Sonic the Hedgehog gets his own digital showcase on May 27

Sonic the Hedgehog celebrates his 30th birthday this year, and a new digital showcase coming Thursday, May 27, will reveal the future of Sega’s enduring mascot. Sonic Central, described as a virtual event focused on the famous hedgehog, will feature appearances from Sega’s Sonic Team and unannounced special guests.

In a news release Tuesday, Sega promised to reveal “a plethora of upcoming projects, partnerships and events spanning the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and beyond” during the livestream. Sonic Central will stream at 12 p.m. EDT/9 a.m. PDT on May 27, on the official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube and Twitch channels.

Sonic the Hedgehog’s most recent game releases were a pair of spinoffs, in the form of 2019’s Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Team Sonic Racing. The blue blur’s most recent core games, 3D platformer Sonic Forces and 2D platformer Sonic Mania, were released back in 2017.

Sega has a sequel to its Sonic the Hedgehog movie in development at Paramount Pictures, with a release date of April 8, 2022. A handful of rumored collections and remasters, including a rerelease of Wii game Sonic Colors, have leaked via retail listings.

To further celebrate Sonic’s anniversary, Sega collaborated with creative agency Liquid+ Arcade for a new “Unstoppable” promotional campaign that highlights fans’ long relationship with the Sega Genesis-era mascot. You can see Sonic’s new nostalgia-tinged video below.