Sega just hosted the Sonic Central 2024, providing fans a glimpse into the future of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Sega announced the stream a day prior, promised to reveal “a sneak peek of some of [Sega’s] upcoming projects, partnerships, and events happening through 2025.”
Sonic Games and Collaborations
One of the major announcements was the reveal of Sonic Rumble, a new battle royale game coming to PC and mobile platforms this winter. Sonic Rumble will feature Fall Guys-style gameplay, with 32 players taking on the roles of various Sonic characters and competing in colorful challenges. Additionally, Sega revealed that the Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble game will get Sonic-themed downloadable content, including ball skins for Sonic and Shadow, as well as a Shadow the Hedgehog costume.
The stream also highlighted upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog merchandise, such as brick building sets featuring characters like Sonic, Shadow, Rouge, and Knuckles, as well as a Sonic-themed motorbike helmet. Sega announced a partnership with Topgolf, which will bring Sonic-themed virtual golf courses to the popular entertainment venues in the near future. Players will be able to navigate tricky obstacles and collect rings as they experience the blue blur on the greens.
Perhaps the most exciting collaboration revealed during the stream was a new comic book series from Sega and DC Comics. Starting in March 2025, the companies will release a monthly issue that sees Sonic the Hedgehog team up with iconic DC superheroes, including Batman and Superman. The stream showcased character mashups, such as Shadow as Batman and Knuckles as Superman.
Sonic x Shadow Generations and Sonic the Hedgehog Movie
A new trailer for the upcoming Sonic x Shadow Generations game, which is set to launch on October 25th was shown. The trailer teased a time-traveling storyline and featured both cinematic and gameplay footage, with a focus on the fan-favorite character Shadow the Hedgehog. To further hype up the release of Sonic x Shadow Generations, Sega announced a three-part anime prologue series called “Sonic x Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings,” which will debut on YouTube in the weeks leading up to the game’s launch.
The Sonic Central stream concluded with a brief tease for the third Sonic the Hedgehog movie, due to hit theaters in December 2024, providing fans with a behind-the-scenes look at the previous two films and the upcoming installment.
Overall, the Sonic Central 2024 stream showcased Sega’s commitment to expanding the Sonic the Hedgehog universe through a variety of new games, collaborations, and merchandise. Sonic fans have plenty to look forward to in the coming years as the blue blur continues to speed into new and exciting directions.