The biggest moment at this past weekend’s Sonic & SEGA Fan Jam Remix was the Shenmue & Arcade All-Stars Voice Actors Panel featuring the reunion of Corey Marshall, Lisle Wilkerson and Eric Kelso of Shenmue fame.
This is the first time all three have been together since recording audio for Shenmue II over 20 years ago. I was on hand as moderator, which was probably a SEGA fan “career” highlight for me.
Another Sonic & SEGA Fan Jam event is a wrap, and for the first time a Barry or George attended! Which one was it? Click play to find out! On this News Bits Live, check out exclusive photos and videos from the event, details on the must see panels and some merch pickups.
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Unless you have been living under a rock, you should know by now that Sonic Frontiers is now available on all major platforms! That includes the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. With the game’s launch came a launch trailer that has to be seen to be believed. Think they go with a song like “Vandelize” or “I’m Here”? Think again!
In what is a big week for SEGA, Football Manager 2023 has released to PC and Mac on Steam, Epic and Microsoft Store. The game is the latest installment in the long running franchise which, funnily enough, actually appeared in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed for PC as the titular Football Manager appeared as a guest character. Check out the launch trailer above, and after the break read through the press release!
We’re one week away from Sonic Frontiers, and SEGA has dropped a five minute animated short showing fans how Knuckles got from Angel Island to the Starfall Islands. Written by Ian Flynn and Directed by Tyson Hesse, the short brings together elements of the classic era, Sonic Adventure and the upcoming Sonic Frontiers. Social media is already abuzz with the various elements coming together and the characterization and voice work for Knuckles, done by Dave B. Mitchell who joined the cast with Team Sonic Racing.
Sonic Frontiers will launch starting at $59.99 on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, the Nintendo Switch™ family of systems and PC on November 8. To pre-order Sonic Frontiers today, please visit: https://frontiers.sonicthehedgehog.com.
…And now here they are! The most powerful duo of daffy podcasters to ever whirl their wheels in the Wacky Races! Competing for the title of world’s wackiest racer! The cars are approaching the starting line. First, is the Giga Mega Drive Turbo driven by Gorgeous George. Next is Barry the Nomad in the AV RCA Hookup Pickup Truck. And they’re off… to a standing start. And why not, they’ve been chained to a post, by Dick Dastardly, who shifts into the wrong gear. And away they go… on the way-out Wacky Races!
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Yesterday the news broke that legendary SEGA Designer, Director and Producer Rieko Kodama had passed away. The first signs of her passing came, surprisingly yet in hindsight quite fittingly, from a SEGA game. The Mega Drive Mini 2 had just released, and within the credits was “In memory of Rieko Kodama”. There had been no announcement of Kodama’s passing, so fans were both shocked and confused, hoping it was some translation error. However, the news was confirmed by SEGA Creative Producer Yosuke Okunari who had most recently worked alongside Kodama on the SEGA AGES Nintendo Switch series of rereleases. Kodama had passed away on May 9, 2022, however out of respect for her family’s wishes for privacy the news was not made public until now.
Sonic Frontiers is just days away, and in the lead up to the game’s release SEGA has given fans a two part digital comic starring Sonic, Tails, Amy and Eggman showing the events that lead to the game’s opening moments. The official Sonic Twitter account has shared part one and today dropped part two, with a animated short starring Knuckles soon to follow.
Fans have asked nicely. They begged. They asked rudely! And in the end, Discotek Media has delivered! That’s right, the Japanese version of Sonic X is finally releasing to home video in America! While Discotek has released the full english dubbed run of the series on DVD and SD on Blu-ray, the Japanese version was conspicuously absent.
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Following up from yesterday’s news of Fantasy Zone, SEGA and Data Discs are back with another vinyl release! This time, the focus shifts to modern games as the upcoming Sonic Frontiers will see not one but TWO releases! First up, the 2XLP edition sees a “Sonic Blue” colored vinyl with a 12 page booklet featuring liner notes from Tomoya Ohtani, a lithographic art print of the Japanese cover art all packed in a single pocket sleeve. This edition, seen above, will retail for 32.99 GBP or about $37 USD and will ship around mid December. Learn more about this release here. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!
Limited Run Games has announced a Western release of the Astro City Mini V. The V, as kids call it, is the second in SEGA’s line of Astro City Mini plug and play consoles which sports a vertically orientated screen and focuses on shoot ’em up games. What makes this release unique is that for the first time, bonus content will be available for the West! Super Zaxxon has been added to the lineup. Super Zaxxon was an update to the original Zaxxon, which as the SEGA Retro wiki explains “offers slightly faster gameplay, a different set of graphics, different stage layouts and a few more enemies”.
The Astro City Mini V goes up for pre-order on October 25th, priced at $159.99. The style kit, which is compatible with both Astro City Mini models, includes a coin bank base and little toy chair and will be available as well in a $199.99 bundle or separately for $39.99. Limited Run Games is also putting the original Astro City Mini back in stock, priced at $129.99.
Data Discs is back with an all new SEGA vinyl, this time featuring the soundtrack to the arcade classic Fantasy Zone! The release, set to go live on Saturday at data-discs.com, features the full 1986 soundtrack from Hiroshi “Hiro” Kawaguchi of OutRun and Space Harrier fame. The release will be available in two editions and include new liner notes from the composer as well as a lithographic art print.
Sonic Frontiers is less than a month away, so now is the best time for SEGA to make their closing arguments to fans for why the game is worthy of a pre-order. In the latest trailer for the game, the combat and upgrades system is explored in a bit more depth as fans can see how the skill tree unlocks new abilities for in-game combat. There are some fun easter eggs to be found, including moves that appear plucked from Sonic’s history of media including an attack seen in the unreleased Sonic X-Treme and moves straight out of the live action movies.
Sonic Frontiers will launch starting at $59.99 on PlayStation5, PlayStation4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, the Nintendo Switch family of systems and PC on November 8. To pre-order Sonic Frontiers, visit: https://frontiers.sonicthehedgehog.com.
Citing “unique challenges”, SEGA Europe has announced that the PlayStation 4/5 and Xbox One/Series console releases of HUMANKIND has been delayed until further notice. Developed by Paris based Amplitude Studios, which is owned by SEGA, HUMANKIND released to PC in 2021 and is a turn-based strategy 4X game. The game was set for consoles in November 2022 but now that is no longer the case.
I’ll admit, here at SEGAbits we struggle to cover the SEGA Europe PC strategy games. Maybe it is because they feel so far removed from what we come to expect from SEGA? Still, a console release was something we were anticipating and it is a shame the game saw a setback. SEGA will share a new release date when they can.
