YEAR 2021
Sonic Frontiers, the latest addition to the Sonic series, set to be released in winter 2022!
SEGA actively promotes a mix of global media campaigns including the new Sonic the Hedgehog movie sequel made in partnership with Paramount Pictures
COMPANY
SEGA CORPORATION (hereinafter SEGA) announced at The Game Awards 2021 in Los Angeles on December 10 (December 9 in PST) that Sonic Frontiers, the lastest game featuring one of SEGA’s most beloved characters, Sonic the Hedgehog (hereinafter Sonic), will be released for PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Nintendo SwitchTM, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC in winter of 2022. Sonic Frontiers will be the latest game in the Sonic series, and will be available in multiple languages for a simultaneous worldwide release.
Beyond the gaming sphere, SEGA has also undertaken various global media endeavors related to the Sonic series such as the release of movies, an anime, new music and merchandise, gaining many new fans all over the world in the process. In future, SEGA intends to expand its game lineup with the release of Sonic Frontiers as a start, and aims to further develop the Sonic IP by strengthening its global media mix.
At The Game Awards 2021, the brand new trailer for the Hollywood film Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Japanese title: Sonic the Movie: Sonic VS Knuckles) was unveiled as it gears up for a worldwide release on March 31, 2022. (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is set to be released on April 8, 2022 in the U.S., with the movie being released in summer 2022 in Japan).
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is the sequel to the original Sonic the Hedgehog movie (Japanese title: Sonic the Movie), which set a U.S. box office record for becoming the highest grossing film based on a video game in history. As in the first Sonic movie, SEGA serves as a co-producer for the film, with its subsdiary, MARZA ANIMATION PLANET INC., handling the production of CG animation elements. The film’s cast includes Ben Schwartz as Sonic (English version), James Marsden as Sheriff Tom, and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, as well as Idris Elba as Knuckles the Echidna (English version), who has also starred in the Thor franchise and action movies such as Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. As a film offering classic, fun-filled entertainment for all ages, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is already receiving an even more positive response than the original movie.
A new full-length animated series, SONIC PRIME, produced in partnership with WildBrain, is also set to premiere worldwide on Netflix in 2022. With a total of 24 episodes planned to be released, SEGA and Wildbrain are working hard to offer not only Sonic fans but people of all ages a top-quality animated experience of almost unprecedented scale.
As 2021 marks Sonic the Hedgehog’s 30th anniversary, Sonic also joined forces with one of the world's most popular EDM artists, Steve Aoki, a DJ and music producer, to host a virtual live concert. In addition to partnering with the band DREAMS COME TRUE, a Japanese music duo beloved by fans of all ages, Sonic has also collaborated with some of the world's most popular games such as Minecraft, Fall Guys, and Monster Hunter Rise.
As part of its mid- to long-term growth strategy, SEGA has adopted the terms "global" and "IP utilization" as its keywords, and will continue to offer entertainment that game fans around the world can enjoy through its wealth of beloved IP and strong game development capabilities. Please stay tuned for more updates as SEGA’s Sonic-related content continues to accelarate all over the world!
Outline of SEGA’s Mix of Global Media Promotions for Sonic the Hedgehog
■Game:
Sonic Frontiers, the latest high-velocity, open-zone action adventure game in the Sonic series, is set to be released in winter 2022. The official teaser site was released to the public today, offering never-before-seen graphics that show sprawling natural landscapes. In the teaser trailer, which was also released today, viewers were able to take a peek at the new game environment for Sonic Frontiers, revealing a vast field dotted with what looks like mysterious ruins and something big...
We hope that all Sonic fans will enjoy a brand-new adventure, the likes of which have never been seen before in the Sonic universe!
Teaser trailer: Sonic Frontiers
■Movie:
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Japanese title: Sonic the Movie: Sonic VS Knuckles) is the sequel to the blockbuster Hollywood movie Sonic the Hedgehog (Japanese title: Sonic the Movie), and is set to be released worldwide on March 31, 2022. (Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is set to be released on April 8, 2022 in the U.S., whereas in Japan, the movie will be released in summer 2022). The film is produced by Paramount Pictures and SEGA, directed by Jeff Fowler, and written by Patrick Casey and Josh Miller, with the cast including voice actor Ben Schwartz as Sonic, James Marsden as Sheriff Tom, and Jim Carrey as Sonic’s arch nemesis Dr. Robotnik. Released on February 14, 2020 in the U.S., and on June 26, 2020 in Japan, the first Sonic film, Sonic the Hedgehog (Japanese title: Sonic the Movie), broke the previous box-office record held by Pokémon Detective Pikachu despite the global impact of COVID-19. The film grossed over $146 million at the box office in the U.S., the highest ever for a movie based on a video game and has become a worldwide blockbuster with global box-office revenue exceeding $315 million.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
Movie trailer: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
▲Stills from the original Sonic the Hedgehog movie
■Anime:
SEGA's U.S. subsidiary, Sega of America, Inc. is collaborating with Netflix and the Canadian children’s entertainment company WildBrain to produce a new animated series, SONIC PRIME, which is set to premiere worldwide on Netflix in 2022. The series will contain 24 episodes jam-packed with Sonic’s new adventures as the world’s most beloved supersonic hedgehog. The series will be animated at WildBrain’s Vancouver studio, with SEGA and WildBrain partnering to handle the show’s production, distribution and licensing. In addition, the U.S. creative studio Man of Action Entertainment, known for its Academy Award-winning film Big Hero 6 and popular TV series like Ben 10, will serve as the showrunner and executive producer for the series.
■Music:
As part of Sonic’s 30th anniversary celebrations, SEGA teamed up with Steve Aoki, a world-renowned EDM artist, DJ and producer, to hold a virtual live concert on Aoki's birthday on November 30 (December 1 in JST). Set in the world of the Sonic series as an immersive virtual experience, fans were transported to the iconic stages, Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant Zone. The 60 minute set featured original songs by Steve Aoki as well as remixed versions of popular Sonic tracks, all while making a splash on social media in both Japan and abroad.
■Merchandising:
SEGA also collaborated with the streetwear brand STRAY RATS, established by the designer Julian Consuegra from Miami, Florida to create a limited-edition capsule collection of streetwear and kidswear for release in the US, combining Sonic's impact on retro fashion subculture with cutting-edge design. As such, the collab has swelled in popularity among young people in the U.S. (not released in Japan).
■About Sonic the Hedgehog:
Sonic The Hedgehog was originally released in 1991 as a game for the MEGA DRIVE console (named the SEGA Genesis in the U.S.), with 2021 marking the 30th anniversary since Sonic’s first ever appearance. The total number of game copies and digital downloads of the Sonic series has exceeded 1.38 billion as of 2021. In 2020, the movie Sonic the Hedgehog (Japanese title: Sonic the Movie) made over $146 million at the U.S. box office, making it the highest grossing movie based on a video game in history.
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