Next-gen Sonic speeds towards 2006 @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on September 09, 2005

News: It's the 15th birthday of the big blue ball of fury.

Sega has announced that they are bringing Sonic the Hedgehog to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 next year to celebrate the hedgehog's 15th birthday.

Details are scarce (and you can bet Sonic the Hedgehog won't be the final title), but we know that Yuji Naka, creator of the series, will be heading up the team for this next-gen Sonic. We also know Sega plans to "reinvent" the series for the next-gen consoles.

"Sonic The Hedgehog represents the most recognizable example of classic SEGA properties that we will recreate for the PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360," said Naoya Tsurumi, CEO of SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe Ltd. "When Sonic The Hedgehog debuted on the SEGA Genesis in 1991, he reinvented the action-platform genre with speed and attitude. By harnessing the power of these new platforms, we are confident that Sonic will once again raise the bar for action gaming in 2006 and beyond."

"We are proud to re-create our famous friend, Sonic, for a new generation of gamers on PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360," said Yuji Naka, R&D Creative Officer, SEGA Corporation. "With Sonic The Hedgehog, we have gone back to our starting point, more than 15-years ago, to reinvent the attitude and speed that made our hero a legend. The 'rebirth of Sonic' will offer an unparalleled sense of speed that is only possible using the processing power afforded by the new systems."

Sega is keeping the next-gen Sonic very tightly under wraps as this little gem closed their statement: "Sega has decided not to announce product, or release details at this time."

We'll have more on Sonic the Hedgehog when Sega feels like revealing more.