SEGA and Sonic Team were at SXSW and presented a ton of new upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog stuff. Perhaps the most exciting is a physical release of Sonic Mania titled Sonic Mania Plus. While the staff detailed the new features, they did keep some new modes unexplained. Thankfully, a new press release details what we can expect from the release.
It really does seem that the Yakuza franchise has finally gotten the attention its deserve since the release of Yakuza 0. Now with Yakuza 6 around the corner, SEGA has announced that Yakuza Kiwami 2 will be heading to the West this upcoming August! Considering it is one of my favorite entries to the franchise, I decided to record a little video for you guys talking about the release, what to expect and other nonsense. Are you guys picking up Yakuza Kiwami 2 when it releases? If not, you should!
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During the Yakuza 6 Live Q&A portion, one of the questions asked if Yakuza 6 is truly the end for our lovable hero or will we see him appear in other games. Once the question ended, everyone in the audience screamed “Tekken!“, which seems something that fans want to happen. I even wrote a whole article about why Kazuma Kiryu would be perfect for Tekken 7 (take notes, Namco). Yakuza Producer, Daisuke Sato took to answering the question:
“What it comes down to the whole Tekken thing, if Harada-san says he wants to use Kiryu, well then there it is.” – Daisuke Sato, Yakuza Producer
But lets be honest, SEGA is obviously saving this big Kazuma Kiryu fighting game crossover for Virtua Fighter 6, right guys?
SEGA announced at it’s Essence of of Art Exhibit that the remake of the second installment of the Yakuza series will be making it’s way to the West on August 28th 2018. The turn around from the original Japanese release in December 2017 to the Western release of Yakuza Kiwami 2 in August 2018 will make it the quickest turn around in the franchise’s history since the original release. Check out the trailer above and get ready to relive one of the great rivalries of the series, Kazuma Kiryu vs Ryuji Goda. The game will release in two editions: a special Steelbook Edition and a Standard Edition.
We called it! Well, George called it in last month’s rumor video. Sonic Racing is indeed real and while we are not sure who is developing it, all signs are pointing to Sumo Digital. On this SEGA News Bits, Barry takes a look at the teaser trailer, looks back on Sonic’s racing history and looks ahead at what we might expect from the upcoming game.
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It’s happening! Sonic Mania is finally receiving a physical release as Sonic Mania Plus. And if that wasn’t enough, the game will have new content and will see the return of two long lost characters: Mighty and Ray! What more, we have a series of animated shorts on the way titled Sonic Mania Adventures!
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SEGA and Sonic Team concluded their panel with a tease of a new Sonic game. The logo was in silhouette and only an R could be seen, but it seemed to say Sonic Racing. Aaron noted that it is not a sequel to anything, so it is not Sonic Drift 3, Sonic R 2 or All-Stars Racing 3. Most likely, it is an all Sonic racing game which was previously leaked in a Sumo Digital internal presentation.
SEGA and Sonic Team have announced at SXSW that SEGA and Puma are teaming for a new Sonic the Hedgehog shoe. Unfortunately, it is not Sonic’s red shoes with the stripe and buckle. The shoes have not been fully revealed, as the preview image is pixelated, but they should be revealed soon and will be very limited. So good luck getting a pair!
SEGA and Sonic Team announced today that a new animated series of shorts featuring Tyson Hesse’s artwork and Tee Lopes music will debut later this year on YouTube. The series will be five episodes long and will be free to view. The tone will appeal to all kinds of Sonic fans, but it sounds like the OVA and the Sonic CD cutscenes are big influence. The series will be an ongoing story and will tie in with Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces, with the story resuming after classic Sonic returns to his own time following Forces. The series will be dialogue-free.
The first episode releases within 30 days, new episodes release monthly and the show will bridge the gap until Sonic Mania Plus.
SEGA and the Sonic Team at SXSW have officially announced that Sonic Mania will be receiving a physical release as ! To sweeten the deal, the game will include new content including two playable characters: Mighty and Ray! Other modes include “Encore Mode” and 4P competition mode. The game will release with an exclusive holographic slipcover, a SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive branded sleeve and a 32 page art book.
On this SEGAbits Unboxing, Barry takes a look at the Tomy classic Sonic the Hedgehog action figure. This figure came as a bit of a surprise, as early listings for it made it appear much smaller than it actually turned out to be. Just how cool is this new classic Sonic figure? Watch and find out! You can buy it for yourself at GameStop.
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The Yakuza franchise has been one of SEGA’s longest running franchise since they went 3rd party and Yakuza 6 celebrates a new beginning and an end to the franchise. For one this title sports a brand new, high budget engine created from the ground up for the PlayStation 4 and on the other hand this game is meant to be the last game starring the franchise’s protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu.
But did SEGA deliver in a true next-generation experience with Yakuza 6: The Song of Life? Find out with our review.
It looks like we finally have a release date for the western release of the hotly anticipated, and highly praised, Valkyria Chronicles 4! According to new Amazon listings, the game will be due out October 16, 2018. A fitting time of year given the game itself takes place in a snowy setting. Pre-orders are not live yet, but when they are you can pre-order the game at the following links. No word yet on the expected launch editions, but I’m pretty sure all pre-order listings will default to a steelbook or art book or sticker sheet or magic decoder ring launch edition.
Valkyria Chronicles 4
PlayStation 4 – Xbox One – Nintendo Switch
SEGA announced today that a new compilation of SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive games will be releasing physically to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Containing over 50 games, theres a lot to play and some glaring omissions. On this SEGA News Bits, George and Barry run through the games and give their verdicts and speculate what’s next.
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SEGA has officially unveiled the trailer for SEGA Genesis Classics (SEGA Mega Drive Classics in Europe) and have revealed some of the in-game features. The collection will include over 50 classic games along with enhanced features like Rewind, Mirror Mode and visual filters. The official site, megadriveclassics.com, has yet to go live but it can be assumed that is where the full list of games will be included. The collection is releasing physically to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on May 29th, and as an added incentive will include a double sided poster. Thankfully, SEGA seems to realize the Genesis can stand on its own and does not need Sonic’s name tacked on to the title, like they did with Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection in 2009.
After the break, see the full list of included games.