Sega promised more announcements throughout the year and closed the showcase by thanking fans for their dedication and support of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Source: Sega