Isabela Merced Cast as Lead in Paul W.S. Anderson’s The House of the Dead Film

SEGA’s The House of the Dead is once again stepping into the spotlight of Hollywood, this time with a major casting announcement that signals a very different approach from past adaptations. According to a new report from Deadline, actress Isabela Merced has been cast as the lead in Paul W.S. Anderson’s upcoming film adaptation of The House of the Dead. Isabela Merced has steadily built an impressive résumé in recent years.

She starred in several films such as the Alien: Romulus and Superman, directed by James Gunn. Her casting suggests the film is aiming for a higher profile than previous attempts to bring The House of the Dead to the big screen. The announcement marks a significant step forward for the project, which is being positioned as a “high priority” for SEGA following the success of the Sonic the Hedgehog film series.

Check more details regarding her role and plans for the film further in the article!

Sonic Presents: The Chaotix Casefiles Episode 2 Out Now! Sends the Detectives Into an Extreme Gear Chase!

Sonic Presents: The Chaotix Casefiles continues to pick up speed with the release of Episode 2, now available on the official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube channel and wherever you listen to podcasts.

This time, a new lead sends Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon, and Charmy Bee straight into the high-octane world of Extreme Gear racing. In Episode 2, the Chaotix Detective Agency finds themselves chasing answers and rivals as they cross paths with the infamous Babylon Rogues.

Can the detectives keep up with the fastest thieves around and uncover the truth behind the case? Fans can find out now in the latest episode of The Chaotix Casefiles. Listen to The Chaotix Casefiles on your favorite podcast here!

Prize Fighter – Heavyweight Edition announced, releases February 20, 2026

From our friends at Screaming Villains comes the announcement of another Digital Pictures FMV remaster! Prize Fighter – Heavyweight Edition has been announced to release February 20, 2026 digitally to the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. Prize Fighter originally released to the SEGA CD in 1993, and is described as taking players “closer than a ringside seat” as the game “puts you right in the game”. Interestingly, the digital release is being developed by and published by Screaming Villains, with no mention of Limited Run Games. However, given Limited Run Games did tease Prize Fighter as well as other Digital Pictures titles last year, a physical release is sure to be announced soon.

Check out the trailer above and stay tuned for more details about the remaster as we hear it!

SEGA News Bits Live: Yakuza Kiwami 3 is Fixing the Water!

This week! Virtua Fighter 5 comes physically (sort of) on the Switch 2! Also, RGG Studio is fixing the biggest problem fans have with Kiwami 3… the water!

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Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage Nintendo Switch 2 Launch on March 26 + Open Beta & Pre-Orders Announced

SEGA revealed Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage will launch for Nintendo Switch 2 on March 26, 2026, marking the debut of the beloved 3D fighting series on a Nintendo platform!

Pre-orders are open for the digital and physical version of the game. Additionally, the Nintendo Switch 2 Open Beta Test will kick off on February 18 at 7pm PT / 10pm ET, and can be downloaded directly from the Nintendo eShop.

Full details can be found in the press release below!

Listen to Sonic Presents: The Chaotix Files Episode 0 & 1 Today!

Sonic Presents: The Chaotix Files is finally here, letting fans listen on the go via the official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube channel and other podcast platforms, starting with Episodes 0 and 1. Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon, and Charmy Bee return as the Chaotix Detective Agency, ready to crack new cases once again.

In Episode 0 – “Chaotix Are on the Case!”, the team’s latest investigation takes an unexpected turn when they receive a surprise visit from Sonic the Hedgehog himself. The mystery deepens in Episode 1 – “The Case of the Two-Faced Thief”, which centers on a museum heist near Station Square, with early clues pointing to a familiar face Sonic fans may recognize.

If you’re interested in how the sound design was created for the podcast series, check out Sonic content creator, Sam Procrastinates video interview with the band leader and arranger for the 8-bit Big Band, Charlie Rosen.

SEGA and Realm Announce First Ever Sonic the Hedgehog Audio Drama Series – Sonic Presents: The Chaotix Casefiles

SEGA today has announced Sonic the Hedgehog Presents: The Chaotix Casefiles, a brand-new narrative podcast from SEGA of America, Inc. in partnership with Realm. The series debuts on January 27, 2026, with Realm managing distribution everywhere that podcasts are available and representing the show for ad sales.

The Chaotix Casefiles features the official Sonic video game voice cast reprising their roles, including Roger Craig Smith as Sonic the Hedgehog, Keith Silverstein as Vector the Crocodile, Matthew Mercer as Espio the Chameleon, Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Charmy Bee, with many other fan-favorites to appear throughout the season.

The production is helmed by a team of creative talent deeply rooted in the world of animation and gaming. Directed by Ian Jones-Quartey (OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes, Steven Universe), with lead writer Dan Jolley (Transformers, Dying Light, Superman), and a writers’ room with Ian Flynn and Evan Stanley, who have extensive experience with the Sonic franchise. Check out the full press release for the upcoming podcast below!

SEGA News Bits Live: The Dreamcast 2026 Revival

NAOMI ports in Yakuza Kiwami 3, Power Smash online gameplay restored, SEGAbits.com viewable on the Dreamcast? Truly 2026 is the year of the Dreamcast revival. Let’s run through the past week’s news!

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Several mini-games and retro games in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties revealed and detailed

When you can’t focus on the main story because of all the side games stealing your attention

Today, Sega and RGG Studio have detailed a bunch of side games in the upcoming Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties. Here, they’ve talked about beloved returning games such as karaoke and Reaper hunting and brand new stuff such as retro Sega games, substories, the Kanda’s Damage Control side missions in Dark Ties (Mine’s Story), and LaLaLa Loveland in Yakuza Kiwami 3 (Kiryu’s Story).

Clear out your afternoon, warm up your vocal pipes, gather up as many AA batteries as you can, and step on past the break to find out what awaits you during any downtime you have in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, which releases worldwide next month.

SEGA Celebrates 35 Years of Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog, one of the most iconic and beloved brands in the industry, is thrilled to announce its 35th anniversary this year! Since his debut in 1991, Sonic has defined generations with his signature speed, attitude, and style, expanding far beyond his innovative video game origins into new characters and worlds, blockbuster films, animated television, music, merchandise, and more. To commence the festivities, SEGA released a new anniversary trailer to build hype and rewind through Sonic’s best moments over the last 35 years.

Throughout the upcoming year, SEGA will roll out a high-energy slate of anniversary programs designed to celebrate Sonic’s legacy while bringing fans together around the world. Planned activities include digital content highlighting Sonic’s evolution across the decades, fan meet-ups and community gatherings, exclusive brand and retail partnerships featuring limited merchandise, museum pop-ups and art exhibits, live concert celebrations, and a brand-new narrative podcast.

“We’re incredibly proud to celebrate 35 years of our beloved Sonic franchise with our fans,” said Marcella Churchill, Vice President of SEGA/ATLUS Brand Marketing at SEGA of America. “This milestone is not just a reflection of our past, but also a look toward the future as we continue to innovate and grow. We want to bring our community together and create memorable experiences for all our fans throughout 2026!”

Additional 35th anniversary-inspired content, partnerships, collectibles, and fan experiences will be revealed throughout the year. Head to the official Sonic the Hedgehog 35th Anniversary website for the latest news, updates, and media surrounding the year’s programs.

What are some announcements are you looking forward to during Sonic’s 35th Anniversary? Let us know in the comments!

Sonic Racing: Crossworlds Nintendo Switch 2 Edition physical release date announced; Blue Star EX Gear now available to all for free

The wait to own a physical copy of Sonic Racing: Crossworlds for Nintendo Switch 2, one that actually has the game on the card, is nearly over. Mark March 26th, 2026 on your calendars.

While Sonic Racing: Crossworlds had already been available as a native Nintendo Switch 2 game, complete with an upgrade pack for owners of the original Nintendo Switch version, since December 2025, it was only available digitally. (You can still buy the upgrade pack if you had a physical Nintendo Switch 1 version.) If you’ve been waiting for a native Nintendo Switch 2 game card, then pre-orders have just opened up for it. The pre-order price sits at $69.99 USD. Currently, only Amazon has a pre-order page open, but other retailers are sure to follow soon. You can check Sega’s own Sonic Racing: Crossworlds website for the most up to date information on where you can pre-order or where you can order any other version of the game.

As an added bonus, Sega have also made the Blue Star Extreme Gear DLC available for free on all platforms. (Currently it isn’t live on the Nintendo eShop, but this could be an error. Keep checking for it.) Originally available exclusively for those who signed up for a Sega account and redeemed it when the game originally launched in September, the Blue Star is an extra boost vehicle that’s based on Sonic’s Extreme Gear from Sonic Riders (2006). If you never signed up for a Sega account, you forgot to redeem the Blue Star DLC, or you’ve since bought Sonic Racing: Crossworlds on a second platform or a different platform than you originally intended, you can still get this absolutely free now.

Be sure to cross over past the break to see a bit more info on the physical Nintendo Switch 2 Edition that you might like to know.

PAC-MAN Makes Way into Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Today!

SEGA officially released the PAC-MAN™ Pack for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds! Players can now race as video game icon PAC-MAN and Team Ghost on a track inspired by both modern and classic arcade-era PAC-MAN games. The PAC-MAN Pack includes the following:

  • PAC-MAN and Blinky as playable characters
  • Additional skins for Team Ghost: Inky, Pinky, and Clyde
  • PAC-MAN Mobile
  • PAC-VILLAGE & MAZE
  • Official PAC-MAN Music Tracks
  • Six different emotes per character

Players who own the Digital Deluxe Edition will automatically receive the PAC-MAN Pack as part of the Season Pass. For those who want to take part in the PAC-MAN action, the entire Season Pass is separately available for $29.99 USD, which includes access to even more exciting characters, vehicles, and courses. Players can also purchase the standalone PAC-MAN Pack for $5.99 USD.

Players who do not own the PAC-MAN Pack will still be able to compete online against those who do and will be able to race on the PAC-MAN course against the PAC-MAN characters.

SEGA co-founder David Rosen passed away on Christmas Day, 2025

It’s a sad day for all of us Sega fans. One of the most important people in the entire history of Sega has finally left this mortal coil.

David Rosen, the founder of Rosen Enterprises, which would later become the company we all know and love today as Sega, has passed away on December 25th, 2025 at the age of 95 in his Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles home. His funeral was held on January 2nd, 2026 at Inglewood Park Cemetary. News of his passing only just became public on January 2nd courtesy of Replay Magazine.

Very few people in the history of Sega are more worthy of being celebrated than David Rosen. He alone began the chain of events that led to the creation of Sega, and by extension, many of the games they had brought to the world that touched our hearts for decades. Whether it’s Sonic the Hedgehog, NiGHTS, OutRun, Phantasy Star, Shenmue, Like A Dragon, or countless other examples, Mr. Rosen allowed for all of that to eventually be possible.

But it’s not just Sega fans who have plentiful reason to celebrate this man’s life. Part of why Mr. Rosen founded Rosen Enterprises in the first place is because he saw great potential in the coin-op market in post-war Japan. His company was first made to help import coin-op games, which we know now as arcade games, to Japan. This eventually led to Sega making arcade games of their own, but the entire arcade industry owes a major debt of gratitude to Mr. Rosen for that.

If you’d like to hear more about the prestigious spot Mr. Rosen holds in video game history, you can hear more past the break. For now, though, on behalf of SegaBits and Sega/gaming fans around the globe, we salute the amazing David Rosen and thank him for his services to gaming. We are glad he lived such a long, fulfilling life and that he may now rest in peace. Many condolences go out to his surviving family and friends as well.

EDIT: I’ve edited my write-up on Sega following the Gulf+Western buyout to clear up some false information. My apologies for that.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Free NiGHTS Content Drop Available on December 24th

Today, SEGA announced the free NiGHTS content for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will be available for players starting Wednesday, Dec. 24 at 4:00 PM PT! Players will be able to race alongside Sonic and friends as the beloved Nightmaren, NiGHTS! The free NiGHTS Content Drop includes the following:

  • NiGHTS as a playable character

  • NiGHTS’ vehicle, Dream Sleeper

  • Special emotes and sounds

Players who own either the Standard (physical or digital) or Digital Deluxe versions of the game will automatically receive the free NiGHTS Content Drop. Please ensure that the game is updated to the latest version for the content to be downloaded properly.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is available now both digitally and physically on PlayStation®5 (PS5®), PlayStation®4 (PS4®), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC starting at $69.99 USD and on Nintendo Switch™, Nintendo Switch™- OLED Model, and Nintendo Switch™ Lite starting at $59.99 USD. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is also available digitally for players at $69.99 USD.