The fastest thing alive, Sonic the Hedgehog could be the next big streaming sensation as Sega plans to soon turn him into a VTuber. It's a good time to be a Sonic fan with the movie sequel and a brand new game coming in 2022. The untitled adventure (thought to be named Sonic Rangers) has been teased as a soft reboot for the series, which could usher in a whole new era of Sonic.
2020's Sonic the Hedgehog live-action movie was a resounding success for the franchise, beating Detective Pikachu to become the highest-grossing video game movie in the US. Sonic's video game future is looking just as promising, with a recent 30th-anniversary event announcing both the 2022 title, and Sonic Colors: Ultimate. The new Sonic Colors will be a remastered version of the 2010 original, released on Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS. The remaster will be coming to PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.
Related: Sonic Colors: Ultimate Gameplay Is a Huge Visual Step Up
As if games, movies, comics, and a Sonic Netflix show weren't enough, Sega also wants to turn the hedgehog into a VTuber (or "Virtual YouTuber"). The news comes from Ryokutya2089, a website that posts information from written publications, including Japanese magazine, Famitsu. As spotted by Siliconera, Ryokutya2089 recently shared an interview with Sega art director Kazuyuki Hoshino and Sonic producer Takashi Iizuka, believed to be featured in the upcoming July 8 issue of Famitsu. Confirming plans to turn Sonic into a VTuber, Hoshino said he hopes that fans will be pleased with the news, which will offer the chance for "real-time communication with Sonic."
VTubers are online personalities who connect to fans through a virtual avatar in their videos or livestreams. Japan in particular has a large market for VTubers, with some even appearing in commercials and paid campaigns outside of the internet. While it's not clear how Sonic would use his VTuber career, there's a clear market for it.
Hoshino also suggested Sega's next dream is a Sonic theme park, which he admits may be difficult in Japan, but easier overseas. The comment was made in reference to the success of the Sonic live-action movie and its upcoming sequel, with Hoshino reportedly saying: "The next dream of Hollywood movies will be a theme park." Earlier this year, Nintendo opened Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan. The opening was initially delayed by the coronavirus pandemic before successfully launching in March. The park was then shut down in April over health concerns, but Super Nintendo World is now open once again. It's rumored an Orlando, Florida version of the theme park will be unveiled in 2025.
Sonic Colors: Ultimate releases on September 7 for Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via the Epic Games Store.
Source: Ryokutya2089, Siliconera, Famitsu
