Report: SEGA Japan Plans To Turn Sonic into a VTuber, Wants to Open a Sonic Theme Park

We’re not ones to push rumours and hearsay on the blue blur’s birthday, but according to a frequent Famitsu and Weekly Shonen Jump leaker, SEGA Japan appears to have plans to turn Sonic the Hedgehog into a VTuber.

Japanese game magazine insider Ryokutya2089 attributes a quote to SEGA art director Kazuyuki Hoshino, stating that the company is planning a new broadcast project which will involve a virtual Sonic the Hedgehog playing games and responding to fans live. He hopes that this will give fans the opportunity to “communicate with Sonic in real-time.”

For those who aren’t aware of the growing trend (mostly forming in Japanese internet circles), a VTuber is essentially a “virtual YouTuber” – a fictional character that streams video games and communicates directly to fans. A real actor performs as the avatar behind the scenes, giving the appearance of a living, breathing cartoon character on screen.

Hoshino also reportedly states that SEGA wants to open a Sonic the Hedgehog theme park, due to the success of the Paramount Sonic movie. That would follow in Nintendo’s footsteps, with the Mario game company already working with Universal Studios Japan to launch Super Nintendo World.

It’s worth pointing out that so far the source of Hoshino’s quotes are not known. Siliconera reckons that, because Ryokutya2089 has revealed information from upcoming Famitsu and Weekly Shonen Jump magazines in the past, it’s possible that the quote comes from Famitsu’s upcoming Sonic 30th Anniversary column (a preview of which can be seen here). So, what we’re saying is take this with a pinch of salt – although it’s unlikely why someone would lie about something as strange as this.

Many thanks to VisionaryofSUPER for the tip-off with this story!