If you’ve been bouncing around internet rumours the past few weeks, you may have heard of a company called ‘Panovation Studios’, a brand new games developer that was reportedly creating an “online Sonic the Hedgehog RPG”.
But the confusion is finally cleared, as Panovation Studios have shut down their online website – the “unofficial-but-official” Sonic the Hedgehog online RPG was never in development.
The Sonic Stadium contacted Mark Greig, chairman of Panovation, for a statement after noticing the studio website had been taken completely offline for several days. According to Greig, the Sonic Online RPG was a complete fabrication by “somebody” that has yet to be caught. It would appear that whoever started these mass rumours played on the studio’s history to make it sound more believeable. Continue reading Panovation Not Making Sonic MMO
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Sega of America have recently made some slight changes to their Sonic Gems Collection page, nothing particularly noteworthy other than the following tidbit that caught our eye.
Sonic the Fighters™
Join Sonic and your favorite cast of Sonic characters in this action-filled 3D arcade fighting game. Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Espio, Fang, Bean and Bark battle it out with Dr. Robotnik and the evil Metal Sonic in head-to-head or team battles. Get ready to rumble….Sonic style!
Team battles in Sonic the Fighters, one of the first new enhancements (and hopefully the first of many) to be revealed as an addition to feature in Sonic Gems Collection.
Stay with SONIC NEWS for more Sonic Gems Collection information.
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When it comes to Sonic merchandise, things have been pretty tough down under, that was, until the recent release of Sonic X on DVD, which it seems has paved the way for more Sonic merchandise such us the soon to be on sale Sonic X figures.
Moose Toys, a company that deals primarily with craft and somewhat abstract toys have picked up the rights to redistribute the figures which are currently on sale already in the US and UK.
Slated for simply a June release, the toys should be available soon from all major toy retailers with no RRP specified yet.
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In Australia, to celebrate Sonic’s 14th Birthday, the Australian Center for the Moving Image dedicated an exhibit for Sonic the Hedgehog, and the fanbase that surrounded it. The Sonic Stadium was invited for a special opening event, and we have obtained exclusive pictures and information on just what went down.
Our three TSS Reporters for the event, “julz_sega_bob”, “chibi_sonic” and Matt the Yak (of Sonic Vegemite fame) detail their discoveries and opinions on the SSMB Forums.
Julz commented on the Games Area of the exhibit, mentioning the profiling of fansites such as The Sonic Stadium and mutual chums The Green Hill Zone. “The movies contained clippings of someone going through the site, along with a narrative. It was quite hard to get the narrative in video, but from what I heard, it gave a pretty detailed description. It was accurate, showed main areas and didn’t babble off.” Continue reading ACMI: Sonic Exhibit Report
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With the amount of money spent on video games, and being home to two of the biggest gaming developers in the world, you’d be forgiven for thinking the UK was actually a third-world country when it comes to the industry. Particularly for Sonic merchandise, where material on the blue blur besides games have all but dried up in comparison to other countries.
One of the biggest conspiracy theories was regarding the lack of a domestic release of the Sonic X cartoon on DVD. Despite having DVD releases in Australia and Holland as long as eight months ago, there had been no word in the (regular, brown) hedgehog haven that is Britain. Continue reading UK Sonic X DVDs
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Ben Hurst, writer for the Sonic [SatAM] and Sonic Underground television series, is to make an online appearance at the Sonic Amateur Games Expo on July 3rd.
The Sonic Amateur Games Expo is an event you should all have heard of by now. It’s a completely online event that showcases Sonic the Hedgehog fangames. Indeed, the most popular fangames have made their debut at SAGE – or at least got popular that way – including Sonic Robo Blast 2 and Chaos Control. Continue reading SAGE: Ben Hurst Appearance
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Following from our initial report a while back on Video Games Live – the touring concert dedicated to video game music in America – the team have provided us with more tour dates available. Those who can’t get a seat at the debut concert at the Hollywood Bowl in LA can catch it a little closer to home, with events in Boston, Detroit, Dallas and many other places.
You can catch their latest tour dates on their website, at http://www.videogameslive.com/.
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I promised some concrete information, and here we go – unfortunately we have some interesting news, some exciting news and some bad news =P
First of all, SAGE. The event will run from 3rd – 9th July, TSS will be there fully supporting the thing. Just to clarify to those who don’t know, SAGE is NOT a physical event. It’s not located in America, or the UK, or whatever. It’s all ONLINE. So attending is free, all you need is access to teh internets. Which you obviously have, innit.
Second of all, Sonic Site Awards 2005. Solids: The event will begin the week AFTER SAGE, so’s not to clash with the event. The awards will be broken up into bitesize categories (we’re getting way too many to just simply list now), which also allows for a special “category” regarding the newly-born Sonic Elite Awards. There will be categories including brand new awards, involving SSMB awards, SSN awards, and a special category in association with Sonic Fan Games HQ and SAGE. Hopefully SSA attention will also head to SFGHQ/SAGE and rejuvenate the fangame community somewhat. ClawtheEchog is helping me out organising the SSMB awards (they will be carefully created).
Thirdly, some bad news, regarding the SEGASonic Radio purchasable CD of The Sonic Hour: Season One. We are nowhere near compiling the files for CD Quality, so you will not be able to buy it for now I’m afraid. Give it a week or two – AlextheGreat made a point of making the music high quality stereo, which to achieve is easier said than done… The 11kHz recording is slower than a standard 44kHz music file, so the only way to do this is to re-record the entire broadcast with high quality music instead. The recordings of our voices are unfortunately quite weak in comparison to the high quality music on the CD, but that is something we really cannot help, unless you want us to remake the entire series (NOT going to happen, guys =P). So yeah, currently re-recording some 9+ hours of TSH content for your delectation, so we hope you can wait a bit longer.
Operation Grandslam is coming along great – I’ve just been designing and thinking of ideas TSS Accounts could be manipulated in terms of what can be added. Maybe you’ll have a chance to use your Account to gloat to your friends…
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If there’s anyone in the industry who has an eye for new gadgets and consoles like some sort of deranged magpie, it’s Yuji Naka, head of Sonic Team. The last few years has had his team shift Sonic and Puyo Pop onto almost every console imaginable, and certainly every new one. He’s also one to be quite close to Nintendo, being tea chums with Miyamoto-san.
In the latest issue of Famitsu, Naka-san has gone on record to comment on the next generation line of consoles, not surprisingly. He admits he is very interested with the Nintendo Revolution, expressing excitement over the surprise the controller may bring, and even the downloads aspect: Continue reading Yuji Naka – Loves Everyone
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Earlier today IGN published an article disclosing what sources close to them indicate will be the hidden games to be featured as unlockable bonuses. The games rumored to be appearing include the classic Genesis/Mega Drive Streets of Rage series, a port of SEGA’s classic Bonanza Brothers and additional titles undisclosed at this point in time.
Sonic Gems Collection is expected to launch later this year on Playstation 2 and GameCube. At this point in time SEGA have also announced in the US the title will be a GameCube exclusive, however have not yet specified if this also applies to the games PAL release.
Stay with SONIC NEWS for the newest information on Sonic Gems Collection.
Thanks to Okura from SSMB for the link.
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How’s it going, chaps? Exams are all over for me, so it’s onto a fully packed Summer we have for you. We got “lots” of content to hand you over the next few weeks, as well as coverage on SAGE and the ACMI Sonic Exhibit (of which TSS is being profiled in) and the Sonic Site Awards 2005 in July… and let’s not forget our roundup of the season in September when we bring you a “TSS In Tokyo” special, wherein I will be taking my first real proper holiday since beginning this site – in Japan. Since most of my tourings will be gaming, SEGA and Sonic related, it’ll do no harm to record my journey here when I return. And that’s not even going into The Sonic Stadium’s FIFTH birthday in October…
If that wasn’t enough, we’re hard at work pumping out what we’re calling “Operation Grandslam”. Those with a historical eye will remember two years ago, I started this very same project and announced it as the Sonic Smash Cards. This is still the case, but there are now more elements in the mix that justifies the mystery of this regeneration project. It’s going to be a lot of fun, let me tell you.
So, expect stuff and stuff to be added tomorrow, and details on SAGE and the Sonic Site Awards ’05 sometime on Friday or during the weekend. It’s an exciting summer season, so stick with TSS.
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Sonic fans in America and Japan have been getting the dedicated Sonic micro-site treatment from SEGA as of late, and Europe has just seen the launch of their own official “Sonic City” source.
Unfortunately, the micro-site isn’t very respective of monitor resolutions – 1024×768 is required, but 1152×864 is apparently the size for optimum surfing. Design-wise, it doesn’t lend much to Sonic the Hedgehog at all, aside from the somewhat iconic corkscrew feature around the city heights. In fact, you wouldn’t even believe it was a SEGA or Sonic site if the corporate logos weren’t present (depending on your resolution of course). Continue reading Europe: Sonic City Goes Live
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All the major upcoming Sonic releases will be displayed to the Japanese public at the next generation World Hobby Fair, SEGA have revealed on their official ‘Sonic Channel’ website.
As with all gaming events in Japan, lucky showgoers will be treated to special hands-on test plays of Sonic Gems Collection, Sonic Rush and Shadow the Hedgehog. Free gifts will be showered upon visitors too, and the appearance is testament to SEGA’s further pushing of the blue blur. Continue reading Sonic Channel Updated
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It’s very nearly been three months since SONIC NEWS returned to the TSS Network with a fresh new vibe, new look and a new team of dedicated Sonic reporters. We’ve done our best to bring you the best, unbiased news on Sonic the Hedgehog as quick as possible.
We would now like to hear what you think of the SONIC NEWS service. Do you think that since March 11th, the website has delivered in providing the latest updates on the official and fan Sonic universes? Do you feel there is any room for improvement in our service? Continue reading SONIC NEWS Shoutout!
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Some days ago TSS reported on a confirmed Sonic online project, although it was not to be revealed by SEGA or SONICTEAM, but rather a small starting company called Panovation Studios.
A special interview on the SEGA Boards, a complete denial of a project existing by SEGA themselves and masses of rumours fired up by fans turned what was assumed as an “official” title to be slammed as nothing more than vapourware, and even stating that such a project does not exist. Continue reading Sonic ORPG: Panovation Explained
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A member from the SEGA Forums has managed to talk to Panovation Studios, who are apparently working on an online game of Sonic the Hedgehog.
SEGA Forums member “Mondo-Cool” secured an online interview with Mark Greig, “Head Founder” of Panovation Studios, and the result is a confirmation from a incredibly unknown developer that they are legitimately creating an online Sonic title. Greig made distinct comments on the project – which could mean the game is well in development – including the notion that it will be an “Online Sonic RPG”, and not a “Sonic MMORPG”. Bizarre in itself. A small portion of what Mark said is below: Continue reading Online Sonic Game ‘confirmed’
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Australia is set to have a nice surprise come Sonic’s birthday – an official SEGA exhibit all about Sonic the Hedgehog! And leading fan website, The Sonic Stadium, is being profiled as an example of Sonic fan culture at the event.
The exhibit, taking place and organised by the Australian Center for the Moving Image (ACMI) will be the second ever video games event the establishment has held, and is fully supported by SEGA-Europe and THQ Australia, who distribute SEGA games in the land down under.
In an agreement between ACMI and The Sonic Stadium, video footage will be recorded of this website, with added voiceovers and information detailing what the site provides in context of fan culture, and displayed in a special section of the Sonic the Hedgehog exhibit. It will be accompanied by a text panel discussing the fan culture surrounding Sonic the Hedgehog, which mentions fangame development such as the popular ‘Neo Sonic Universe’.
Continue reading The Sonic Stadium in Official SEGA Exhibit
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A special music concert playing in the US this summer focuses completely on Video Game compositions, and Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the series to be included.
‘Video Games Live’ is a touring concert series that is made up of video game composers, and will be playing a mixture of classic themes from a range of influential computer game series, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, Halo, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy and even Pong and Donkey Kong. The concert series will begin its tour in the States at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles (CA) on Wednesday 6th July, and will be hitting various hotspots in the US over the course of the summer.
The composers of the event are video game music maestros themselves, with co-creators Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall having made music for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Earthworm Jim and Jade Empire, Splinter Cell respectively.
Continue reading Sonic Music to Feature in US Concert
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Blimey, it’s almost as if one event ends (E3) and another one is about to begin. I’m talking, of course, about the Sonic Amateur Games Expo (SAGE), of which The Sonic Stadium is proudly supporting alongside a roster of other Sonic sites. For those who don’t know, SAGE is like the E3 of Sonic Fangames. Interested in making a fangame? Join the Workshops and Tutorials. Wanna play some fangames? Come along, see the booths. Seeings as it’s all a part to help the fangaming community grow, TSS as well as others like Sonic HQ are more than happy to help spread awareness of this fab event.
However, TSS is also doing special things with the people behind SAGE and SFGHQ – specfically, I’m working closely with Smidge to help get awareness for SAGE as broad as possible, alongside other great plans. SFGHQ and SAGE, I can announce today, will also have a special Category in this year’s Sonic Site Awards event also (SSA-05 will, incidentally, take place a week after the SAGE event).
SAGE is plodding along for a good launch in early July. Hopefully you won’t be able to move without hearing the SAGE name – if you haven’t tried fangames, I suggest you do so at SFGHQ]. Seriously good stuff, and you can check out the SAGE happenings on TSS (yet again, TSS will exclusively cover the SAGE event this year) and the SAGE website itself:
http://www.sagexpo.org/
Go. Now. Play fangames.
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