Welcome to the Archive site of The Sonic Stadium (2008-2023)
Please note that this site is no longer being updated or maintained; as a result, there may be design issues, and links to images and other media may be broken. Links to posts may redirect you to the same article on the current Sonic Stadium website.
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Today, in an announcement that the event will be partnering with IMAX, Summer Game Fest released a brief compilation trailer featuring a number of upcoming and released games. Among them was Sonic Frontiers, but before anybody gets too excited, no, it isn’t new footage:
At this time, we don’t exactly know if this is being shown as a confirmation of some games that will be there or to highlight games previously part of the Game Awards/Summer Game Fest ecosystem, so for the time being, we’re reporting this as rumor until we hear explicitly that it will be present. Other games shown in it include the already-released Elden Ring and Tiny Tina’s Wonderland, as well as the yet-unreleased One Piece Odyssey.
The event is scheduled for Thursday, June 9 at 11 AM PT, 2 PM ET, and 6PM GMT, and will be available streaming and in IMAX theaters in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.
This is the second time Frontiers has been given a significant spotlight within the broad Keighley-sphere. Late in 2021, The Game Awards premiered a teaser trailer that partially revealed the open world nature of the game alongside a trailer for Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2. SEGA’s remained tight-lipped on the game (despite a handful of leaks), and we’ve yet to see any actual gameplay footage of the Holiday 2022 title. Sonic’s presence at Summer Game Fest should hopefully clear up a few more lingering questions about the title.
Thanks to Dodger24848 for the news tip!
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For as polished as Sonic Unleashed’s graphics are, its biggest visual flaw is its framerate. The Xbox 360 version played at a mostly steady 24-30 (capped) FPS, while the PS3 version was worse for wear despite an uncapped framerate that would bring the game up to 48FPS on occasion, but dropping to 24FPS or below ruining the flow of the game.
In many ways, the game’s graphic-intensive “Hedgehog Engine” was a bit too ahead of its time. It couldn’t keep a steady 30 FPS on the most powerful system of that era. It would take 2011’s Sonic Generations to iron the kinks out. While the Werehog levels weren’t affected too much by the framerate, several daytime Sonic levels dropped frames horribly. Jungle Joyride became a slideshow at times. Now, in 2022, Sonic Unleashed’s full potential has been unlocked thanks to the Boost Mode on the Xbox Series S/X, bringing the game to a steady 60 FPS.
To me, this brought the game from a guilty pleasure to a legitimately good Sonic title. Sonic’s daytime levels run as smooth as silk, giving you better handling and control. Even the Werehog levels feel less cumbersome as Sonic now feels faster and more responsive. There seems to be less blur as well. The high framerate allows for a faster response time. I can honestly say I was actually enjoying the Werehog levels for a change.
That doesn’t mean the game’s old flaws aren’t still present. Medal collecting near the end game is still soul-crushing, the Werehog levels are still a bit too long, and having the camera suddenly change position when you’re balancing across a steel beam is still as irritating as ever. That said, if you love this style of Sonic gameplay, it’s never looked or played better than it does on Series S/X.
The Series S/X boost mode also improves other Sonic titles as well. Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed gets a 60 FPS boost, and Sonic Generations runs at both 4K resolution and 60FPS.
To see Sonic Unleashed in action on the Series S/X, check out our gameplay video below.
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Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator Yuji Naka has spoken out against publisher Square Enix over the release of Balan Wonderworld, claiming he was removed from the project as director months before the game’s launch – which led him to sue the Final Fantasy company.
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If you wanted any of those older digital releases of Sonic 1, 2, 3 & Knckles, and CD, you might want to get them soon, because most of them are getting delisted on May 20. This news comes via a press release from SEGA, which confirmed the delisting of these games across all platforms outside of the Nintendo Switch and mobile.
Specifically, every individually released version of Sonic 1, 2, 3, Sonic & Knuckles, and Sonic CD are all getting delisted from Steam, Xbox, Playstation 3 and Playstation Now. The SEGA AGES releases of Sonic 1 and 2 on Switch will remain, as will Sonic 1, 2 and CD on iOS and Android. The 3DS releases have yet to be specified, but with that digital service ending next year they likely aren’t bothering with it.
Sonic Channel released a somewhat more detailed list of what was being delisted, though while they say Sonic CD will be among the games getting delisted, it’s not on the list. This is likely just an oversight. You can find that here.
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If you’ve shelled out for the Switch Online Expansion Pack for the bonus retro games, Sonic Spinball, Shining Force II, and Space Harrier II have been added to the Genesis app. To coincide with this update, Nintendo released a brief gameplay sample of each:
There have been plenty of collections and re-releases of these games, but let’s be real, the true hero of these releases is the rewind. Sonic Spinball is hard. It’s not very long, no, but have you ever made it to that final stage? It’s absolutely insane. So if you’re already invested in the pack, why not just boot it up and cheat your heart out? I won’t hold it against you.
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Tails is a Vtuber now, apparently! Via an announcement on Twitter, SEGA has revealed “TailsTube,” a new “informative” web series about all things Sonic. This series will be hosted by a Vtuber avatar of Tails voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey. Beyond what’s revealed in the tweet, not much else is really known about the show. Will there be announcements? Interviews? Game presentations? We’ll just have to see.
You can check out the brief announcement video in the tweet embedded below. The show will launch sometime next week.
We're excited to announce: TailsTube! A fun and informative, Tails-hosted show about all things Sonic, coming to you next week! pic.twitter.com/yDTMAZHjgU
This isn’t the first time Sonic characters have become vtubers. Last year, SEGA of Japan turned Sonic into a vtuber for the franchise’s 30th anniversary. Tails later joined him in a stream in December. This is the first time this will be done in English, though.
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With the first wave of Steam Deck units shipping less than a week from now, it’s a good time to look at what Valve has given the confident thumbs up, the shaky sideways thumb, and the sad thumbs down. Steam has introduced a new page to check your library’s compatibility, so if you’ve got one on order (or plan on getting one), go check it out.
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It may be the Year of the Tiger, but for us Sonic fans, it will always be the year of the hedgehog. Paramount Pictures Malaysia has just released some new advertisements celebrating the Chinese New Year. You can see these new renders down below. Sonic 2 hits theaters on April 12 and April 28 in Malaysia.
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Seems like we have this sort of thing every year from the Japanese Sonic marketing team, but today we have a new promotional messaging design announced by the official JP Sonic channel. Get ready for ‘Project Sonic ’22’!
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
SEGA Hardlight, the company behind many of Sonic’s mobile games (including Sonic Dash & Sonic Forces) is now hiring. According to Hardlight game designer Antony Lavelle, the company is looking for both an experienced and an entry level UK-based game designer.
If you meet those criteria and want to work for the studio, check out their website here.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Tokyo Game Show will be holding a concert featuring video game music called “Tokyo Game Show FES” to commemorate its 25th anniversary, and Sonic Colors Ultimate will be among the games featured.
The Sonic Colors Ultimate portion of the concert will take place at Stage 01 at 5:00 PM JST on October 2.
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We already saw this coming, but we now have official footage of Sonic and Tails in Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, celebrating both Monkey Ball’s 20th anniversary and Sonic’s 30th!
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
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.
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Last year, SEGA sold their Joypolis amusement business to the China Animation Cultural Technology Group. Now CA Joypolis, the company created by that sale, is exploring expanding the SEGA-branded indoor park into overseas markets. The news comes from YouTuber and former Sonic Stadium staffer Dave “Badnik Mechanic” Luty.
According to a report CA Joypolis released, “the Group has entered a [memorandum of understanding] with another international partner to select a location for launching theme park in the UK within approximately half a year and explore the possibility to launch theme parks in Europe, North America and elsewhere.”
At the moment, there are three Joypolis locations, all in Asia, with a fourth now planned to open in South China. It’s been a long time since western markets have seen a proper SEGA theme park, with the only serious attempt SEGAWorld, which launched in the UK and Australia back in the 90s, and only lasted a few years. Sonic’s presence at the current Joypolis locations doesn’t tend to be that large, due to the character’s lack of popularity in Asia. One wonders whether or not a UK version of the park would feature the character more prominently.
We may have a better idea of whether a UK Joypolis location will happen, and perhaps what form it will take, by the end of the year.
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The official Sonic 30th anniversary website has now launched, and it looks to be everyone’s one stop hub for all info regarding events, merchandise, and games coming out this year.
The website has a list of recent and impending events, including yesterday’s Sonic Central stream, the upcoming Sonic symphony on June 23, and something called a “Ring series,” which appears to be a series of videos focusing on both Sonic fans and creators. The Ring series doesn’t currently have a date.
The website also has sections devoted to Sonic Colors Ultimate, merchandise, his mobile games and game tie-ins, and a download gallery with a few wallpapers.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
During the Sonic Central event this morning, it was announced that Sonic would be guest-starring in other game series in different forms.
First up. is “Tokyo 2020” where Sonic, in mascot form, will be playable in several events including baseball, basketball, football (soccer), and more. Coming June 22nd
Next up is Sonic DLC for “Two-Point Hospital” The hospital staff will be able to swap out their scrubs for Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles costumes. You can then add Sonic decorations to your hospital as well. The free DLC comes July 30th
The classic arcade game, Sonic the Fighters will appear in “Lost Judgment”. The sequel to the 2018 “Yakuza” spinoff. Lost Judgement comes out on September 24th.
There was also a hint of Sonic DLC for Minecraft, but no details were given outside of a tiny snippet of video.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
We’re almost there! Sonic’s big 30th celebration is under way, and SEGA is kicking things off with a rather motivational video showcasing how Sonic has inspired fans old and new!
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Just prior to Sonic’s anniversary month, the Sonic Twitter account has announced a YouTube and Twitch stream on May 27th promising “upcoming projects, partnerships, and events.”
Did someone say news?
Tune in at 9am PT on 5/27 for a first look at some of the projects, partnerships, and events for our #Sonic30th celebration! pic.twitter.com/rd4RpyVWFj
— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) May 25, 2021
SECOND UPDATE: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (best known for the Yakuza/Judgment series) posted a cryptic reply. It’s unclear if this is them telling you to save money for upcoming games, suggesting there’s some sort of new Sonic arcade game, suggesting Sonic will have some sort of cameo in a future Yakuza/Judgment game, or that the studio itself will be involved in a Sonic game. Luckily we’ll know very soon:
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Japanese green tea company ITO EN has launched a brand new TV commercial for its popular range of bottled ‘Oi Ocha’ drinks, leveraging a new partnership with pop group Dreams Come True. As part of this collaboration, DCT’s Masato Nakamura appears to have introduced a new arrangement of Sonic the Hedgehog’s ‘Green Hill Zone’ for the commercial’s music.
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Who likes financial briefings! Now, don’t raise your hands all at once, I know we’re all really excited to get new financial numbers, but for those of you who aren’t already sifting through the 74-page 2020 Results Presentation on SEGA SAMMY’s investor relations site, here are the highlights.
Although several other sites latched onto the “Super Game” mentioned eight times in the report, the way it appears in the presentation suggests “Super Game” might just be a term they use for a game that they can sell to a global audience. It may include new IP considering they have a separate 3-year plan to globalize their existing IP, but it would be very weird for a 5-year plan to include making some sort of global omni-game containing multiple titles. Not impossible, but very weird.
Other notable bits from the report include:
The Sonic series led traditional software sales with 4.4 million units sold, followed by Total War (4 million), Football Manager (3.8 million), and Persona (3 million).
Sonic is used as an example of strengthening the brand through media mix, specifically citing the original Sonic movie, the upcoming sequel, and the Netflix series Sonic Prime.
Games highlighted for release during fiscal 2021/2022 are Humankind, Shin Megami Tensei V, Total War: Warhammer III, Lost Judgment, and Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis.
SEGA’s European studio is working on an unspecified FPS project.
SEGA is instituting an approach of Remaster-Remake-Reboot in regard to current and past/dormant IP. Examples listed under past IP include Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Space Channel 5, Rez, Panzer Dragoon, NiGHTS, Shinobi, Virtua Fighter, Altered Beast, House of the Dead, Streets of Rage, and Soul Hackers, all with the asterisk “*Under examination of which IP to utilize.”
Game software sales stayed strong, and Free to Play titles were really strong throughout quarantine/social distancing.
SEGA SAMMY reiterates that they were hit hard by the economic effects of Covid, leading them to restructure (voluntary retirement, sale/restructure of arcade divisions). Spaces most prominently affected were the arcade business, arcade machines, pachinko/pachislots, and their resorts.
If you’ve ever wanted to know how much SEGA SAMMY is worth, they report having 367.6 billion yen in liquid assets as of March 2021 (or roughly 3.4 billion USD, 2.4 billion GBP, or 2.8 billion EUR). This amount is just liquid assets, and does not include the value of property the company owns or the IP it holds.
SEGA SAMMY acknowledges responsibilities regarding environmental sustainability, diversity, job satisfaction, and addiction prevention.
Oh, and hey, they’re working on a Gamera pachislot machine, which I personally like for esoteric reasons.
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It sounds like the long wait for the next Sonic game announcement may soon be over, if a statement by SEGA Chief Strategy Officer Shuji Utsumi is any indication. In a recent interview with Famitsu Magazine, he talked about SEGA and its upcoming software limit. On the subject of Sonic, he said the new an announcement for a new game “might be coming soon.” Noncommittal language aside, there are a few reasons to expect it will happen soon, since both E3 and Sonic’s anniversary are next month month, and Sonic Colors Ultimate was leaked roughly a month ago now.
In that same interview, Utsumi also commented on people pointing out that SEGA was releasing more mobile games then console games. According to him, the company has been going through an organizational shift, and that there will be more console games starting from 2022 onwards.
It’s been a long while since the last Sonic console game, Team Sonic Racing, was announced. It’s been even longer since the last console Sonic game was released. Whether its with a Sonic Colors remake, or something else, that appears likely to end soon. What are you hoping for this year? Let us know in the comments!
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E3’s Twitter account finally confirmed a bunch of companies for their digital event, including SEGA. As things stand, we currently know nothing about SEGA’s E3 presence, but their presence does mean they should have something to show from one of their many franchises. Will it be Sonic? Who knows. But that’s at least a possibility now. It should be noted that SEGA’s presence is never a sure thing: they skipped E3 2015.
As usual, we should be on hand to cover it. We’ve qualified as press for every E3 since 2010, so assuming that streak holds, you can tune into us for whatever digital press-only coverage E3 will be providing this year.
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SEGA Japan today announced that it will be entering the blockchain business this summer, by partnering up with Japanese game company Double Jump.Tokyo to sell NFTs “related to its classic IP”.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
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