SEGA celebrated the 20th anniversary of one of their most successful franchises with a lavish VIP party for the beloved blue hedgehog named Sonic held in the evening following the second day of E3.
The event was officially a SEGA after party for invitees only held at Club Nokia in the Nokia Theater. Members of the press and certain E3 attendees allowed into the event were treated to a refreshing evening away from the hustle and bustle of the exhibition floors where other exciting events had taken place earlier in the day.
SEGA representatives handed out special Sonic headgear featuring the hedgehog’s signature blue spikes to people as the celebration started. Other free memorabilia awaited them at different stations around the club. The most noticeable items given away were the commemorative t-shirts and pins emblazoned with the 20th anniversary logo.
A number of stage demos and full Sonic games were available to play around the main lounge area of the club. Dozens of flat screen TVs surrounded by die hard sonic fans lit up the scene with a festive glow. Xboxes and PS3s were used for the different games positioned all around the club. Videos depicting the rich history of Sonic were also displayed on TV screens and large wall projectors. Aside from the variety of electronic entertainment, an open bar awaited those willing to pay.
Special guests of the celebration event included none other than Sonic himself and a few members of the original development team of the first Sonic game, Sonic Team. Founders Naoto Ōshima, Hirokazu Yasuhara, game producer Takashi Iizuka, and Takeshi Kusao the original voice actor for Sonic were all brought on stage to announce the festivities’ for the night.
The biggest surprise of the evening was the opportunity for attendees to become part of the upcoming game in the franchise: Sonic Generations. After introducing the original creators of Sonic the Hedgehog, the SEGA master of ceremonies for the night announced that people in the club were going to be part of an audio track in the upcoming game. After a timed countdown all of the invitees roared, “Happy birthday Sonic!” The audio recording of all of the fans screaming is set to be placed into Sonic Generations in some way, shape, or form.
Following the announcements people were invited to the stage to take pictures with Sonic and the members of Sonic Team. Blue cupcakes and other refreshments were served in celebration of Sonic’s “birthday.”
Sonic Generations is a brand new Sonic adventure featuring New Sonic and Retro Sonic together for the first time. The game features classic 2D side scrolling akin to the original 1991 version and modern 3d style gameplay that has become common of the franchise. It is set to be released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 sometime in 2011.
Paul was here.